horses that don't stand still when you try to mount

[hamish1]

Hi
Just thought I'd ask if anyone has any tips for getting horses to stand still when you try to get on. Theres a few at the riding school I go to that start circleing,side stepping when you try. Any tips would be great. thanks

 

[kerilli]

are you getting on from a mounting block? really hope so.
if horse is really uncomfortable with saddle or back problems then arsing about before being mounted can be a sign of it.
i'd ask someone to stand to horse's head for a minute while you get on, or try to have enough time to be able to let horse calmly stand close to mounting block, this can take a few goes but most horses give up arsing around when they realise you are calm and patient.

 

[seabiscuit]

Horses that are difficult to mount is always caused by a rider that cant be bothered to use a high enough mounting block!! If someone tries to get on from the ground countless times and each time pulls the saddle over/ digs heels into ribs/throws poor horse about, of course it will start being difficult to get on.

Unfortunately if you are at a riding school, you wouldnt be able to train it out of it, unless the riding instructor/manger makes it a policy that all the horses are mounted from a decent height mounting block. Or a decent leg up ( unless you are completly unflexbible)

Sorry to rant, but this is a real bug bear of mine and I wish some people would use a little more common sense when mounting horses

 

[Serenity087]

So the racehorses I used to ride were all mounted from the floor too then? Riiiggghhhttt....

Some horses get too excited standing to mount. One of the boys would try and lurch forward the minute he felt weight in the stirrup. You had to be confident that once you were in the stirrup, you'd be on, because the mounting block would be a mile away.

Side stepping sounds like you might be jabbing with your toe as well. Whichever way you are getting on, make sure your foot is parallel to the horse. From the floor, I hold the inside rein very tight, so if they circle, they circle round me and I can still mount. From a block, I have to get assistance to hold.

Perhaps ask your instructer about some mounting lessons? Then both you and the horses will benefit.

But do bare in mind, a horse will be put off mounting by one idiot who doesn't do it properly, and because of a nature of a riding school, anything you achieve will quickly be undone.

 

[seabiscuit]

Of course fit racehorses that have been kept cooped up 24/7 is a different story. We are talking about riding school horses here

 

[hamish1]

thanks for the replies. will definatly make sure I always use a mounting block as sometimes on the smaller horses i dont saddle has never slipped when ive done this though but will use one just incase. I guess it's true though unless everyone mounts properly it wont get sorted. thanks again.

 

[Quartz]

My horse is 15.2 hh and I now mount him without a mounting block with no problem. When I brought him he would not stay still for me to mount, resulting in a couple of near misses with me almost going over and right off the otherside. I started to train him with just stopping when I asked in the arena once mounted and not moving again until I asked. If he moved at all we would do a tiny circle back to where I originally asked for stop until he realised ok thats it I have to stop or we will be here all day!! Then we progressed to mounting. If he even moved a tiny bit once my foot once in the stirrup to mount I took it back out, brought him back round to exactly where we started and then tried to mount again, repeating until he stood still unitl I was up. Also no pulling was involved on his reins whilst mounting, just a lot of repitition. I do not hold his reins while mounting now, just one hand on the saddle and the other slight grips the lower part of his main. He doesn't budge at all. I don't know if thats just him, but I did found lots of repetition, helped loads!! Hope this helps.

Also, just to add I had no choice as we have no mounting block at the stables, as the instructor considers it lazy!!!!!! And do agree that mounting from the floor is not suitable for all horses, as have actually seen someone break there back whilst mounting and pulling the horse over on top of her from pulling too much at him. So always be careful and listein to your instinct if its telling you not to do something don't do it!!!!!

 

[Booboos]

I would agree with what other people have said:

- if you have the option always mount from a mounting block, it is much kinder to the horse's back

- some horse may have back problems which are worsened when you mount, so it's always worth checking

- some horses are quite hyper and find it difficult to stand still. Try a helper on the ground who distracts the horse with a bit of food and allow the horse to move on as soon as you are on so that the situation becomes less stressful. You can then move on to giving the horse a mint yourself as a small distraction and hoping on (this is what I had to do with R and I still give him a mint at shows).

- other horses are being a tiny bit naughty and have discovered they can get out of work if they do this. The key here is consistency and repetition. If the horse moves, stop what you are doing and put the horse back in the original position by the mounting block. Don't punish, don't shout, reward when he stands still and repeat until he gives in.


I appreciate many of these things may not be possible in a RS, but you never know!
Good luck!

 

[kerilli]

From the floor, I hold the inside rein very tight, so if they circle, they circle round me and I can still mount. From a block, I have to get assistance to hold.

But do bare in mind, a horse will be put off mounting by one idiot who doesn't do it properly

Imho horses feel discomfort if you mount from the ground, unless you vault on in the Army style and don't use the stirrup at all, in which case, i salute you.
if not, you are doing damage. the horse is bracing against the pull on the saddle (from stirrup and, often, left hand) as you mount. cadavers have shown consistent muscle damage down the offside of the spine in the saddle area, damage that wasn't mirrored on the near side.
i don't need someone standing at the horse's head to mount from a high block, just enough patience to teach the horse to calm down and wait.

 

[YorksG]

Agree with mounting block, much better for the horse. Not possible at a riding school, but when we had a Clydex that refused to stand at the mounting block, we built two walls of straw bales into a 3 sided box, with the mounting block as one side, walked her into the box, I held her, sister got on, much praise and treat, including from sister on top of horse. I then moved the bales, she got the idea and would stand like a rock. She was the first horse sister rode after breaking her ankle and she stood like an angel for sister to get on.