Mounting block issues

[supertramp]

Bit of history, 21 year old New Forest, cheeky chap, but lovely person to be around (this could be the problem!) Often trying to hop on from the mounting block he swings his backside outwards, I get off, swing him back into position and try again, and again, and again........ I can tell he's going to do this as i walk to his side t get onto the block, I can feel his hind end, just starting to move, so i push him back to the block, tell him to stand, quick pat, and try again, this can go on for a while. Other times I can hop on without a problem,

i have a trec comp coming up, the last one we did we were doing so well till the mount, he swung his backside out so many times, i had to do the leap of faith from the right hand side, but hey, we did get a round of applause.!

Hes in good health, saddle checked, teeth checked, pony brain intact!

I have a feeling he gets away with murder, if he could speak he would say its his "skill , good looks, and charm"

 

[LEC]

 

[supertramp]

Thankyou LEC, much appreciated

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Could you shorten your right rein so his head is to the right so less likely to swing his quarters out?

 

[Barton Bounty]

Bit of history, 21 year old New Forest, cheeky chap, but lovely person to be around (this could be the problem!) Often trying to hop on from the mounting block he swings his backside outwards, I get off, swing him back into position and try again, and again, and again........ I can tell he's going to do this as i walk to his side t get onto the block, I can feel his hind end, just starting to move, so i push him back to the block, tell him to stand, quick pat, and try again, this can go on for a while. Other times I can hop on without a problem,

i have a trec comp coming up, the last one we did we were doing so well till the mount, he swung his backside out so many times, i had to do the leap of faith from the right hand side, but hey, we did get a round of applause.!

Hes in good health, saddle checked, teeth checked, pony brain intact!

I have a feeling he gets away with murder, if he could speak he would say its his "skill , good looks, and charm"

Id give him a treat to keep his chops busy and he will be distracted and forget the bum x

 

[Merry neddy man]

Sorry, but mount of the floor, he's not 17:2

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

Id give him a treat to keep his chops busy and he will be distracted and forget the bum x

This is similar to what I did.

Every time I mounted I'd say 'Good Boy' and give a small piece of carrot with my right hand. He learnt quickly and stood like a rock.

I'd already taught him a simple 'Simon Says' game where if I said his name, then a command, and he did it correctly I'd say Good boy and he'd earn a bit of carrot or a treat. It became me saying good boy two or three times for carrot but made life so much easier.

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

You could buy a piaffe whip and teach him to step his hindquarters over towards the block while you're standing on it if you tap his outer hindquarter. I did it with my boy and it was super handy when I had to get off out hacking and get back on using a gate or similar..

Sorry, but mount of the floor, he's not 17:2

I wouldn't do this more than necessary, the strain on their back is immense unless you're light as a feather.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Mounting from the floor is never a first choice.

 

[stangs]

What happens if you move him to the other side of the mounting block, or get on from a fence? Is it mounting that's the issue, or the position of the mounting block?

If it's just mounting, and you're sure that this isn't how he's expressing discomfort at being ridden, then I'd teach him to yield his hindquarters towards you using a stick, then rewarding with a treat once you're on.

 

[MereChristmas]

When I went to view a horse for sale the mounting block was a yard or so away from a solid fence. Putting the horse between the block and the fence meant it couldn’t swing away.
This picture isn’t ideal but gives you the idea.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Good idea too meredith ?

 

[Carrottom]

When I went to view a horse for sale the mounting block was a yard or so away from a solid fence. Putting the horse between the block and the fence meant it couldn’t swing away.
This picture isn’t ideal but gives you the idea.View attachment 99071

This works at home but doesn't fix the problem. I'm guessing you can't move the block at a competition. Steve Young on YouTube has a couple of videos on mounting issues, these may give you some pointers.

 

[RachelFerd]

Not helpful to you - but my "hilarious" horse has a different avoidance technique, which involves climbing on the mounting block with me... And then standing there with a front foot ON the block looking very pleased with himself.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Kelly Marks used to have a video on solving this issue, not sure if she has put it on line. Basically, it was leading up to the mounting block, you stay on the ground, count to five or whatever, big pat/scratch and lead away. Repeat three times. Lead up to the mounting block, you stand on the steps, count, reward, lead away. Next time round the rider leant over the saddle, count, reward, lead away, then the finale where the rider actually mounted, but dismounted immediately on the opposite side. Within the space of a half hour video she had the horse standing like a rock.

 

[jnb]

I sent my cob to a young horse specialist to break and he taught him (in 30 mins!) to come to me at the mounting block and stand til I was ready.
I get onto the block (80cm high!) and horse follows, I was taught to tap very lightly on his bum and click and he brings his bum over to me, I get on and reward with a pony nut and he stands while i faff tightening girth, turning camera on etc.

I have no idea what he did but my cob has never forgotten it, I fell off him in a field (my fault!) and he did the same and let me scramble on off a dry hedgerow.
I think it was something Richard Maxwell teaches too.

 

[abbijay]

I bought my current horse as having a "known mounting issue" but exactly as you describe he'd just swing his bum out if there was nothing blocking him.
With the basic Kelly Marks style approach and a healthy supply of treats we got this sufficiently solved in 4 weeks and a year later I can mount just about anywhere from any gate/wall/block i find. I still carry treats regularly if hacking and mounting from unknown stuff and give him the odd one at home periodically to keep on top of his manners.

 

[Britestar]

We just move the block so its against a wall. Simple, effective and less frustrating for everyone.

 

[Red-1]

This is always my first lesson for new horses as I am too old and creaky to try to mount a moving target.

I usually get them able to be positioned where I would like on the floor, so pointing at the quarters and using the rein to direct the front end to flip the back end where I wanted it (like a wooden snake!).

Then I do the over to the mounting block and pat etc, repeat a few times, then get on the mounting block and direct them. Once I am on the mounting block, I don't get off, just use the other techniques we already practiced to move the backside. Then scratch and move away again. Then do a bit by bit, on a step pat and away etc step by step. Soon I don't have to lead them to the block, they walk with me and get themselves positioned. I would not get on until they are cheerful to come with me and het positioned, have a foot, have me lean, have me jump up and down, with a scratch and lead away each time.

I also do a sweetie when mounted, on the right, once I have got my stirrup and settled.

This horse, my first ride was 20 yards, but we were on the school 30-40 minutes. He got it that first time and it has stayed.

 

[J&S]

The big old horse I used to ride and do the indoor trec with ( so I know your problem!) began to swing his quarters one winter. He was a very well mannered horse so I was very surprised by his behaviour. The next week I went to ride him and when I took the saddle off I heard a very faint noise, almost a tiny rattle. On inspection I was pretty certain that there was a loose rivet/screw, what ever in the saddle and he had felt this before I heard it. I am just wondering if you might have the same problem??

 

[supertramp]

The big old horse I used to ride and do the indoor trec with ( so I know your problem!) began to swing his quarters one winter. He was a very well mannered horse so I was very surprised by his behaviour. The next week I went to ride him and when I took the saddle off I heard a very faint noise, almost a tiny rattle. On inspection I was pretty certain that there was a loose rivet/screw, what ever in the saddle and he had felt this before I heard it. I am just wondering if you might have the same problem??

Sometimes hes good as gold, other times not so much, but will check.

 

[supertramp]

Sorry, but mount of the floor, he's not 17:2

Im not a fan of mounting from the floor, would do it if essential but its not, Im also in my 60's and not that flexible now. Not sure why you would be sorry!

 

[Nari]

My approach was nowhere near as quick and clever, but unknown to me at the time he did have genuine reasons for his behaviour. I got a small step which I could easily move and I'd just quietly persist. No telling off, very little correction even, just low key carrying on and on and on. Lots of praise and reward when I got on, even if it had taken ages. It took a long time but now he'll stand politely at his steps nearly every time and if he does move away it's only once. It was later that I found out he'd had a rough time and in his eyes moving away was sensible avoidance, though I'd suspected there was an underlying problem due to the anxiety and tension in his face.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I’ve taught my mare that me tapping her on right hip and saying over means she moves to mounting block and stands.I reward with small piece of apple when I’m mounted and ready for off. Took a wee while of me doing exactly what you re doing…repositioning at the block…but all is fine now.

 

[maya2008]

My NF stands perfectly from the ground (she is tiny so it’s actually like getting on a 16.2hh, with a block!) but dislikes the block. She knows how, but as I only use one if I am riding bareback (every few months or so) she likes to do exactly what you describe. She’s just turning round to ‘talk’ to me because I am suddenly up there. I say no, line her up again and by go number three she stands nicely (she’s got over her surprise and remembered what I want!). If I mounted from the block daily, I would put the time in to fix it properly - with treats, similar to how other people have described it. I did exactly that with my TB when I bought her, and it didn’t take long.

 

[Goofus]

I realize this is an old thread, but I wanted to share a trick I learned recently that solved my mounting block problem.

My horse had never seen a block in his life, so when trying to line him up to mount, he would go back, forward, swing his hind end out...all of that. The only thing that worked was having somebody hold him, and even that could be tricky. A friend then taught me this: Stand on the block, hold your horse by the near rein, and have him walk in tight circles around the block as you (up on the block) rotate with him. Eventually he will stop at a point where it is possible for you to mount. If he starts to move away again, have him go round some more until he stops. This is not to be done in an irritated or rushed manner, but in quiet circles for him until he realizes it's quite boring to keep going round and round the block you are standing on. My months of frustrating mounting block issues were resolved in one day with this method.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I realize this is an old thread, but I wanted to share a trick I learned recently that solved my mounting block problem.

My horse had never seen a block in his life, so when trying to line him up to mount, he would go back, forward, swing his hind end out...all of that. The only thing that worked was having somebody hold him, and even that could be tricky. A friend then taught me this: Stand on the block, hold your horse by the near rein, and have him walk in tight circles around the block as you (up on the block) rotate with him. Eventually he will stop at a point where it is possible for you to mount. If he starts to move away again, have him go round some more until he stops. This is not to be done in an irritated or rushed manner, but in quiet circles for him until he realizes it's quite boring to keep going round and round the block you are standing on. My months of frustrating mounting block issues were resolved in one day with this method.

Yeah thats how i taught my racer to stand. While I was on the block let him get comfy then give him a treat and it took him hours to master it

 

[iknowmyvalue]

I realize this is an old thread, but I wanted to share a trick I learned recently that solved my mounting block problem.

My horse had never seen a block in his life, so when trying to line him up to mount, he would go back, forward, swing his hind end out...all of that. The only thing that worked was having somebody hold him, and even that could be tricky. A friend then taught me this: Stand on the block, hold your horse by the near rein, and have him walk in tight circles around the block as you (up on the block) rotate with him. Eventually he will stop at a point where it is possible for you to mount. If he starts to move away again, have him go round some more until he stops. This is not to be done in an irritated or rushed manner, but in quiet circles for him until he realizes it's quite boring to keep going round and round the block you are standing on. My months of frustrating mounting block issues were resolved in one day with this method.

Yep, this is how I get on mine at comps. He actually does know how to line up/step over, and does it at home no problem but forgets it entirely away from home

 

[Barton Bounty]

In fact I can even get on him at a tree stump now too

 

[AntiPuck]

Mine used to do this, either stepping out or back, it was very difficult to get on from a block without someone to hold her. I taught her to stand with clicker training and now all I have to do is stand on the block and she comes over and lines herself up. It honestly only took about 15 minutes in the first session, then a few shorter sessions to reinforce, and now I can get on from anything high enough, and she has "forward/back/over a bit" cues for slight adjustment as well, if needed.

You have to do the prep work to condition the clicker etc but once that is done, it's a very easy thing to teach unless the horse fears the block.