Mounting Help Please...

[miamibear]

This is for a friend, she has a rather highly strung horse. He has always had trust issues.

Mounting was all but impossible but she got him to the stage where she could mount him in the stable block (very high roof) without him moveing but not in open spaces.

Then all of a sudden he decided because he couldnt go forwards he would start going backwards instead, she now has to get someone to hold him for her to mount again and then he still tries to go backwards.

He has had physio, saddle just checked and she has flair and all is fine when he is being ridden.

He has just started being ridden by an instructor once a week and his schooling is coming on leaps and bounds, he seems to enjoy it very much and is not panicked whilst riding.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get him mounting friendly? I have exhausted all my suggestions and he still finds another way to try and wriggle out of it!

Thanks guys

 

[tigers_eye]

I don't like the sound of mounting whilst inside the stable block, even if it has a high roof. It is most likely on concrete and it would worry me that the horse might slip if he moved, and as well as putting the rider at risk it wouldn't help his confidence. Could she have a mounting "session" in the school with someone to help? And a mounting block so that she is not pulling on his back? William has never been too bad about it but when he was just broken he didn't realise he was supposed to stand still, so I just took it easily with him. I'd lead him to the mounting block, halt him, then scratch his whithers which he loves. If he moved I stopped, and when he was back in place and standing still the scratching would start again. He soon cottoned on. To remedy the walking backwards with this horse I might resort to bribery - have a helper on the ground lead the horse forward a couple of steps once the rider is on and give him a polo. Is the rider making a fuss about it and getting worried herself? This might be causing a vicious circle.

 

[Quarrybank]

My horse was a nightmare to get on when I first got him. I'd got him direct from Ireland & I think they'd always vaulted on him!!!
He used to run off bucking as I got on, so I would literally have to through myself on board and hang on...... not very good for him or safe for me.
The way we overcame it was to have his head in a bucket of feed (distacting him from what was going on) You need to then get on very softly & without any sudden movements. We then decreased this to a handful of feed and then a polo mint. This was everytime I got on. It took about a month for the whole process, but he is now as good as gold.

 

[Quarrybank]

My horse was a nightmare to get on when I first got him. I'd got him direct from Ireland & I think they'd always vaulted on him!!!
He used to run off bucking as I got on, so I would literally have to through myself on board and hang on...... not very good for him or safe for me.
The way we overcame it was to have his head in a bucket of feed (distacting him from what was going on) You need to then get on very softly & without any sudden movements. We then decreased this to a handful of feed and then a polo mint. This was everytime I got on. It took about a month for the whole process, but he is now as good as gold.

 

[Forget_Me_Not]

Don't know what this horse does but I never mount a horse until he is a gentleman and stands quietly, Achieved by me mounting and dismounting until he does it how i really right. Horses quickly get bord and give in. I found it works really well as havn't found a horse that hasnt understod! Do this a few times a day and they quickly get the picture!

 

[Scarlett]

Quarrybank - that sound similar to me. I got a 4 yo Exracer who would not stand still and when i did eventually get on him he would be jogging on the spot. I started using feed to distract him... even putting a bucket of feed on the fence one day and just kept getting on and off.. this progressed to someone at his head with a couple of treats to give him while i got on - I would always give him something once i was on board - and eventually I taught him to stand at a mounting block, then stand at it with me on the block, then me leaning over him and eventually getting on... he would always get a treat for standing and now that he has figured out that he gets a treat as soon as i am onboard he stands still to be mounted from the ground without any hassle - again it took about a month but well worth it as we can now hop on without any hassle....

 

[miamibear]

She always mounts him from a stool.

She did get to the point where she could get on him in the school from the mounting block but then didnt bother for a while and now he wont. Think the best plan of action would be for her to do this again and keep it up!!

I will let her know thanks

 

[filly190]

There are a few ways you can do this, all take time and another helper.

1. Keep him moving and have a leg up, like the racehorses are mounted, eventually you can slow things down etc.

2. Feed him, get his head stuck in a bucket when getting on, (shock horror, people will disagree with this, but needs must).

You need to get the problem sorted, because if for any reason owner out there on her own, she's in trouble!!!!

3. Try the otherside, but practice on a willing victim (nice horse that will stand)

It may be that he has no problems, however I have seen many people haul themselves up and he may have a previous bad memory of this.

My lovely 20 year old will rear should anyone but me try to mount, I put this down to bad memories and trust. Anyone else getting on her, I use a mounting block and me at her head.

4. If the horse trusts owner, get someone else to mount, while owner stands at head to give reassurance and develop trust.

Good luck, its a long road, hope my suggestions are of some help.

 

[Agent XXX999]

(Preparing for people saying I am wrong) But I had a mare that used to walk backwards and refuse to go forwards - after a couple of times of reign back a s far as she would go she soon got the picture that walking forward was the preferable option. I woudl also like to say that she seemed to trust me more after it as the horse is effectively taking control by going backwards...therefore if you make them go further than they want the control is regained and the horse doesnt play that game anymore.

 

[Petrie]

I went to a Michael Peace clinic a few months ago, and there was someone there with a horse that wouldn't stand to be mounted. It was a big 4 yr old and had dumped her by shooting off when she had one foot in the stirrup!

MP got a mouting block and placed it in the middle of the school. He then brought the horse up to it and stood on it.

The horse didn't want to stand still, so he just let it walk around and around the mounting block, with him still standing on it, until it did stop, and then it got a pat.

He said don't get off the block, stay up there, otherwise the horse is controlling your movement.

Anyway, once the horse stood still and got its pat, he then leant over its whither, it it stood, it got a pat, if not, it just walked round and round again until it stopped.

It went on from there until he was able to get on it.

Worked really well.

I guess the idea is rewarding the good behaviour and ignoring the bad.

Good luck!

 

[Bossanova]

We generally find that mounting in a corner with their nose in a bucket of feed is a good start and then gradually remove the bribery and make them more aware of whats going on.
JM7 is right about the kidney thing, may be worth investigation as we also had one with kidney probs that became hard to mount

 

[4whitesocks]

any chance he's cold backed? How soon after the saddle is on does she try to mount?

 

[ClareMc]

[ QUOTE ]
My horse was a nightmare to get on when I first got him. I'd got him direct from Ireland & I think they'd always vaulted on him!!!


[/ QUOTE ]

My mare came from Ireland and had the same problem, she just did'nt know she was supposed to stand still, also had saddle fitting problem.

There is a good chapter in Kelly Marks book Perfect Manners (I think) which is pretty similar to the post about Michael Peace advice, I got my mare much improved following that then switched to a treeless saddle and know she stands (just about) every time.

 

[hussar]

I went to a clinic years ago where they'd broken down the mounting process into seven stages and your horse simply progressed through each stage, being rewarded for each one. They were:

Standing still by the block
Standing still while rider took reins into left hand
Standing still while rider put foot in stirrup
Standing still while rider took hold of cantle/waist
Standing still while rider put weight in stirrup
Standing still while rider swung leg over
Standing still while rider put right foot in stirrup and picked up rein.

If the horse moved at any stage in the process you went back to the previous stage. It sounds boring but it really worked and by the end of the clinic (that wasn't all we did!) every horse there stood quietly for mounting. Initially of course you do need someone to hold the horse.

 

[Parkranger]

My boy is from Ireland and we had the same problem! He just won't stand still. He does for me but always trys it on with new riders.

I've given up with a mounting block (for now) and stick him in the corner of the yard so that he can't actually move forward.

With him, my schoolmistress voice 'stand still Tyrone' works but I know thats not the way with all horses.

He's also in discomfort with his right shoulder - hence him trying to paw out/kick me with his front leg the other day - not good!

x

 

[4whitesocks]

Just for the record - we don't all vault up on our horses over here....

*gets off her high horse again*

 

[brighteyes]

And don't get on from the ground unless you REALLY REALLY have to, once he's standing still for you to get on at all!