Mounting issues and standing still.Not!

TrasaM

TrasaM

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I know this problem came up just recently but I've got an added issue in that as soon as I'm up he's OFF! :eek:
Today I was on my own but decided to try getting on and riding him. He stood ok although I was getting on from the right. I've done this before and he was better than mounting from the left side and actually stood. Today I was no sooner on, well half on, and he took off. I had one foot in the stirrup and only had a good grip on the right rein and his momentum meant that I was almost on his bum and completely unbalanced. Really don't know how I didn't fall off. I was watching the end rails of the school approaching at speed and thinking that it was a bad day to forget my body protector and whichever way I fell it was going to hurt! :o
anyhow I yanked hard on the rein i did have hold of and he did stop but it gave me quite a fright. :( He settled down as soon as I got him to stop.
Insert big sigh if relief :o
So, just how do you deal with the running off as soon as you mount? The saddle hasn't been checked by a saddler recently but the owner said that his back is checked regularly. Once up he's fine so it seems just to be the getting on that's causing him difficulties. Didn't help today that his mate was shouting to him from the stable and as both horse's have attachment issues if they can't see each other they start calling and getting agitated.

This is a share horse and I'm only 3 weeks in. I don't want to get my confidence knocked as I know that is very precious to me.
 
Firstly ensure you have the horse chescked, and dont relie on what the owner or proir owner has told you unless you see something to confirm it. a fairly good chiro doesnt cost the earth for half hour. Also get the saddle checked and teeth.

Ok assuming that is all ok, it is now down to the training.

Try to use a mounting block of some sort so that you are up and on quickly and quietly without pulling the horse and saddle around.

Preferably have another person with you as a handler to stop the horse moving forward, if however you dont have the luxury of another person face the horse in to the corner of the field or yard, but be aware that the horse could spin around as you get on, although this is less likely than the taking off thing.

If the horse gets tense as you put your foot in the stirrup take it out, and try again, keep re trying every few seconds until the horse becomes de stressed about you putting your foot in the stirrup. repeat this process for each step of getting on until the horse is happy.
 
Thanks RachelBristol. I think his back check is due and I'm not convinced I'm not seeing some front lameness. Hard to tell in the school. Certainly does not impede his tanking off trick :eek:
I think your advice to get someone to hold him is very wise. We've did do this with him a couple of weeks ago. On hindsight and especially in light of his previous behaviour getting on when he had the full length of the school in sight was not sensible. :o
 
When you have a helper get them to clip the lead rope onto the bit ring and keep hold until you are up and settled.
 
He lacks respect. My horse stands like a rock for my instructor almost every time (he does have stroppy days). I can sometimes see a look in his eye and make him back away from me and turn away before i try to mount - and that works every time too. Always use a mounting block and make sure I never bump him as I get on. My first horse (as opposed to pony) gave me good lessons in what happens if you don;t mount VERY carefully - and it was well beyond moving off promptly! A bronko act and you were floored! My legs still go wobbly the first time I mount a strange horse as I am expecting a rodeo - non have ever been that tricky since.
 
slightlyconfused said:
Is he an ex racer?
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Yes. Steeplechaser I think . Only ran about four times as far as I know and has been two years since he's raced. Has been owned about two years but various events has meant that owner hasn't done much with him.

Mandyroberts.

Am lucky he didn't buck I know. Amazing how many thoughts your brain can process in a few seconds :o I was going through how to explain to OH how I got broken again and having to cancel next weeks trip.
Problem is as he's not been staying still there is a pressure to get on quickly.

Lamlyn. Will try that once I have assistance at weekend. Least I now know he does a one rein stop :)
 
I would follow the advice to have a helper and *always* treat from the saddle, this has two benefits, the horse waits until you are settled in the saddle and turns his head around to which ever side you train him to, so is unlikely to move off before you are ready.
At first you may find it useful to give a treat after each step, putting feet into stirrups, tightening girth etc.
 
If you feel under pressure you need someone to hold him. I have had my "new" boy nearly 2 years and a couple of weeks ago he was extra stroppy handling him as his routine add been upset so I got someone to hold him while I got on. They are all different and you need to decide what is 'naughty' or 'stressy' and make sure you never make a mistake to give them an excuse to be upset. Why should any horse put up with clumsy mounting.....
 
i had this with my horse and one day she tanked off and i did come off..this really frightened her and i tried getting my friend to hold her but she still kept trying to run off.(.i always use a mounting block ) we then tried my friend giving her treats while i mounted...this worked and i gradually took over giving treats from the saddle. she occasionally does walk off but i just make her go back to the mounting block before giving treats.. i have decided to always give her something when i get on as its so much safer for me as i am very mature, and as she is now 22 i dont think she will change...good luck with yours
 
splashgirl45 said:
i had this with my horse and one day she tanked off and i did come off..this really frightened her and i tried getting my friend to hold her but she still kept trying to run off.(.i always use a mounting block ) we then tried my friend giving her treats while i mounted...this worked and i gradually took over giving treats from the saddle. she occasionally does walk off but i just make her go back to the mounting block before giving treats.. i have decided to always give her something when i get on as its so much safer for me as i am very mature, and as she is now 22 i dont think she will change...good luck with yours
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:) Treats are certainly worth a try I think. Tomorrow I will be stocked up with sliced carrots :p
today was the first time I'd not used the mounting block. I got on in the school from the fence. But he's the same with the mounting block. Owner gets on from the fence too and he's the same with her. Big shame about what's happened today is that he'd got a lot better standing still but I suspect that today may have set him back again. Oh well. Back to basics ..again.
 
Hi TrasaM I have been wondering how you were getting on today. I hope you're ok and not too shaken up. I don't think I have anything to add to the above advice but definitely make sure you have someone with you and put your body protector on. If for nothing else a bit of extra confidence will help from wearing it.
Do you feel it is a pain issue or simply a training issue, like gut feeling. I know you still need to get him checked out soon and the saddle. Does he have any muscle spasm / tightness?
 
I am interested that he was raced and was therefore in training. The lads, lasses and jockeys are always legged up. So ex racers are always more trick to correct because they have never been mounted from lower down!... but dont loose heart, it is possible! but take it slowly, get the non stressed food in stirrup first, then to standing up tall up againnt the horse ie a high mounting block so you are higher and place a little weight in the stirrup gradually placing more and more weight etc. Dont hurry the process! If the horse isnt ridden for 4 or so days it isnt the end of the world, but it could be the begining of your world with the horse ;-)
 
RachelBristol said:
I am interested that he was raced and was therefore in training. The lads, lasses and jockeys are always legged up. So ex racers are always more trick to correct because they have never been mounted from lower down!... but dont loose heart, it is possible! but take it slowly, get the non stressed food in stirrup first, then to standing up tall up againnt the horse ie a high mounting block so you are higher and place a little weight in the stirrup gradually placing more and more weight etc. Dont hurry the process! If the horse isnt ridden for 4 or so days it isnt the end of the world, but it could be the begining of your world with the horse ;-)
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Thank you RachelBristol. I will try it your way but I think I might wait until I have someone on hand to help me. I was legged up once. He shot off then too! :eek: he seems comfortable with me standing higher than him.

Atlantis :o hi. Eek.. I lived to tell the tale but did tweak my back a little.
Gut feeling... hard to say as he settles after the initial ..wheeee and we're off !
He is very tense in trot, head up and stilted stride and has Trouble bending left. I cantered him today for the first time. Well just in case being run away with whilst only half on wasn't enough excitement! :rolleyes: He's ok on the right rein but is really disjointed on the left. :)
 
Oh yes, forgot. I did get him to bend his head to the right whilst standing and mounted without much fuss but he would not release his neck to bend left and did not like me trying to get him to do it either.
 
I would go back to the beginning. Find a mounting block and spend as long as it takes for him to stand quietly there. Teach him to move his hq towards you (gently tap hip on opposite side, stopping the second he moves his hq in the correct direction - a long stick is very handy) when he stands quietly alongside rub gently, rewarding him for standing still. Take away and start again until standing beside the mounting block is standard. Then hold the stirrup iron and move it around. Rewarding when he standing quietly. Then foot in stirrup and jump up and down. When all this can go on with him still standing quietly jump up but don't put your leg over. Twist your body so the right leg is behind the one in the stirrup and you are facing forward. This is a very secure position and if he moves you can just stay there!! When he stops jump down and start again! When all this is solid you can start moving your right leg around - rub his rump with it, swing it around, and eventually let it go over and sit quietly. Leg back and get off!! After this get on and sit there....for 10 minutes if you can!! Before you ask him to move forward.....then do this every ride for 2 weeks!! Then always make sure you ask him to move, that he doesn't move off before you ask....Sorry to be so long, but I wanted to detail every step....You can then practice mounting from a gate or fence or anything else you can think of!! It will take time and patience but it is well worth it as you will be able to mount him anywhere, any time!!
 
My ex racer doesnt run off but he does move off as you get on - habit from jockeys being legged up as someone else said. I mount from a block not the fence and very very slowly so that as soon as he begins to move off I stop and spin him around the block - even if I am nearly on I will jump off and go back to the start. It takes time but is well worth the effort. My horse isn't perfect by any means but he is much better. Good luck with him :)
 
I would think some of it is learnt behaviour i.e. from racing and although you might expect him to be stiff it could well be pain related. Some great advice from all on here that I'm going to talk to my ex racer share's owners about too. He is better than he was apparently.

Ordered the book by the way!! It's being delivered today to an Amazon locker thing near me, which is random.
 
Our ex racer used to do that alot, we did lots of just mounting work. Also one rein stops.

Tack up stand by the block until horse settles then go and untack.
Then progress to getting on and off waiting until he stands still. I was with my sister until he got the idea, I held him then just stood next to him and then a bit further away.

He now mostly stands, the odd race horse moment and my sister does a one rein stop. And he listens.
 
Thank you all for your helpful suggestions. I will go in for round 2 later today. Rolls her sleeves up, breathes deep, squares shoulders and dons brave pants :o
 
Atlantis. Weather was against me. I got there and the rain started t
Then the hailstones! So I just changed their rugs and fed them. Both were very good about standing to have their rugs changed in the field.
 
Regarding the stiffness and generally being uncomfortable on one rein, I would have the chiro out to take a look at back, and make sure saddle teeth etc are all OK, but often with the exracers they have a mental block form something that pained them years ago.

There are some on the ground exercised you can use to help them flex.

Another test that I have just seen 7 out of 7 horses fail on in vetting is a trot on a 15m circle on a hard surface ie concrete or tarmac. the ones which have had further investigation by the vet have shown one problem or another that has or could affect performance.
 
TrasaM said:
Thanks RachelBristol. I think his back check is due and I'm not convinced I'm not seeing some front lameness. Hard to tell in the school. Certainly does not impede his tanking off trick :eek:
I think your advice to get someone to hold him is very wise. We've did do this with him a couple of weeks ago. On hindsight and especially in light of his previous behaviour getting on when he had the full length of the school in sight was not sensible. :o
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It could just be sheer bad manners, in which case I'd do sessions of getting on and off repeatedly, if he takes off, bring back to the mounting block and make stand. However, this was a classic pain response with my mare... She was always hot footed when I started riding her, but after she hurt her back there was a difference it was more of a bolt forward than an impatient 'I want to go'. It was a definite reaction to back pain. So be sure that checks are done, and identify whether it is simple brattish manners or pain before deciding upon a course of action.
 
Quick update on our mounting and tanking off problem :)

Ok. I got a friend to help and made sure she was stocked up with carrot nibbles so he got rewarded for standing at the block. I then progressed to putting foot in stirrup. If he moved away I immediately walked him around and tried again. Rewarded him when he allowed me to put my weight in the stirrup ad again got down and repeated this a couple of times more until he was standing nicely and was more interested in his carrot rewards. I then got on very very slowly and again rewarded with a nibble and he STOOD still :D
More work to be done but I'm hopeful that he will accept this new method and stop his dashing off. Only thing is he won't stand for me to mount from his left side. No biggie as I'm ok getting on from the right.
It seems more and more to me that it's anxiety about being ridden as he's really struggling with the bit. Back and saddle check time I think. Hes a lovely boy so it's a shame he's gotten like this.
Big thank you to those who advised the above:)
 
glad you have had a bit of success.... i use polos, easy to keep in pocket , im sure people will criticise the use of treats but if it works and keeps my horse calm i will continue...you may be able to do away with them once he is a bit calmer.but if not dont worry about using them,its more important to keep safe....good luck
 
TrasaM said:
:) Treats are certainly worth a try I think. Tomorrow I will be stocked up with sliced carrots :p
today was the first time I'd not used the mounting block. I got on in the school from the fence. But he's the same with the mounting block. Owner gets on from the fence too and he's the same with her. Big shame about what's happened today is that he'd got a lot better standing still but I suspect that today may have set him back again. Oh well. Back to basics ..again.
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Please tell me you slice them lengthways!
 
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