Mounting Issues - Help please!!

Loubiepoo

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Any advice please...

My young lad has always been a bit fussy about standing still to be mounted (saddle and back checked both fine) but he has improved over time. However, his new trick is to swing his hindquarters out away from the mounting block and end up facing me instead of standing sideways. I need to sort this out cause there is not always someone around to hold him or help me out getting on him. I think he's just taking the mickey and is probably finding it all very funny!
Any tips please - its very annoying!!
Thanks
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Doing some groundwork with him might help. Every time you take him in to ride make him stand at the block with you next to him for as long a you ask him to, then walk him round and do it again, walk him around again and then try and get on from the block but don't rush to get on make sure he is standing completely still and if he moves off again start with the groundwork again. If you don't rush it he will give up in the end.
 
I do sympathise as it's very frustrating.

Both of mine find it hard to stand at a 'fixed' block but if you have some little steps that you can move around they're fine.

I'm not saying that's a substitute for ground work and taking the time to sort it, but it is an option....
 
My horse will do this sometimes when i am trying to mount at a show (I use my wagon ramp regularly to get on!) I think he is just being a bit of a sod really as he styands good as gold at home when we have to use our gate to get on. he postions himself perfectly then!

However, at a mounting block or lorry ramp he regularly swings his quarters away and makes mounting v tricky. i have often found if i turn him the other way (so you're mounting from the 'wrong' side) the this seems to solve the problem. Maybe give it a whirl - it'll surprise him!
 
My advice would be to lead him up to your mounting block, establish the halt while you are at his shoulder, firmly tell him to stand and then get on your block. If he then moves away, don't move to him, lead him away and repeat it over and over again until he stands for you to get on. It does take a long time but if you move the block to him he just learns it's ok to move away from you. If ever you have to use a fixed block you'll be in trouble!!

I found it was a case of boring them into it.
Good luck, it may take some time but it will be worth it!
 
If you have got a step which you can move about play him at his own game. Stand him long side against a wall or a fence he wont be able to swing away from you then. Keep doing your ground work and hopefully after a while he will just get bored. Take your time and make sure when you get on he doesn't walk forward until you ask him. Goodluck,patience always pays off!!!!!!
 
Ditto Flapjack. I have to stand my young horse against a fence facing into a corner and place the block next to her. If she's been particularly difficult, at the end of the ride when she's tired I stop by the block and hop on and off a few times.
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lots of patience, and just keep bringing him round straight to the mounting block. if he swings his bum, just get down, walk him away, bring him back round again. i've found they get bored with this quickly if you stay calm, fwiw!
 
This is such an annoying habit! I remember trying to mount horses who think once your foot is in the stirrup and your between standing in the stirrup and swinging your leg over, its ok to wander off!
What if you spent time just bringing him up to the block (maybe get a pal to help you) make him stand, get on ride off, dismount and do it again.
Mounting him on the wrong side sounds like a great plan..... reverse physcology!!

Lippy x
 
Definitely bore him into submission, the evasion has to become more dull than behaving with this one. Staying calm is very hard as its soooo frustrating but its def worth it. I found a mobile block did help in the initial stages of tackling the issue as it enabled me to get the block quickly back into position. With the solid one she started to get shirty about even gettin into the position initially to be mounted.

But once shed given in with the mobile block she then was much easier to train with the fixed one. So much so that I can now finally mount from the ground when needed out hacking (gates etc) which would have been unthinkable 9 months ago. hurrah!

good luck! it is solvable.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If you have got a step which you can move about play him at his own game. Stand him long side against a wall or a fence he wont be able to swing away from you then. Keep doing your ground work and hopefully after a while he will just get bored. Take your time and make sure when you get on he doesn't walk forward until you ask him. Goodluck,patience always pays off!!!!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Ditto this!
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I have on ehorse who is a nightmare, fidget , wanders off etc , and my mare, she stands stock still where ever or whatever I am mounting from , block or just hopping from the ground , she is 15.2hh , and shse stands til i have my stirrups , reins etc organised and I pat her neck and then a few seconds later we wander off !!
 
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