Mounting problems....sorry for long post.

P

proctorclaire

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 April 2010
Messages
68
Location
Fife
Visit site
Was wondering if anyone could give me a few tips on mounting. I have had my purebred Arab mare now for about 3 months. It started off where she would let me on her but went mental once my bum hit saddle but now it has gone the other way....she goes mental when try and get on her but then is fine once bum hits saddle and we can ride normally. Her back etc has all been checked and nothing wrong so it aint that. She does have bad trust issues though as been to few bad homes. I have tried mounting from a block and the ground. The other day I was trying for an hour to get her to stand and she still wouldn't. I have to get people to hold her while I mount and even then she is still spinning round and trying to bolt. I can't carry on doing this as I have to rely on other people being at the yard just so I can get on my bloddy horse. I have tried backing her up every time she moves away but doesn't work. Any other tips? Thanks for help.:o
 
She is 13 next month so not a youngster. When I went to view her she stood perfectly still so I know she is capable of doing it...I have just run out of options to try with her.
 
Well if she stood still when you tried her you need to work why she doesn't now. What has changed since you got her? Are you using the same saddle or a new one? What about her diet? Did she have company before? Does she now? It is very difficult for any of us to give you the answer without seeing exactly what she does but IMO those are the questions to start with.
Good luck! Let us know how you get on.
 
It is a new saddle but it has been checked and all seems fine. The yard she came from before and the yard she is in now are very much the same (size wise). She is sometimes in company and sometimes not. Diet is different but she was way over fed before so I have cut down what she gets. She is on low energy feed so she's not getting high protein feeds that would make her fizzy. She is spooky enough as it is without that sort of feed.
 
I'd check all tack etc first but failing that you'll just have to be creative. Maybe your trainer could give you a few tips.
Have you tried placing the mounting block next to a fence and then putting a cone/post out. Get someone to lead your horse inbetween the mounting block and post. This should stop the circling.
 
proctorclaire said:
I have to get people to hold her while I mount and even then she is still spinning round and trying to bolt.
Click to expand...

I'm no expert so this is only a thought, could she be feeling a bit trapped? have you tried having someone hold her but not too tight?

The reason I'm suggesting this is that when we bought my horse (part arab - not sure what else is in the mix) she was fine to mount at her last yard. The first time we tried to mount her at our yard she panicked and shot backwards - not hugely, but worrying because we are novices. Anyway, my husband then held her and she panicked even more. One of the other liveries suggested we were holding her too tight, so we took her back into the yard where we felt she might feel a bit safer as she was just outside her stable and then the other livery held her by one side of the bit/rein so that she didn't feel so trapped.

She has been easy to mount ever since, we never hold her too tightly and I can now mount from a block by myself.

Actually, thinking about it, mounting from the block was an issue to start with, she didn't seem to like having someone higher than her. So I used to stand on the block to groom her and used to move it around her whilst grooming her.

I hope you get it sorted, good luck :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top