My horse doesn't stand still

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LindaS

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I've got a new horse 3 weeks ago. She is a 5 year old Welsh D mare. In the first week I hacked out a few times. She was very good once I was on her but she didn't like to stand for mounting. She was alright for grooming and tacking up. Then I couldn't ride her for 2 weeks because of the bad weather and time problems but she has been out 24/7. Yesterday I brought her in and she wouldn't even stand for grooming. She got worse when I put the saddle on. She was walking from one side to the other. When I reached for the girth under her belly, she kicked at it. Once the girth was fastened, she was a bit better. I didn't ride her last night, I only checked for the girth lenght for a new one.
Her back has been checked and her saddle is a good fit.

Any suggestions what I could try?
Thanks
Linda
 
tie her up while grooming and tacking up until this settles down, she is quite young and probably needs consistent and regular handling so she knows she can't try in on with you. Get somebody to stand with you when mounting, manners need to be taught.
 
Patience and time is the key, getting angry and forceful would have a negative effect.
Just ignore her and dont make an issue of it and shell soon give up.
If you could get someone to hold her (headcollar and leadrope)when you mount, should help in that respect. Just dont go hauling about on her mouth or she could throw toys out of pram.
 
My new one would just walk off and move from the mouting block, i have found though that when lunging her she is very good off my voice comands and now i practive alot leading her from the field to stand and walk on which seems to have helped for the mounting, i can actually get her to the block and get on now befroe she walks off so i think its alot of practice really.
 
As said tie her up or get someone to hold her for you. She needs to learn that it does not bother you
 
I would get someone to hold her but still give her lots of praise for standing still even though she is being held.

It may be that she has never been taught to stand still or it could be that she has had ill fitting tack or back problems in the past and she associated being tacked up/mounted to pain. You will get there with patience
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Hi, I am having the same problems!. I currently have a mare on trial and I'm having problems with her not standing still. She continually paces the stable if she's brought in and seems to be very anxious. Even when tied up she still paces and paws the ground. She is impossible to groom and tack up however settles once I get on her and she is very quiet to ride and well behalved. She was never kept with other horses before and I think she is getting anxious when she's taken away from her pals in the field. I am considering buying her but the only concern I have is her box walking and not standing still when being groomed and tacked up. I have started bringing her in from the field, tying her up in the yard and grooming her and putting her straight back out in the field to see if that will help her settle. Any advice greatly appreciated!!
 
Same here!

Johara is constantly on the move - she gets very nervous when being tacked up as she was over schooled by her last loaner; but she’s calmed down a lot more. I just keep her calm and interested in the things around her and keep talking to her - i always cross tie her or tie her up with a haynet in her stable with the door open and give her some tit bits every so often to know she’s doing the right thing and that riding/being tied up and fiddled with isn’t going to lead to hard work in the school - seems to have done the trick - sure she can be a bit twatish sometimes (like falling over in the back area and scrapping off 4 huge chunks of skin before a show!) but she’s getting there!
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Lots of positive reinforcement!

Maybe try some halter training. i.e if she steps forward tell her to move back using your finger, getting lighter and lighter! – don’t let her get her own way, it might just be a mickey taking thing!
 
With the mounting issue how about giving her a treat after you get on (if this isn't safe then get someone to hold her and offer her a treat once on). Once she twigs she gets a treat everytime she should stand still in anticipation of getting a treat and then you can ask her to move on when you are ready. Some people don't like this method but it's always worked with our horses and they have never become nippy
 
Slightly different scenario here but I posted a few weeks ago as mine won't stand still when he IS tied up. (He's 12 so quite a bit older)
A few people suggested cross tie-ing him in the corner of the stable. I tired this and it worked! He would barely make one step when cross tied. It doesn't work so well outside the stable as I don't have a corner to tie him in but it's worth a try.
Tie a piece of bailer twine in the two corners of the stable and clip a leadrop from each to both sides of his/her headcollar on the side rings not the one under his/her chin.
Good luck
 
You need to get used to each other and that means riding your horse on a daily basis for at least 2 hours per day and at weekends at least 4 hours. Get him in to that routine and all your problems will go away.
 
Thanks for all your good ideas. I will cross tie her and see what she thinks of that. I promise I will be very patient.
I know in an ideal world I would have time to ride her every day but I'm not a teenager anymore, I work full time, have a partner and a house to look after and truthfully I'm not a rain rider. At least my horse is never stuck in a stable. She has all year full turnout. I' will spend as much time with her as possible.
 
By the way is she in season? My horse has been and hence has become very sensitive and grumpy when grooming and tacking up. She'd rather be left alone when she is like that.
 
Sounds like nerves. When I first got my boy he wouldn't stand still, and mounting......well there was the day he danced round the school on his hind legs ! He was on full livery and they just thought I was an idiot owner, he was fine for the staff. Eventually (doh !) I worked it out, when the staff rode him it was in company in the school, when I rode him he had to go out alone, in a strange place with a stranger on his back ! So I spent lots of time with him, and only rode him in company until we got to know each other.
 
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