Spinning when trying to get on! :(

[lizsmith]

When trying to get on my horse he just will not stand still! He is a lovely gypsy cobat 14.2 and will stand for hours when tacking up and grooming and once I am on him he will stand and behave himself but when i try and get on he spins and spins and spins which can get me very dizzy and sometimes can get dangerous unless someone stands at the front of him and he is perfect! Has anyone got any advice as his tack has been checked and is fine and the vet says theres nothing wrong.

 

[Wagtail]

Do you get on from the ground or a mounting block? I would use a block and place it in a corner of the school so that his hind quarters and right hand side are parallel with the fence. This should stop him backing up or spinning. The only way he can move is forwards or towards you and this is much easier to deal with.

 

[mystiandsunny]

Clicker training, or the similar 'training using a treat for each stage and building up the behaviour' method. Also, make sure you're not holding onto the mane to mount, and that you are athletic enough to not pull much on the saddle either - or use a block.

 

[asmp]

I had this problem when I bought my horse (a south American Criollo). Had a whole lesson with my instructor in the end just getting on and off until he finally stood still. You'll get there, it just takes patience!

 

[KT88]

I shared a horse that used to bolt when I mounted. Not quite the same I know but may have a similar solution.

With her I had to basically treat her as unbacked and start by getting her to stand at the block next to me. Then work up to leaning over and patting the other side etc. Even bridging over for a while before then mounting. Seemed to help a lot and she got much better but only being a share horse I didnt have enough time with her to get the problem properly sorted out and had to give her up.

 

[brown tack]

Give the horse a feed, one of those over the door mangers work well as the head is up.

Start grooming, and use a mounting block to o the top, leaning over etc

Repeat this the next day but put a little bit of weight across the back

The next day, groom add a saddlecloth

Then add the saddle, slowly add the weight, and build up till your on broad

Have someone on the ground and don't put pressure on yourself.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Give the horse a feed, one of those over the door mangers work well as the head is up.

Do be careful with this. If the horse lifts its head, it could bang it on the door frame/lintel. It might be a reasonable idea if you put the bucket over a solid fence that the horse can't get his foot through if he starts to 'paw'.

I had a 17hh mare who really didn't like to stand still for mounting. We built a 'box' of bales, sister stood outside the box to hold her, I used one side as a mounting block and we gave treats for each step, making sure that I didn't poke her side with my toe or land heavily in the saddle. It didn't take long really. I always used a high mounting block at home but could get on her on a hack if necessary
We had her for 4 yrs until she was unfortunately pts. Just a few months before her illness she stood in an open field, making her self as small as possible, so that I could get on for the first time after breaking my ankle.

You will get there with perseverance. Have you had the saddle fit checked?

 

[bluewhippet]

Mine is like this but it I have had his back checked and it is sore and now I know I can see that he is anxious about the weight coming onto his back. Once I am on he will stand but it is the anticipation. Might be worth getting his back checked and making sure he is comfortable in his tack.

 

[lizsmith]

I have had both his tack and back checked numerous times now and there seems to be nothing wrong although he craves for human attention (preferring it to horsey attention) and i wondered if it could be something to do with this as will stand for me to get on if someone stands at the front of him which he seems to aim to get me to do when i 'attempt' to get on

 

[Gemsie]

My mare used to be an absolute nightmare for spinning, i generally tend to be on the yard very early in the mornings (alons) so had no one to hold her etc.

I gradually stopped it by basically scrambling on (with the spinning) initially.

I would then work her, and at the end of the session (when she was tired) I would dismount, mount, dismount, mount etc etc as many times as necessary until she stood still for me to mount...

Over a period of time it got so that she would stand nicely after work, and once I felt she had perfected standing still at the end of a session when she was worn out - she gradually got the idea of standing still when I first go to get on.

Its taken a long while, but persistence pays off!

Now i always make her wait until I ask her to move off.

Good luck!

Gem