Standing at mounting block

[Pippity]

The RDA branch that lets me exercise some of their horses has just acquired a new one. She's lovely to ride but with one problem - she won't stand at the mounting block for me!

She's fine with me leading her into the double-blocks for disabled riders to get on. Nobody else who exercises her has problems with her at the single block, so I'm pretty sure she's just taking the mickey with me. (Setting up the double-blocks needs four people, so I can't use that as an option when it's just me riding.)

I've tried getting on from the ground, which she'll just about stand still for, but she's a big girl (16.2hh) and I'm 5'1" with very limited bounce. (And, currently, a slightly fractured left ankle.) Added to which, she's a typical barrel-shaped, no-withers cob, so there's a tendency for the saddle to come to me, rather than vice versa, unless there's someone available to haul down on the other side.

I know that, having let her get away with this a few times (although only to the extent of me practically taking a flying leap from the mounting block, not to the extent of not riding her) it's going to be harder to fix but - how the hell do I go about fixing it?!

Everywhere else, she backs up/walks on/moves to the side as I tell her. It's just when the mounting block gets involved that she messes around.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I think that you need to go back a few steps with her. Can you spend a bit of time getting on and off her, without riding, when the big block is set up? Then ask someone to lead her to and hold her at your normal block, then you lead her and get onto the block with some-one else holding her? then have someone standing by while you do the whole operation yourself. Reward her from on top when you are on.
The comment about the saddle slipping rang a bell with me. My mare who had been perfect to mount started being awkward at the mounting block until I realised that because she had lost weight, I wasn't doing the girth up as tight as before, prior to mounting. I now make sure that the girth is tight and she stands perfectly again. It might be worth tightening your girth more than you would expect to have to.

 

[Jola]

Mine has moments at the block when he wont stand still (only when the YM is around strangely - I think he's showing me up!)
I go to get on, if he moves, I walk him round the mounting block and ask for stand again. We repeat until he stands still. Its extremely boring but he always gets fed up before I do! Someone on here was talking about a bad accident they had coz the horse wouldn't stand still at the block so it is well worth making sure he stands before you get on. I agree with pearlsasinger too - keep doing it as a training exercise. Let us know how you get on

 

[FreeRider19]

My share horse use to do this where I would walk him to the mountin block then when I was ontop of the mountin block he would swing his bum round so I couldn't get on. It was a bit of a pain so what I did was walk him up to the mountin block holding him in the other hand with a whip facing towards him then when he was standing still I would go round the front and quickly mount then when ever he swung he's bum around I would stand on the other side a make him stand there for ages until he got the message. It worked for me he never swing he's bum any more, I don't know if this is the same case as yours

 

[oldie48]

I had a horse that used to go backwards as soon as I tried mounting from the block. the first time I tried to get on him when he came home, I ended up in a heap with a bloody nose! i used clicker training and treats with him and solved it in a couple of sessions. I had someone hold him initially, then just standing next to him and then eventually with no-one there. Basically I just got on and off, if he stayed still, he was clicked and got a treat and a pat, if he moved he didn't. He was a greed so and so and very quickly learned what was expected. he was fine with me after that but when he moved to a new home, it all started again!

 

[TrasaM]

I also had the same problem. He would move his butt away, reverse or go forward to never stand. When I did get in he'd rush forward and when I blocked his forward momentum he'd shoot backwards.
I realised enough was enough when I got on using the fence in the school and he tanked off when I was only half on. I was fortunate that I managed to stop him -- Not easy in a reclining position on the back of a cantering horse with one stirrup and rein :-O

I was given good advice on here and used the stand= reward. Then weight in stirrup= treat and then getting on =treat. Finally it was person on board and STAND still =treat. I walked him in a circle after each stage and i had a friend with me who's job it was to dispense the treats.
it Worked really well but you need patience and a supply of treats. I still occasionally treat him when I get on for although he no longer needs it I think it's nice to remind him of what a nice person I am :-D

 

[Lindy222]

Took me just one week with my boy - I get both On and Off at the mounting block. Bribery is wot does it!!! Hehehe. Everytime I managed to get on I gave him a treat from ON TOP!! Patience. Made him bend round to my foot to get it. Now when I get on he stands expectantly - give him a polo on both sides - carrot stretches!! Two birds with one stone. Job done.

 

[florayG]

Nobody else who exercises her has problems with her at the single block, so I'm pretty sure she's just taking the mickey with me.

No. Horses do not 'take the mickey' they do what they think is right.
Either you are doing something that nobody else does that she doesn't like, or you are doing something that makes her think you want her to move. Ask somebody experienced to watch you at the block and maybe they can see where you are being misunderstood.

 

[hnmisty]

I was having REALLY big issues getting on my lad. Even with a helper at the mounting block he was shooting backwards, and getting a leg up involved having two helpers, one to hold him.

A friend at the yard loaned me a book called "curbside service", and so after some bedtime reading, we set to. It's based on getting your horse to stand where you want him to (ie next to you), rather than you having lined him up. It took about two hours over two days, and now he stands still at the block whilst I get on and faff around. Here's a link for it http://www.amazon.co.uk/Curbside-Service-Change-Horse-Think/dp/1439222142 It all seemed rather confusing at the time, and I don't really get how he made such a sudden change, but he did!

 

[Pippity]

Thanks for the tips. It took a couple of days of on-and-off work but she's now pretty much standing at the mounting block for me. I'll keep going until we've absolutely got it, but we're definitely making progress!

Turns out it was the mounting block bothering her. I didn't realise that her other riders were using a different block, because they couldn't get her near the taller block! So I feel even more as though we've achieved something than if I was just overcoming my own muppetry!