standing still to mount...

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friendlyfilly

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when ever i try to get on my horse it won't stand still, it takes about 10 minutes before he actually stands still for long enough for me to get on, anyone have any idea how to get him to stand still
 
Lots of standing next to him as tho you are going to get on , wait until he stands , then foot in stirrup , again wait until he stands , or go back to just standing next to him , reins in 1 hand by his withers , just back to square one and once he stands go onto next step , foot in stirrup , if he moves , foot back out of stirrup , if hes moved , put him back to where you want him and start the process over again . He will get the idea . Dont get cross with him , just be prepared to spend the time . Ifyou find hes walking forward can you face him at a wall ? Always mount from a block ( stops twisting your saddle and pulling on his back ) , check that hes not objecting to you getting on because theres a problem ( saddle fit , teeth , back etc etc ) . If you have someone around just ask them to stand near just to stop him from walking forward but you still need to be able to do this by yourself , they are just an extra pair of hands to help . Good Luck !!
 
i used to have a similar problem but it was that my mare used to just trot off when she felt you put your foot in the stirrup, so i'd keep getting on and off untill she got bored of having to do it over and over so just stood still :)
 
ive had issues with both of mine, Teddy very minimal and i just let him fuss keep him in the same spot if he moves i move him back or move the block and he very quickly gets bored gets over himself and stands perfectly :)

Marley it took us 3 months and a lot of unusual techniques but we got there but his mounting issues were SEVERE and i mean severe lol any questions PM :) xx
 
Mine moves occasionally but used to do it ALL the time. I got him out of it by making him walk really fast in a small circle every time he moved away. It's a technique off michael peace and it does work.
 
I always use a mounting block and put his backside up against a fence and have a fence to the side so you only have to worry about moving forward. I have taught him the word stand by standing facing him at his shoulder and just saying stand. I do this in the stable mostly rather than fussing him when trying to mount. Have a good contact when mounting sometimes pointing his head slightly to the fence. If he moves forward bring him around in a tight circle and start again. Eventually you won't have to be penned into the corner.
 
friendlyfilly is he a TB? Racers are often trained to be mounted whilst walking so it could be that. It could also be that he isn't comfy when you get on. Can you get an instructor to watch how you get on to see if there is anyway of making sure you aren't pulling on him (get someone to hold both horse and opposite stirrup and use a mounting block) and are landing softly on his back (put your right foot into the stirrup on the far side and then sit gently rather than sitting straight away). Assuming that is all OK and his saddle/back are checked then get started on the bribery...

Walk by mounting block, praise/treat.
Walk by mounting block, pause near it, praise/treat.
... pause, you get on to it, praise/treat.
... ... bounce on it, praise/treat.
... ... ... lean over him, praise/treat.
... ... ... ... get on, praise/treat.

If he walks off as soon as you get on walk a calm circle back to the block and then praise/treat.

They soon learn the quickest way to a polo or two!
 
Mine is an ex racer and i feel your pain! I am going throught the process and basically aslong as someone stands infront of him he stops but as soon as i swing up he shoots forward. He is actually worse if i dont sit straight down and lean forward to take some weight off at first.
I have been working with my instructor and basically i get on and off until he stands still. Usually takes about two attempts. If there is anything going on around he is worse. If he shoots forward i go back to block and then get off and back on and make him stand whilst im on then walk on. He does it perfectly some times but others is a pain.
 
bj666 said:
Lots of standing next to him as tho you are going to get on , wait until he stands , then foot in stirrup , again wait until he stands , or go back to just standing next to him , reins in 1 hand by his withers , just back to square one and once he stands go onto next step , foot in stirrup , if he moves , foot back out of stirrup , if hes moved , put him back to where you want him and start the process over again . He will get the idea . Dont get cross with him , just be prepared to spend the time . Ifyou find hes walking forward can you face him at a wall ? Always mount from a block ( stops twisting your saddle and pulling on his back ) , check that hes not objecting to you getting on because theres a problem ( saddle fit , teeth , back etc etc ) . If you have someone around just ask them to stand near just to stop him from walking forward but you still need to be able to do this by yourself , they are just an extra pair of hands to help . Good Luck !!
Click to expand...
thank you, we shall try this :)

Tickles said:
friendlyfilly is he a TB? Racers are often trained to be mounted whilst walking so it could be that. It could also be that he isn't comfy when you get on. Can you get an instructor to watch how you get on to see if there is anyway of making sure you aren't pulling on him (get someone to hold both horse and opposite stirrup and use a mounting block) and are landing softly on his back (put your right foot into the stirrup on the far side and then sit gently rather than sitting straight away). Assuming that is all OK and his saddle/back are checked then get started on the bribery...

Walk by mounting block, praise/treat.
Walk by mounting block, pause near it, praise/treat.
... pause, you get on to it, praise/treat.
... ... bounce on it, praise/treat.
... ... ... lean over him, praise/treat.
... ... ... ... get on, praise/treat.

If he walks off as soon as you get on walk a calm circle back to the block and then praise/treat.

They soon learn the quickest way to a polo or two!
Click to expand...
no, he isnt a TB, he is an Irish Draft
 
My ISH is a complete and utter knob at this. He has perfected the art of the sneaky side-step and, if he's in a really piggy mood, he'll just barge whichever poor s*d is helping me. It's not a pain/fear thing with him, it's pure boldness. He's very stubborn and it's like he's deciding when he wants to let me on... he'll always let me on eventually, even when I'm by myself. But as far as he's concerned, I have to be prepared to wait until he's ready. I don't think so!

We've tried numerous different methods of building up to mounting, and he'd be fine and stand perfectly still until the point when I was actually about to get on. This week I just got so sick of his messing that I decided to stop the softly/softly approach - no praise/treat for just standing by the mounting block/bucket. Just a treat and a big fuss when I was on and he was standing. I also took to getting back on a couple of times after we'd finished a ride for a couple of days... so once he'd stood still to let me back on a couple of times, he got to go away and eat.

Touch wood, the last four or five days he's been very good. But knowing him he could be back to knobberism when I ride later :rolleyes: I'm hoping he'll just get bored of the game and decide it's easier just to stand still and let me on. Quicker he lets me on, quicker we do our ride and quicker he gets back to his grass/hay. After all, he does have a fairly significant portion of lazy ID in him :D
 
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