standing when mounting

Jellicle

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I have posted about this before, sorry!

Every time I try to get on my horse from the mounting block he takes a step to the side so that i can't get on! At the moment I have to have someone the other side of him to stop it.

I'm at a loss to know how to solve it, because every time he steps to the side I have to get off the block and go and move him next to the block again.

Two questions really - first, could this be a sign that he is uncomfortable being ridden by me, or is he just being cheeky? He is fine once I am on, and I am careful not to jolt his back or dig him in the ribs or anything.
Second, how do I solve it?
 

sallypops

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i used to sometime ride this great big horse, she was about 15.2h but she stood and rode alot bigger!! she did exactly the same, i used the block to get on when riding her bareback back up to her field. once she took a step to the side she would stand still so i generally just took a great big leap of faith onto her. but i wouldn't advise this i just did it cause she was super sfae bombproof giant
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what does he do when you get on from the ground? just out of interest, cause i have known loadsa horses which are fine to mount from the ground but not from the block
 

bugsysmum

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How old is he? If he's a baby it's something they all go through. If he's a bit older, but is fine with everything else i.e. not showing any discomfort while being tacked up, ridden, groomed and everything else is normal, there is one other thing you can check....
Has he got a cheeky grin on his face every time you do it?!!
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My baby has a habit of doing this - the best way I can get round it is to line him up against a wall / fence and put the mounting block the other side of it i.e. he is between you and the fence. Then he can't step away as the fence is in the way. My friend's horse does this too - you get quite agile with the "rolling starts" in the end!!
 

blackcob

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Mine had a phase of doing this when she was younger - it's the most frustrating thing
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In the end what I did was everytime she sidestepped I'd get down from the block, walk her in a circle back to the right place and attempt it again. It was hard to stay calm after almost half an hour of repeating it
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but I didn't lose my temper and eventually she got so fed up of going round and round and just stood.
 

Jellicle

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He's 18 - old enough to know better! No signs of discomfort other than a stiff neck which he has had since I've known him, saddle checked about 6 months ago. He is less likely to do it when he is going out for a hack with a group of other horses, making me think it is cheekiness!

I only really mount from the ground when on a hack, and he is okay, so long as you don't fuss about! He wants to get on and get going.

I have been doing the thing with having a wall on the other side of him, in the hope he would forget about it, but he is still silly with the mounting block!
 

BeckyD

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My 4yo does this. I just bore him into submission. Endless circles and in the end he does a huge sigh and just waits patiently rather than taking a step backwards. I hope he'll learn in the end. His back and saddle are fine.
 

rachier

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At my old yard we had a big blue container thing that you could put up beside the mounting block to stop them from swinging their quarters out (it was mainly for the racehorses) it worked a treat.

My ex racer wouldnt go to mounting block or swing quarters out nd would try to rear when u edged him forward - obvously knew he would get outta work as he had been turned away for 6 months!!.

It was help from the ground and the blue thing that helped (and patience!!). 6 months later and Now he is a darling and parks up exactly where i need him lol.
 

GinaGem

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My youngster went through a cheeky phase of moving a step when you went to put your foot in the stirrup from a mounting block. Took about two weeks to completely solve it but we used the method that you never get off the block (i.e. don't teach them that if they move away you follow). Instead keep hold of the rein and reposition them while still standing on the block. Obviously you need to have them responsive to moving the quarters and shoulders but it worked well with my fellow. Basically he eventually gets bored and stands still! Obviously definitely make sure it is cheekiness first and not pain etc related. xxx
 

MagicMo

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I have to say that my oldie does this as a game. He turns right round to face me, pretty sure he has a big grin on his face.

I don't get off the mounting block though - I just tell him to stop messing about and stand properly - which he then does
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I shouldn't laugh - it only makes him do it more, he is a bit of a clown though
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jinglejoys

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Have you ever spent time teaching him from the ground or do you just want to mount and find you have a problem?He may never have actually been taught this and so just learnt how to avoid it.
I'd forget the mounting bit and just teach him how to position himself near the block in the right position from both sides, then go on to bumping the stirrups and teaching him to stand, then half mounting several times, then whole mounting and standing still for ten seconds before you dismount, and then!!!!!!---i.e take him back to the begining like a baby
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I'm just at the sitting on top bit
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reddie

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Mine had a phase of doing that. As i'm abit older and not so springy i couldn't take a leap of faith onto him!! With him it was definitely a case of trying it on. I just used to turn him in a circle and kept trying for as long as it took. After a few times he would stand still. Occassionally he'll still try it on, especially if he's being ridden straight from the stable and he thinks he should be turned out!! However it usually no more than once or twice.
 

TarrSteps

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As to the discomfort question, it very well could be something along that line but if he's not showing any other change and you've had the regular things checked I suspect it's not a significant part of the issue.

Let's face it, whether we like to admit it or not riding is a potentially uncomfortable experience for horses. And no, I'm not being a bleeding heart about it, I'm simply stating the obvious which you have to bear in mind when you're training. (Which you are doing every time you touch your horse.) But being ridden is the horse's JOB and not negotiable unless there is a serious reason for not riding the horse. And horses aren't stupid, many of them do figure out relatively benign ways to do the minimum. (Extreme reactions are FAR less likely to be purely mental evasions since that defeats the point of evading.) The trick is to remember the only two thing you ever need to tell a horse, (stolen from Tom Roberts, no relation to Monty) "This will profit you." and "This will profit you not."

Moving away from the block IS something most horses figure out as a fairly useful "Nope, don't feel like it," evasion. The effectively are lodging an opinion but they should not get a vote.

One method is to get help, someone to hold the horse STILL when you get on. Sometimes a short while of this is enough to break the pattern and make the evasion pointless.

Some horses are cannier than that, though.

I don't love circling, although I've seen it used. It can be dangerous on bad footing and some horses don't actually see it as a "problem" but simply incorporate it into their mounting routine, "Circle 5x then get on."

So I'll go with the "reposition them from the block" advice. Start from the ground, preferably with the reins over the neck as for riding, holding them at the withers. (If you're too short to do this with this horse hold the reins below the throat or, if you're experienced, do the exercise on long reins.) Now you have to be able to get the horse to back up, move forward, and move it's shoulders and hips independently both directions from this position. The left indirect rein moves the hips right, opening left rein moves the shoulders left etc., just like ridden aids. You can add a "bump" with your body and a voice aid to go forward (I like one "click" per step in a controlled fashion) if necessary. Once you've absolutely sorted this then try the same directions from the box. This allows you to position the horse as you want and correct any unwanted movements away. I would recommend a quick "refresher course" on the ground every time before you mount until he gives it up.
 
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