Teaching a mature horse to stand when riden

pansymouse

pansymouse

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 May 2012
Messages
2,736
Location
Amesbury, Wiltshire
Visit site
My mare is 20, fit as a fiddle and very forward going and I would like to do a few hunt meets with her.

Last year we went to the new comers meet and it was a nightmare - she would not stand; she went round and round and backwards (not up thank goodness) and worked herself into a sweat dripping mess; we had to leave after an hour. As soon as she was allowed to walk away and keep walking she calmed within moments.

I'd like to give hunting another go so am trying to teach her to stand by randomly stopping on a hack and just standing there. Even on our own I haven't been able to get her to stand for more than 30 seconds in fact it's usually only 15. She starts getting het up, fidgeting and going backwards almost immediately. I completely relax in the seat and try to be as soft and calm as possible but it doesn't make any difference.

Can anyone give me any pointers on how to teach an otherwise impeccably well behaved mature horse to stand when I want her to? I bought her at 16 and she is a Section D x TB former show jumper.

I am an almost entirely self/horse taught rider with 45 years experience.
 
Till recently my daughter had a horse that sounds just like yours and he was a teenager as well. He wouldn't stand anywhere, hunting or a show or even at a junction although fine to ride apart from that. She just let him keep walking around, much the easier option and then he was fine. There's always room when out hunting to keep on the move and it's alot less stressful to everyone concerned. I very much doubt if anything would have taught him to stand still, although he was fine if she got off and held him.
 
Oh wow, it's like you're describing Saf! She's fine to stand at home, but I deliberately don't do showing as she never stands still in the line up! I've been randomly stopping on hacks, and we had an argument for about 15 minutes the other day because she wouldn't stand still. I was really emphasising releasing the contact once she stood still, and gradually our argument times shortened. Very much a work in progress though!
 
Welsh cobs don't do standing still ! At the age of 20 and still fit and fiery I would just think what the heck !

As far as hunting is concerned you might find if you cub her as much as you can, say 4/5 mornings a week she might settle and just used to it. I did it with mine and it did help, but he was always a hot excitable type.
 
I enlisted the help of neighbours. My ID really didn't understand standing and chatting when we got her, although she was fine at junctions etc. My neighbours are almost all horsey, so were more than happy to rub her nose/give her a treat and generally make her the centre of attention when we stopped for a chat. She soon decided that there was no need to rush off.
 
Thanks all for the suggestions; I will keep trying but also contact the hunt to see if circling her at the edge whilst the others are standing would be acceptable. She doesn't care to be petted and is not that food orientated so those avenues are pretty much closed to me unfortunately. She fidgets when I'm grooming her but stands well for the farrier and to be mounted so I know she can do it!
 
Funnily enough I have a section D cross who also cannot stand still under saddle. She also starts twitching at 15 seconds and is ridiculous by thirty seconds. I can make her stand still with effort which is basically I'd she goes left, push her back right, if she tries to go backwards, push her back forwards and just keep insisting she stands. Usually she will then give up. Its highly annoying tho. If I get off she stands fine!
 
FfionWinnie said:
Funnily enough I have a section D cross who also cannot stand still under saddle. She also starts twitching at 15 seconds and is ridiculous by thirty seconds. I can make her stand still with effort which is basically I'd she goes left, push her back right, if she tries to go backwards, push her back forwards and just keep insisting she stands. Usually she will then give up. Its highly annoying tho. If I get off she stands fine!
Click to expand...

Are you riding my horse on the sly? :D
 
Does she stand when you're on the ground? If not then I'd teach her to stand still from the ground. When I say stand still I mean you choose the spot and she doesn't move off the spot. If she does take a step in whatever direction, you calmly put her back on the spot you chose. Slowly Extend the time she stands still for. Then teach her to ground tie so that she will stand on her own wherever you ask and you can walk away and she'll still stand on the spot. It takes time but I think if you can teach her on the ground then it can be slowly transferred to when shes ridden.
 
EllenJay said:
My Welsh D stands when asked - so not sure why there are comments that Welshies don't :confused:
Click to expand...

They are all different and used for different disciplines. Mine was a fire breathing, dancing and a prancing welsh dragon who did 18 seasons hunting. He loved it, putting 110% effort in. He was a 'hot' horse.
 
We have successfully taught a "hot" welsh D to stand by practising in a group at home first, with polos as bribery, gradually extending the time asked for stand. Agree with teaching from the ground first (also at home). Be prepared to quit while you are ahead during this process,but time and patience will generally do it.
 
I had a horse who in the early days used to pitter-patter on the spot when asked to stand still. I taught her to stand still just by continually asking for stand and never letting up on her even if she just took one or two little dances. She eventually found another way to relieve her boredom by swinging her head around and around. That was fine by me as so long as her legs stood stock still I was happy. She was a very highly strung TB mare (one of the loves of my life) and something always had to be ticking with her so we found a compromise which worked for both of us.
 
I don't know if you do much schooling with her, and I don't know if it would work with an older horse, but with the younger 'excitable' types if, when you are jump or flat schooling to have regular stops where you just stop for a couple of minutes (or 15 secs to begin with if that's all she can manage at the moment), and then move off again. So you develop a pattern of work hard, stop and take it in, then work hard again.

Also, I find that moving them back to the original standing spot can be counter-productive, because the goal/desire of the horse is to be able to move around, so you don't want to get into the pattern of 'I take three steps backwards - she lets me take three steps forwards, I take a step to the right - she lets me take a step left'. So if she takes a step backwards or sideways, just stop her and leave her there.
 
Tried bribery?
I've taught two of mine to stand by tapping their shoulder after they've stood still for 10/15 seconds and giving them a treat.....I also taught the 'wait' command.
You can extend the time before treating and ultimately they stand nicely and get a shoulder scratch instead of a treat....
 
Some more great tips thank you. I'm going to try doing some ground work with her but on the whole she's excellent on the ground; maybe a little bit in-hand work is required. I would get off and try and teach her to stand that way but I'm too ancient and unspringy to get back on :(

It seems when it comes to patience she's got the worst traits of both her Section D and TB parents. I feel like I'm trying to keep the lid on a boiling saucepan.

In every other respect she is a perfect horse and we have so much fun together.
 
I treat from the saddle too, like hippona I tap the shoulder/neck to indicate they should turn for a treat. Bribery works wonders for my hot (but also greedy!) boy. Enlist a helper on the ground first to help teach them how to reach round for the treat.
 
Last edited:
She can certainly reach round for a treat - we enjoy apple scumping hacks, the rule is I can have one bite before she whips her head round, plants and expects the rest. Maybe I could go hunting with a rucksack full of apples....
 
pansymouse said:
She can certainly reach round for a treat - we enjoy apple scumping hacks, the rule is I can have one bite before she whips her head round, plants and expects the rest. Maybe I could go hunting with a rucksack full of apples....
Click to expand...

Its a plan :)
Daughter was schooling her strong pony last night...working on transitions to halt ...she was going around with a pocket full of treats ;)
 
Well hunting to a horse is 'Party time' and a Welsh cob is the ultimate party animal so trying to keep their feet still to the beat is a challenge ;)
The treat idea is a good one and worth a go. Another idea is one from a Mark Rashid book I read. It was not the solution to your particular problem but may well work. Simply bring her head round to your foot and hold it there for as long as it takes. The only place she can go is round in a tight circle. The moment she stands release and praise. Repeat the moment she moves again. It will take a few attempts but she will soon realise that standing still is the more comfortable option to moving in a tight circle. Worth a try :)
 
Thank you Ellen jay . I have welsh cobs. One is a newly backed 10 year old exbroodmare who has been out and about at shows , ridden in company ect and stands as still as a mouse lol. In fact all of my cobs are taught to stand still for as long as I want them to. Gentle training and lots of give and take of the reins. It can be done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top