The Dreaded Mounting Block

MissJigs

MissJigs

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Hi all, I have recently gotten back to riding after fracturing my spine a few months ago. Prior to this break from riding, my mare would stand long enough to get in the saddle. Now she walks off if I shorten the reins, put any pressure on the stirrup or get on the mounting block. Have tried people holding her, but she shoves them forcefully out of her way. She’s a VERY headstrong nine year old Irish sport horse. Has anyone got any tips? Many thanks.
 
Go back to basics; as if you were teaching it to her for the first time.

Stand at the block, scratch and praise.
Let me stand on the block, scratch and praise
Etc
Etc

Take a look at HorseHelp UK on facebook and if you're in the area, time with him is a great investment.
 
Hi,

I had an NH person out to help with this, she cracked it in an hour.

You want to make standing still the best option, so back the horse up every time they move and make them e.g do a turn on the haunches / forehand or back through poles. It doesn't matter what just something awkward.

She broke it down into small steps. Horse stands still next to block, praise him and stop for a bit, horse stands still whilst you scratch his neck from first step of block, praise him get off block and stop, then do the same again work up to scratching his neck from top step of block, get off block, then scratch neck whilst putting foot in stirrup but don't try to get on. When he's happy get on praise him and get straight off. Repeat until you can get in off three times. You may want to give a treat once you're sat on him and get off from the wrong side. Eventually he'll stand still and wait for his treat.

I'd tried all kinds of different things but this worked straight away.
 
Depending on how food motivated your horse is I “solved” my mounting block fidgeter by giving a treat once was on board and feet in stirrups. She used to shake her head up and down, move off as soon as you picked up reins or stirrup and the walk off before you were settled. Took about 2 weeks and she pretty much stands solid at any block. She does love a treat!
 
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We have used clicker training for this issue in the past, with great success. Again you must initially break the process down into smaller steps, clicking and treating for each step, eventually you can give the click and reward when you are ready to move off.
 
The saddler is coming out next Monday to check everything over. Checking out all options at the moment. She’s a horse that will go to the most effort to get out of the original task. Thank you all for your helpful replies. Will give them a go if the saddler cannot resolve the issue.
 
The big, old, very reliable and beautifully mannered horse who I ride became twitchy at the mounting block and seemed unsettled for a few minutes after mounting. I mentioned to owner but I think they thought he was just playing me up a bit. About a month later as I lifted the saddle off his back I distinctly heard a creak/click. Owner was away on hols at the time so I had to wait for her return to do any thing with the saddle.(rode with my own instead) As soon as she came home she had the saddle looked at and the tree was broken. Horse knew way before we did. Just saying ......
 
I would have a look at Richard Maxwell online, I have been to his demo and although I didn’t take loads from him his principles on mounting blocks was really interesting x
 
If you don't mind me asking, what happened when you fractured your spine? Was it a riding accident? Did the horse injure themselves without you realising? I'd say get a vet work up if this is a possibility.

If you haven't ridden for some time, I'd get back and saddle checked anyway, as it is obviously that the horse is telling you that something is wrong. This kind of behavior is usually pain related.

.
 
I managed to fall off a swing from a considerable height. Luckily the horse had nothing to with the injury. The saddler is booked in for a visit and the vet after that.

HeyMich said:
If you don't mind me asking, what happened when you fractured your spine? Was it a riding accident? Did the horse injure themselves without you realising? I'd say get a vet work up if this is a possibility.

If you haven't ridden for some time, I'd get back and saddle checked anyway, as it is obviously that the horse is telling you that something is wrong. This kind of behavior is usually pain related.

.
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MissJigs said:
Hi all, I have recently gotten back to riding after fracturing my spine a few months ago. Prior to this break from riding, my mare would stand long enough to get in the saddle. Now she walks off if I shorten the reins, put any pressure on the stirrup or get on the mounting block. Have tried people holding her, but she shoves them forcefully out of her way. She’s a VERY headstrong nine year old Irish sport horse. Has anyone got any tips? Many thanks.
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My mare was like this, I line her up and she fidgets so walk her round again and so on, a bit repetitive but she learnt in the end, and on the odd occasion now i repeat the process.
 
Mylouby my mare takes it to the next level she now will not move off until she has had the treat, I call it putting a penny in the slot. I taught her this because I often have to get on from gates on steep hills and other difficult places and like to know she will wait till I am properly in the saddle.

Missjigs hopefully once your saddle, ect has been checked you can work on some off these tips to make her safe at mounting again.
 
I used to share a horse, he started moving quarters over to avoid me getting on. I hadn't known him long, but he certainly wasn't the most genuine horse. When we did get the saddler out she confirmed it was pressing down at the back, so he wasn't being awkward, he was trying to tell us it was uncomfortable.
 
I had bad mounting block issues with a not very long broken 3 yr old some time ago now. he had one bad experience with a rider trying to mount, making a complete cock up of it, and poor horse decided to make a dash for it...after that he understandably wasn't happy with the mounting block at all. It took some time and patience to get him over it - just went back to basics, and treated him like an unbroken baby - break it down into little steps, treats and praise for standing still. He's 10 now and stand like a rock....but still expects his pony nut when you're on top!
 
ILuvCowparsely said:
My mare was like this, I line her up and she fidgets so walk her round again and so on, a bit repetitive but she learnt in the end, and on the odd occasion now i repeat the process.
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We used to do this with my very head strong mare. Took 80 minutes once to make her stand still long enough but we didn't break first!! After that it got quicker each time until she'd stand quietly. You have to out patience them - it gets VERY frustrating but you mustn't let that show. Imagine a box inside you that you can put all your frustration in when you feel it.

You can of course speed up the process by someone standing in front of the horse holding a whip near their nose but again they'll have to go through and use it if they move.....
 
Gloi said:
Mine stands perfectly by the mounting block while I get on, then turns his head round and stares at me until he gets his treat.
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Mine did same - clicker trained him in a couple of sessions and after that he was always looking for a mounting block to stand next to! Same with taking the bit (hold up bridle, he'd dive into it) and all sorts of other useful things.
 
You will get a few opinions on this so you need to know your horse well enough to know what will work. For my boy he is keen to go but sane enough to know when i tell him something thats what i want. He would move off, or even go to and i would circle him around again and say stand. Repeat until he literally didnt move. If he moved as soon as my arse was in the seat i would get off, repeat. Until i ask him to move on.
 
I think in this sort of thing we also need to look at how we get on. Especially after an injury, are we less supple and athletic than before? Are we putting too much weight into the stirrup or grabbing and twisting the saddle too much? All of this can lead to the horses discomfort.
 
I use the treat technique. Once I am in the saddle my horse now turns his head round and pretends he his smelling my boot whilst he is in fact hoping he'll get a treat.
 
Another one with a horse who won't move away from the mounting block til he's had his treat!
My mounting issues were part pain/part expecting pain - he had chronic suspensory issues when i got him, and had developed a reputation for bucking people off as they got on. I patched up his physical problems, and spent a lot of time at the mounting block with a pocket of treats, until he started to associate me getting on with good things, rather than pain. He now knows the drill, and will not deviate from the routine - 8 years down the line!
 
That’s a good point. I’m young and fit and make sure to evenly balance myself when mounting. The pain is mostly gone, just a few twinges here and there so flexibility is back.

BBP said:
I think in this sort of thing we also need to look at how we get on. Especially after an injury, are we less supple and athletic than before? Are we putting too much weight into the stirrup or grabbing and twisting the saddle too much? All of this can lead to the horses discomfort.
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We do this every ride for about 20 minutes until she’ll stand long enough to let me get a foot in the stirrup. After everything’s been checked out I plan to put aside time to solely work on this with her.

Honey65 said:
We used to do this with my very head strong mare. Took 80 minutes once to make her stand still long enough but we didn't break first!! After that it got quicker each time until she'd stand quietly. You have to out patience them - it gets VERY frustrating but you mustn't let that show. Imagine a box inside you that you can put all your frustration in when you feel it.

You can of course speed up the process by someone standing in front of the horse holding a whip near their nose but again they'll have to go through and use it if they move.....
Click to expand...
 
My pony occasionally swings his bum away just as I get onto the top of the mounting block. I'm not as fast as I used to be so miss my chance to get on. The only pattern I've noted is this starts to happen when we've been riding out alone for a while. (they're isn't much company on my yard). Once we've been out with some one it seems to stop.
 
I "wasted" the first 10 or 15 minutes of my lesson each week teaching the mare to walk to and then stand at the block while I mounted. I was a very novice rider and copied his method after watching Mark Rashid.
Later when I shared that mare it was invaluable and she also stood for me to dismount.
Years later Rashid abandonned that method and recommended another, but for me being sure something simple will work with a horse over rides everything else. I was always totally convinced his ways would work for me and they always did.

I have never used treats. Because Rashid never did. It makes me feel mean as I am usually the only rider on a yard or RS who doesnt - but the horses dont seem to notice. Horses are very mysterious creatures. Because someone observed that the current horse moves towards me when she sees me.

So you dont need a lot of knowledge to teach horses new stuff. But you need lots of time.

I am not supple or athletic, but slowness may be the answer. For me it is very important to sit slowly and softly down in the saddle - You cant do that if the horse is wandering forwards. So if a horse doesnt know to wait, you need contact in the reins. Or to reject any attempt to mount in which there is forward movement.
 
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