Training horse to stand still as you mount...???

[Happy H]

Tried this version of a western way when all else failed with mine..

Attach a lunge line to the bit / cavesson as if you were going to lunge.
If they move at any point before you have your leg over the saddle, send them forward immidiately with the other end of the lunge line and keep them running round in a small circle - working hard - for a while. Don't get angry or tell them off, just make them work! When they looking like they have had enough, send them forward for another circuit or so.
Then stand them back by the mounting block and repeat.
Can take a couple of goes, but works very well. Trick is not to get angry or tell them off, just make them realise it is easier for them to stand still than it is to move.

If they move off once you have your leg over, ask for rein back immediately, then ask them to stand. If they don't, more rein back. Again - no anger or telling off, just make it easier for them to do what you want.

Then get off without moving off.

When they have done it well a couple of times, put them away straight away without riding.

Just another idea to try.

As others have stated, once you have them standing still to mount, always make them stand for a while every time you get on. That's where I go wrong and get back into bad habbits!

 

[anuvb]

Plenty of great advice, just to add don't lead your horse away from the mounting block once it starts to swing it's rear out.

Assuming you have worked on basic ground control (ie moving horse forward, back, left and right) use this to position your horse back in front of the mounting block. Otherwise every time you lead them away and round all you doing is rewarding the behaviour of swinging their bum out. This is where it is useful to use a crop (not for hitting just as an extension of your arm) to touch their bum gently with. Also make sure you say 'stand' when you want them to stand. You'd be amazed how many owners forget this but how else does the horse know that's what you want; particularly if you are away from the spot you normally mount at?

It can take a while but eventually they get it (at this point reward with a treat) and I have found it much more effective than moving a mobile mounting block to them.

Just to add - rein back is good but use with caution with youngsters and rearers - if the horse isn't understanding your signals they can get worried & confused and go up.

 

[Bernster]

Howdy again. I realise this isn't my post but it's been bloomin useful so far for me!

I seem to be having more success with the mobile mounting block so far. I don't think I am quite getting the hang of the groundwork, using whip to tap their bottom side of things as we seem to get worse not better. That would be me being a numpty I'm guessing!

Treat when on is my next ploy. And backing up when they walk off too (horse is fine with this). Also think that getting off and on, then not nec'y always riding, is going to help to keep things calm and easy.

Def seeing an improvement over the last few days. Challenge will be using a static block and when we are out at exciting events when training may well go out of the window. Will keep plugging away and come back to this thread if we get stuck