Trouble standing at the mounting block

[J_sarahd]

Just as the bucking was fixed, my gelding has thrown another issue at me.

He's always been difficult to get on, and it slowly started getting better but the last few times I've tried to get on him he was horrendous. You lead him to the mounting block and he will stand there, but as soon as you pick up the reins or step on the block, he will back up or spin his bum away. It took me 10/15 mins yesterday (and resulted in some frustrated tears) until my friend had to hold him whilst I got on and off a few times. I tried getting on him from the floor (I try to avoid this and he's never really liked it) and he was doing the same.

He's had his back checked recently (last Wednesday), saddle has been recently checked and his teeth were done in the last 6 months.

Thing is, once I'm on, he's so good. Like last night, he was the best he's been recently. (Which has me confused because if he was in pain, I'd expect him to also not be great once I'm actually working him?)

Any tips/advice?

 

[Sprat]

My mare used to do this and it was irritating as hell. I found there was no quick fix unfortunately. Spend time doing a bit of groundwork so he knows what you mean if you ask him to move his quarters, once that is solid then introduce the block. Every time he swings his bum out, quietly ask him to move back with lots of fuss when he does as asked. Then progress to standing on the block, if he moves keep repeating etc. It's dull but it does work. I found treats helped as well.

 

[milliepops]

I think if you're certain that any physical issues have been dealt with then this can become a habit and then as a rider you have to dig into your deepest pool of patience and pick a day when you have no expectations around riding to start addressing it.

you can definitely improve it but it requires utter consistency and being able to contain your frustration.

Last one I had like this it took me 40 mins on the first day to get to the point where the horse lined up at the block and stood still for me to get on and stay still until I asked to move off, but the next day it was more like 5 mins. on the first day I didn't do a lot after we had managed that task, as in, walked round the arena a few times and then finished. there are various techniques and videos etc you can try, for me I just keep lining the horse up at the block, picking up the reins and getting on the block and expect them to stay still. and repeat and repeat and repeat until they learn not to move their feet. it takes as long as it takes but so long as you remain committed I find they generally don't forget it.

the biggest thing is to stick to your guns, not let it get to your emotions, and be ultra patient. if you just launch at the horse and scramble on after 10 mins because it's boring then it's kind of pointless

 

[Littlebear]

Can you put him between a wall/ fence and the mounting block for now?
also would suggest the technique that I think Richard maxwell uses for them to come to the mounting block - I’ve seen a few people use this with great success x

 

[J_sarahd]

I think if you're certain that any physical issues have been dealt with then this can become a habit and then as a rider you have to dig into your deepest pool of patience and pick a day when you have no expectations around riding to start addressing it.

you can definitely improve it but it requires utter consistency and being able to contain your frustration.

Last one I had like this it took me 40 mins on the first day to get to the point where the horse lined up at the block and stood still for me to get on and stay still until I asked to move off, but the next day it was more like 5 mins. on the first day I didn't do a lot after we had managed that task, as in, walked round the arena a few times and then finished. there are various techniques and videos etc you can try, for me I just keep lining the horse up at the block, picking up the reins and getting on the block and expect them to stay still. and repeat and repeat and repeat until they learn not to move their feet. it takes as long as it takes but so long as you remain committed I find they generally don't forget it.

the biggest thing is to stick to your guns, not let it get to your emotions, and be ultra patient. if you just launch at the horse and scramble on after 10 mins because it's boring then it's kind of pointless

To be honest, that's why I got so frustrated/upset - I am a massive overthinker and in my head, it meant he was still hurting somewhere, which is partly why I wanted to get on him so quickly so I could see if he felt off. I will definitely set aside a day/evening where I will just do it like you've said. Thank you

 

[J_sarahd]

Can you put him between a wall/ fence and the mounting block for now?
also would suggest the technique that I think Richard maxwell uses for them to come to the mounting block - I’ve seen a few people use this with great success x

I've tried putting him so he's got a fence on two sides and the mounting block on the other, but he just charged forward. And, for a 13.2hh pony he's VERY strong! And if I box him in completely, I have no way of getting him out if I'm on my own haha. Thank you, I'll have a look at that

 

[Keith_Beef]

There are a couple of horses at the riding school who are sometimes difficult to mount.

The instructors have told me to shorten the offside rein a little; supposedly this pulls the horse's head gently to the right, which discourages spinning the back end away to the right. Sometimes this works, sometimes not. When the horse still circles away, I try to stay on the block and make the horse do a complete circle around me and bring it back into position.

If I still can't get on, the instructor comes and holds the horse's head: we can't have a group lesson held up just for one student not able to mount promptly.

 

[teddypops]

Can you put him between a wall/ fence and the mounting block for now?
also would suggest the technique that I think Richard maxwell uses for them to come to the mounting block - I’ve seen a few people use this with great success x

I had success with the Richard Maxwell method. I had to click with my tongue as well as tap with schooling whip to begin with. Now I just click and my mare brings herself into the block.

 

[J_sarahd]

I had success with the Richard Maxwell method. I had to click with my tongue as well as tap with schooling whip to begin with. Now I just click and my mare brings herself into the block.

I just watched the video on Your Horse's youtube (that mare is 100% like my gelding!). I will definitely try this method

 

[QuantockHills]

Kelly Marks did a whole 30 minute programme on this... she had 3 different horses that all had different mounting block issues... I cant remember the name of the programme but it was on Horse and Country TV so you should be able to find it on you tube...

 

[Annagain]

I had this with Charlie when he arrived. He just didn't understand the mounting block - he'd stood at one when I went to try him but it was in a fairly narrow gap with a bank next to it so he couldn't move, ours is fixed and very open. To begin with, I made matters worse by teaching him to stand at it by giving him a treat. Once we mastered standing at it and I started climbing onto the mounting block, he was backing up so his head was level with me to look for a treat!

It just takes lots and lots of repetition. I chose a day when I was on my own and planned for it to take as long as it needed to take. I wasn't planning to ride, just crack the mounting.

We started with just leading to the block and standing next to it, then I'd leave his head and stand alongside the block, then climb onto it. After that I'd fiddle with the reins a bit. Throughout the whole process, he got lots of praise for standing still and just put back in position without a word if he didn't - sometimes this was just a step back or forwards, sometimes it was getting down and leading him round in a circle to get him back in position. I didn't attempt getting on until he was standing nicely at the block for at least 20 seconds with me having gathered his reins up. Because I know how treat orientated he is, once I was on, I'd lean forward and give him a treat, then ask him to move off. This has worked brilliantly because now, he'll stand like a statue while I do my girth and put my gloves on (I have a weird thing about mounting in gloves, I just can't do it!) and won't move a muscle until he's had his treat! I'm slowly weaning him off the treat - he'll get one about one in every 3 or 4 times I mount now and just lots of praise the other times.

 

[PapaverFollis]

The Beast was tricksy when we first got her, she used to step sideways over the mounting block and swipe you off it! Monster.

We solved it by having one of us hold her and feed a series of treats while the other got on to start with. Then gradually increased distance away of ground person and decreased frequency of treats. Then the rider started giving a treat at the end and very soon ground person became unnecessary. Didn't take very long for her to get it. But she's very food motivated. She's a star now but does do her excited getting a treat squeal as soon as your bum hits the saddle quite often.

I think working through it as suggested above is a good method but what we did is also an option, especially if you have a helper.

 

[Annagain]

The Beast was tricksy when we first got her, she used to step sideways over the mounting block and swipe you off it! Monster.

We solved it by having one of us hold her and feed a series of treats while the other got on to start with. Then gradually increased distance away of ground person and decreased frequency of treats. Then the rider started giving a treat at the end and very soon ground person became unnecessary. Didn't take very long for her to get it. But she's very food motivated. She's a star now but does do her excited getting a treat squeal as soon as your bum hits the saddle quite often.

I think working through it as suggested above is a good method but what we did is also an option, especially if you have a helper.

Yes - I used your method when I first got Archie but the yard was a lot busier in those days so there was always someone to help. Now a lot of the horses are retired / unridden for other reasons so not many people around so I needed to crack it on my own.

 

[PapaverFollis]

X-posted with you annagain so "as posted above" wasn't a direct reference to your post, just the general advice above. Which is all good too. I do think it's more tricky using treats if you have to work alone. We had a couple of times with The Beast trying to get the rider to give the reward and she did exactly as you say, backed up to get her face closer to the rider and the treat! So we ended up with the two person approach until she would wait for 1 treat at the end.

We went for the treat approach rather that the patience approach because her particular evasion was so confrontational somehow. There would have been a lot of getting sideswiped and lots of rib poking needed, which just made her swing out away from the block then of course.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I would have the saddle checked by again/by a different fitter. My Draft mare was very good at letting me know if her saddle needed adjustment by refusing to stand still at the block, yet she had exceptionally good manners normally.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

Mine can be a bit iffy with the mounting block, I don't think they use them in Ireland so she didn't really know what it meant. She stands like a rock for me to mount from the ground (even part way through a sponsored ride after an overly zealous jump caught me off guard and catapulted me into outer space with lots of horses trotting past).

I have done the standing and praising when still, moving back when she moves until I'm blue in the face. We're equally stubborn and it did help but I found the best thing was to just plonk her between the corner of the school with the mounting block the other side so she had no where to go. Every now and then I don't bother moving the mounting block and she is getting much better at standing still even when not hemmed in, repetition is key.

I personally don't like to use treats as she is too clever/greedy for her own good and she will start to look for the treat and we lose all concentration. But depends on your horse.

 

[fredflop]

,

Can you put him between a wall/ fence and the mounting block for now?
also would suggest the technique that I think Richard maxwell uses for them to come to the mounting block - I’ve seen a few people use this with great success x

please don’t “trap” him in. It’s incredibly dangerous. I did it once, and I was increadibly lucky I wasn’t seriously injured.

if horses are nervous at the mounting block, you are best of working at it in the middle of the school. Horses are claustrophobic, and are more likely to behave if they feel they can move their feet

 

[J_sarahd]

I would have the saddle checked by again/by a different fitter. My Draft mare was very good at letting me know if her saddle needed adjustment by refusing to stand still at the block, yet she had exceptionally good manners normally.

The saddler I went to is one of the best in the area. I am happy to have someone else look at it (if anyone knows of any good saddlers in the Leicestershire/Nottinghamshire area, let me know!) The reason I haven't really considered this is because previously when the saddle needed a check, he just didn't really go forward - he was sticky and not wanting to move, and most recently bucking into canter.

 

[milliepops]

using a gap between block and wall can be a useful stepping stone but if you ever take them out to shows etc or need to mount while out hacking then it's not always possible, which is why I prefer to keep plugging away at teaching them to stay still and wait

 

[J_sarahd]

,


please don’t “trap” him in. It’s incredibly dangerous. I did it once, and I was increadibly lucky I wasn’t seriously injured.

if horses are nervous at the mounting block, you are best of working at it in the middle of the school. Horses are claustrophobic, and are more likely to behave if they feel they can move their feet

I won't - he's a very sensitive little guy and like I said, the few times I've tried to corner him in, he just ran forward. We have two mounting blocks (neither are very easy to move more than a couple of feet) and one is in the corner of the school, so I will pull it out as far as I can and work with him there, but so he has enough room to move around

 

[J_sarahd]

using a gap between block and wall can be a useful stepping stone but if you ever take them out to shows etc or need to mount while out hacking then it's not always possible, which is why I prefer to keep plugging away at teaching them to stay still and wait

Definitely - I want to be able to get on him not matter where I am or what the situation is.

 

[fredflop]

How big is he (and you). A decorators platform is about £25 and can be used for a horse up to about 16 hands.

 

[RHM]

My mare was a nightmare to mount when I first got her. She would shoot off in a panic as soon as you put a foot in the stirrup. I believe her behaviour came from a badly fitting saddle as she came to me with quite considerable muscular atrophy on her shoulders. How I got her over it was to spend 30mins-hour every day just getting on and off. Literally nothing else. She soon came round to the idea and is now great 9/10 days. She just needed to realise it wasn’t going to hurt anymore. Might be different for your lad if he is already fine just being a bit of a toad! Good luck!

 

[MereChristmas]

One horse I owned would swing her hindquarters out just as I put my foot in the stirrup.
She stood by the mounting block until I moved. I spent a long time fiddling with reins, stirrup or moving about. When she swung her hindquarters I pushed her backwards for a few steps then led her forward and repeated it every time she moved. If she stood for brief time I praised her.
As others have said be consistent and patient whichever plan you choose.
Good luck

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I know it’s not probably the most recommended training but I’ve trained my impatient ginger that he gets a treat when I mount. He will now not move until he’s had that treat. I had to dismount twice today on our hack once for a gate and once for murderous donkeys and mounted safely again each time.

He has to turn his head back to me to hand it to him. You do have to watch for fingers though. Started off with someone standing with him whilst I mounted and then I’d give him the treat.

Provided you don’t think it’s a physical issue then maybe worth a go.

 

[stormox]

Sometimes if they fidget about while mounting normally turn them round and get on from he right side..... they usually stand

 

[J_sarahd]

My mare was a nightmare to mount when I first got her. She would shoot off in a panic as soon as you put a foot in the stirrup. I believe her behaviour came from a badly fitting saddle as she came to me with quite considerable muscular atrophy on her shoulders. How I got her over it was to spend 30mins-hour every day just getting on and off. Literally nothing else. She soon came round to the idea and is now great 9/10 days. She just needed to realise it wasn’t going to hurt anymore. Might be different for your lad if he is already fine just being a bit of a toad! Good luck!

I was thinking about this just now on my lunch break actually and he's not been right, really, since we started having issues with our saddle/his back. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense that I think they're connected. He's been given the all clear now to crack on, so I'm guessing this getting on issue is a hangover from that. Thank you!

 

[still standing]

Following this thread with interest as I'm having the same issue with my mare, just an annoying little swing away or little step forward from the block but very well behaved after I get on.

What I tried at the weekend, when she shifted her rear end away, was to stay standing on the block and make her keep moving forward all the way round it, back to the start. To straighten her as she was nearly back at the start, I pulled on the outside rein, so her head was turned a little that way, and her quarters then straightened in towards me. It took a couple of attempts to work, but then she stood OK.

At the end of my ride after I dismounted, I tried mounting up again - not sure if this was the right thing to do as she thought we were finished! But again, she swung her quarters away, again I made her go on round the mounting block, only once this time and then she stood to mount. I'll try it again tomorrow and see if she eventually gets the message to just stand in the first place. It's so annoying, like others on here have mentioned too, I'd like to be able to mount from anywhere while out on a ride!

 

[Cob Life]

blue did this for years just because he could, it was a great way to delay working!

I'm always on my own so just took to giving him a treat once I was (finally) on and he was standing still. Then gradually he stood when I put my foot in the stirrup, the when I stood on the block.
The only Thing that will trigger him to move now is if I’m tense and pick up the reins, so if I’m having a nervous/stress day, I get on just holding the buckle.