Won't stand still to mount

[anniedoherty]

Any tips on encouraging your horse to stand still whilst you mount without involving other people holding him? It takes me about 10 mins just to get on and it is getting frustrating. I have to use an upturned crate because I am not very agile any more as I have a bad back and, every time I move it towards him he backs off. He's not scared of it, he's just prefer me not to get on! I land in the saddle very gently and take up a light contact when I do finally get on so he hasn't really got anything to worry about.

He was being naughty in other ways when I rode him today (I am a novice so not much experience of horses other than my old M&M pony) so I jumped off out of frustration and then got back on from the floor with no problems whatsoever. He never even moved a muscle so I am wondering if it would be better to try mounting from the ground every time? Just not sure if my back will allow such athleticism! Has anyone got any bright ideas for me to try or do you think mounting from the ground might be the best thing? I do feel a bit vulnerable when he trots off as I have my leg halfway over his back I have to add.

 

[Benefice1]

Can you not stand him beside a fence or a wall so that when you place the crate down he cant move sideways away from it??
By the sounds of it it sounds like he is doing this because he can and not because he is frightened.
It will take time but dont ever give up (even if it does take 10 minutes) - this shows he has won - eventually he will realise that he cant win and will give up.
My boy used to do the same sort of thing, swing his back end out when i went to get on and now he will stand at the mounting block completely by himself and doesnt move an inch until i get on.

 

[riotgirl]

I had this problem with my Welshie. I had her physically checked over, and the saddle lookd at and it was decided it was a behavioural thing rather than a pain thing. What I tried was taking her to the place I mounted and getting her to stand still but not actually getting on. I then progressed on to standing on the block and leaning over, but still not getting on. Eventually working up to getting on her.

I'm not sure if it is possible for you, but try to mount him with his head facing toward a wall or a fence, and with a wall of fence on one side of you. It really calmed my girl down.

There is no quick fix I am afraid. I still have to mount using a block rather can getting on off the floor, but I'm just accepting this as one of her quirks! At least it is an improvment from having 2 people holding her while I got on!

One other thing, do all of your 'faffing' as I call it (checking girth, letting stirrups down) before you get to the mounting block. It sort of takes them by surprise a bit and you can usually get on before they know whats happening!

Hope this helps a bit - I sympathise

 

[eohippus]

I would move him to the box and not the other way round, if that makes sense, you can lead him to it, ask him to stand, if he moves walk him back to it. keep doing this until he stands, get on the box using your voice to ask for stand and outside rein to keep him still, if he moves, get off lead him back to it and insist he stands again. will take time and patience but will work better than you chasing him everytime he moves to a spot he wants to, he has to stand in the spot you want him to.
hope that helps
Dawn

 

[horsegirl]

Have you had his back/teeth checked? If these are fine I would suggest mounting on and off until he stands still, perhaps better to get someone else to do it if your back causes you problems. My boy was similar although he just would not stand by the block and walked off as soon as you put your foot in the stirrup but now he stands there while I lean my weight on his back and only walks off the minute my bum hits the saddle so still a little bit of work to do!

 

[riotgirl]

[ QUOTE ]
but now he stands there while I lean my weight on his back and only walks off the minute my bum hits the saddle so still a little bit of work to do!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm still working on this one as well!!

 

[vic07]

I have a massive (3ft) high mounting block. I personally don't like getting on off the floor as feel it must damage muscles and ligaments in the back.

I would try and not move the mounting block but make him come to it. I would stand on mounting block, try not to get off it and manouerve him around it and into position so you can get on.

I wonder whether a bigger mounting block would help?

You could try teaching him a command for standing still when on the ground and then use it when getting on.

I have had a similar problem and have found that after i have finished riding, I get off and then get on a couple of times, so I know she isn't excited about getting on with life and can make it very clear what i expect and am not making allowances for energy etc.....

It might be worth while getting his back checked out to ensure there isn't a physical problem.

 

[anniedoherty]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I agree that he is just doing it because he can rather than because he's frightened. I have had his teeth and back checked so no physical problems that I'm aware of either.

He is a very sweet horse in most ways and I really want to be able to mount by myself and preferably a little quicker than at present.

I have tried making him stand alongside the wall of the school but he just goes backwards then instead. I can't get him near enough to the block to make any attempt at mounting from it. I know he isn't really frightened of it because he will "sniff" it but won't go near it if it is at the side of him because he knows what it means i.e. that I will get on.

I will definitely practise just getting on and off, or getting my instructor to do it when I have a lesson if my back is playing up and also making sure girth is done up etc before we get to mounting spot.

 

[miamibear]

I have had this problem and yes it is frustrating.

My advice is mount with people around you, not necessarily holding you but around you. My old horse shot off when i got on and i damaged my back because of it!

Secondly mount next to a fence or wall so he cant move away from the crate, do more work with the crate i.e groom with it in the place it is for mounting. Also maybe treat yourself to a mounting stool. Much more sturdy.

Mount with the horse eating a haynet or something to take his attention away from you getting on, not always great when you end up with a hrose with a mouthful of hay but it is safer if they will stand.

Mount in an enclosed space where you can face him towards a wall or in to a corner and still walk out of it!! Also maybe mount in the stable, ensure someone is there to help aswell and never in a stable with height restrictions.

Always praise a lot when he lets you get on and doesnt walk off, i mean a really big fuss! And when he doesnt simply say no in a stern voice but never lash out.

Also i never attempt to mount if the horse feels or looks like it could walk off, the aim is to get on a stationary horse not one that you know will walk off once you have got a foot in the stirrup!

I would also suggest getting up on the crate and patting allover, so he gets used to you being up there and not moving build up gradually so you can pat allover and on the saddle then pull on the stirrup and then lean over, when you can do all this and he still stays stood put your foot in the stirrup and move about but dont mount. Every time they stand they get a big fuss so they know they are doing right. Every time they move, they get repositioned and a stern no.

I always pat mine on the neck and behind the saddle (old habbit) to let him know to stand because im getting on and it relaxes him too!

I do know of another exercise including poles and training them to stand within poles but it takes a lot of training, time and patience!

I would also suggest trying a handler but with them at the end of a lunge line, start with you mounting and them holding him head on and then gradually they get further away but still holding the lunge line until they can unclip you and still stand nearish and he will stand still!

Believe me i have been there and done it with mounting!! Since i fell off i have been petrified of mounting and so HAVE to have a horse that stands still! Perseverence is the key and routine.

I would never just pounce on when unawares, i would have thought that would make the horse want to shoot off more.

Hope this helps!

Sorry for the essay!!

 

[Rambo]

My boy went through a phase of this. I got round it by placing the mounting block in the corner of the school and walking him into the corner. That way, he couldn't spin away, and he couldn't walk backwards either. It only took a few weeks of doing this before he decided it wasn't worth the bother of trying to get away, and now he just stands wherever I put him

 

[lennysmith]

I had exaclty the same probs with Josie last year.

First I had all the usual back,teeth, tack checked. Then we started firm ground work. Stand meant stand. I would then have a helper to hold her for me to get on. I'd do the practising on and off thing AFTER we'd done our work. She was more chilled and would just stand to let me on, plently of praise followed. When I decided to go it alone, (this was at least 2 months down the line, i learnt a lot about patience) I had a couple of polos in a hook over manger on the fence(I never feed out of my hand) she would eat whilst I got on.

It really worked. With Josie it was fear though, and she'd only just been backed. I rebacked her this year after her having a good few months off to have her foalie. She's stood like a rock from day 1, so looks like all the work last year has payed off. Goodluck xxx

 

[tashyisaudrey]

The horse is saying "I want to dominate you" by not allowing you to get on them at all - very annoying I admit. I echo all the methods said above especially the pretending to get on and correcting their feet. You have to make sure they don't anticipate you - you are the one deciding where you ride and when - not them.

 

[flyingfeet]

Monty Roberts Fix Up DVD has a section on this

They retrain a horse that no one could mount without 4 people holding on to it! Very good technique, no fuss bribery or punishment.

 

[anniedoherty]

Thank you everyone who has given good advice. Definitely some tips worth a try there. I see what you mean about him trying to dominate me as well. He was funny with his feet at first - he wouldn't let me pick them up for ages and then, when I did manage to, he stamped them down hard or shot his leg forward so that he could get them free. I think I've largely cracked this problem now by repeatedly picking out his feet until he is so fed up with me that it is easier to just lift them up when I ask.

 

[Triskar]

Clicker Training?

 

[Sal_E]

Echo everyone else. Do be sure his saddle is not uncomfortable though.

Personally, in your situation, I'd use a corner of the school/field but have his bottom facing the fence so if he does move, it can only be forwards which is easier for you to correct with a contact on the reins - do be careful the first time you do this though as he may well back in to the fence which could upset him (obviously don't do it if you think he's the sort to panic at such a restriction).

With regard to the mounting block - I would practice every single day just presenting him with it, asking him to line up with it & STAND. Do not attempt to get on. Don't make him stand for too long (that's not fair & will encourage him to want to move). Once he has stood, give him praise plus a treat. Then walk him away, brief change of scenery & re-present - stand, more priase. Do that a few times per evening so that standing by the mounting block is actually a really pleasant thing - in fact, the only thing that happens is he gets a treat, how lovely! You can then progress to preparing/pretending to mount & then actually mounting. If he does shoot off as you in 'mid mount' pull him up sharply & firmly (but resist the urge to be cross with him), make his jolly well stand & then walk off when YOU are ready.

Even once you've improved the situation & even when he's standing to get on, NEVER let him walk off when he thinks you're ready. He should not move until you clearly ask him to.

 

[Tia]

I have had a few horses who were like this when I bought them. It took me about 20 mins to get them out of it. Make a date where you decide to totally get your horse over this and don't mind fuffing around for a period.

Firstly and most importantly (with my horses anyway) do NOT ever get angry with them.

Personally I don't want anyone around when I am teaching standing still to mount, but each to their own.

I do it in an open space nowhere near any barriers.

I ask the horse to stand and go to mount. If the horse moves, then I take my foot directly out of the stirrup, come round to the front of the horse and push him back to the position he was when I started to mount and say quietly but firmly "stand".

I have been known to do this at least 20 times, but that is the most. I never get excited and if when I finally get on without the horse making a step forward and then as soon as I am on if the horse then goes to move, I get straight back off again and start the whole process again! The horse soon gets bored with this malarky and learns quickly that if it just stands still then we can progress onto far more fun things to do.

This has always worked perfectly for me but each to their own.

 

[Parkranger]

God Ty did this when I first got him - not an ex racer by any chance? They're not trained to stand still once the jockey is up there (well alot of them aren't) and that's why I've been having troubles!

I point him into a corner so he can't move! I know someone said don't get angry but my school mistress voice works absolute wonders!
x

 

[Tia]

LOL!! Mine are trained cattle-horses.......taught to gallop off the moment your foot goes in the stirrup!! Fun but not acceptable for what I do with them now.

 

[JessPickle]

Pickle was like this when we first got him, I used to get on then if he had moved when I had got on get off and do it again, so he couldnt go on the hack he wanted to go on until he stood still he is absolutely perfect now