Standing still while mounting. (easiest way)

[5]

Okay. I have a mare who is great to ride if you can get on her.
In a perfect world She would stand next to a mounting block (She is a swinger) and a few seconds after you
are up.

How do I get her to 'want.' to do it my way? I would rather reward than punish (that would I think make it worse- Can you say won't get near a mounting block?) but if that is what it will take I can swat a naughty pony.

Saddle does fit although she is better bareback and in a sidepull- I think she knows the difference between a fun ride where she has a say in the matter and a work ride where she must comply.

[greysandbays]

Teaching her that "Whoa!" means "Bloody well stand there until you're told to move" instead of "Would you stand there if you sorta feel like it?" would be a good start.

I didn't use a mounting block, but one TW mare I worked with had this problem. I left the halter on under her bridle, put a chain over her nose, and proceeded with left foot in the stirrup. She'd walk off, I'd tug the chain (not hard and not "punishing", just "Hey, listen up"), say "Whoa!", and repeat. In a few minutes, we got to the point of mounting and dismounting (on a loose reins) several times while specifically asking her to "Whoa!"

She wan't being an ass -- just apparently nobody had ever explained to her that she should stand still for that sort of thing. Once that explanation was made, she was perfectly happy to stand. This mare was willing to be accomodating, but she did not have a brilliant mind that would let her easily figure out WHAT that accomodation might be or the form it should take. When such was made clear to her, she was like, "Oh, that; OK, sure I'll do that".

OTOH, horses who have deliberately decided this behavior has something going for it as an evasion need a more Come To Jesus approach.

[Laurierace]

I would use a holder at her head with a pocket full of treats. She gets treats as long as she stands quietly while being held. You get on and off a couple of times. If that goes well a few times then you can start having the holder stand in front of her feeding her treats while not holding on to her. You get on and off a couple of times. Do that a few times and then have the holder stand in front of her but not give her any treats for standing. You can give a treat after you are on and she has stood there a while, but not immediately. Do this over the course of a week or more, not constant repetitions in one or two sessions. You want this to be a good experience that gets repeated over time so it becomes a habit.

[5]

I would use a holder at her head with a pocket full of treats. She gets treats as long as she stands quietly while being held. You get on and off a couple of times. If that goes well a few times then you can start having the holder stand in front of her feeding her treats while not holding on to her. You get on and off a couple of times. Do that a few times and then have the holder stand in front of her but not give her any treats for standing. You can give a treat after you are on and she has stood there a while, but not immediately. Do this over the course of a week or more, not constant repetitions in one or two sessions. You want this to be a good experience that gets repeated over time so it becomes a habit.

My perferred way but this mare isn't really that into treats- she will accept them with grace but won't go out of her way to get one either. Pasture raised.


I wonder if she is trying to yeild space like a horse would to a dominant herd member? Didn't consider that until I mentioned the pasture.

[Laurierace]

That definitely makes it harder but not impossible. The holder is controlling her and letting her know constantly that her job at that moment is to stand still. You will just have to substitute praise and rubs or pats from both you and the holder as treats to make it a good experience.

[myhorsefaith]

there are a couple of ways i do this, but basically, just make the right thing easy to do, and the wrong thing a little harder. they get it, eventually.

the best way i've done it is using a western saddle (easier than the english ones) practice half mounting (both sides)...stand in the stirrup. when she's still, step down. again, both sides (stretchy elastic/spandex in pants is a must on those training days. using this method i've only had to do this for a few sessions at the very most- they get it really quickly.

other ways that i've used that have worked:

1. bring mounting block to horse/have it follow her, but let her move her feet (assuming it is plastic moveable block). horse moves? pick up block in right hand, keep horse in left hand and la-de-da move her in circles (like you are asking her to move over when tied)...and stop when she stops. reward the stop. hop on mounting block and if she moves, get down quick and repeat. works pretty good.

2. for the big, unmovable ones, like at the trail riding outfits: i use a halter & longer lead- but basically, align horse to block. pat & reward. put weight on horse- if he walks away, send him out and then bring him on back, reward him when he comes in and stands. basically, his only time he can rest from moving is when he's standing at that darn block.

One i am not a fan of: i saw a trainer once who would mount and then start backing the horse, who always wanted to walk off. and one day he was extra energetic- and before she was able to swing her leg over- he reared. ouch.

I'm sure others will have methods that work just fine too. good luck!

[greysandbays]

My "good mare" taught herself to line up with anything I can clamber up on as a makeshift mounting block. Even from five or six feet away and facing straight at it, I can climb up on a bucket, a hay bale, the front step, a truck bumper, a corral panel, a snow bank, anything and tell her to "Step Over" -- and by golly, she sidles right over. :p

Sure spoils a rider to have one that good...even more so when it's something they offer of their own accord.

[sid]

I would recommend making her "move her feet". it's been very useful doing this over the last 20 years with green horses and older horses who have come my way for retraining for becoming a bit too "wise" for the rider.

Every time she wants to evade or move away (whether you are just getting up to the block or attempting to climb on)...ask her to move in little tight circles in both directions, in a lively manner. Keep a whip (not for using, but just as an arm extension) and point it toward her flank/hocks and maker her move until you can see whe WANTS to stop. At the first moment when she stops, praise her by hand (no treats).

Do this every time she does not halt for you at the block. It may take a bit of up and down from the block by you, and it may take some time if her habit is firmly confirmed, but eventually she'll understand that it's more work for her to evade what you want by moving , than to just stand still.

She's being the decision maker. YOu need to use a bit of judicious and fair "reverse psychology"...;). And don't get frustrated.

Make the undesirable behavior hard (making her move) and the desireable behavior easy..;). Once she understands her moving about isn't HER idea anymore, she'll "evade" having to work so hard and that will result in standing still and relaxing.

With a horse like this (or any horse for that matter), once you are on her make her "wait" for just a moment...don't let her walk off with you until you are squarely seated in the saddle and ready for her to walk.

Good luck!

[JohnDeere]

I hate horses who wont stand. Pet peeve of mine.

I dont always use a mounting block. I put there nose in the corner and move them close to the wall. Theres nowhere to move then. Its easy to prevent moving backwards.

If the horse isnt small enough to mount this wont work. :D

[sid]

JD ---:lol::lol::lol:. Most of mine have been Shire/TB x's.

So no, that wouldn't work...:winkgrin:!

[Guilherme]

How do I get her to 'want.' to do it my way? I would rather reward than punish (that would I think make it worse- Can you say won't get near a mounting block?) but if that is what it will take I can swat a naughty pony.

Teach the horse to "ground tie." It's not too difficult and takes a couple of weeks for them to really "get it."

Then use the "ground tie" cue (I use the phrase "stand fast" with a slight downward pull on the reins), position the mounting block (or give the command at the block), and get up. Release from "stand fast" is "walk."

G.

[Beverley]

For horses that won't stand still for mounting (such as many OTTB's)- I practice the skill AFTER a workout- in other words, I don't demand perfection when I first get on (early on in the training process, that is) and then drill them at the end of the ride. Reward for standing still while someone mounts and dismounts is...end of workout! We're done!

[Twisting]

My boy did the same thing. He's smart and he figured out that if he swung his butt over as I got up on the block I couldn't get on. I did what was suggested above and made him keep moving. As soon as he swung away I stepped off the block into him and pushed him in a tight circle. I wasn't nasty about it, just insistant. When he stood I praised him with scratches before mounting. He learned within one 15 min session that standing was less work.

[pintopiaffe]

Sugar cube as I set foot in the stirrup. Chewing is both distracting and relaxing. Second sugar cube when seat is in the saddle AND I've got my stirrups.

Rots their teeth, but works. ;)

Eventually, make the treat a sporadic thing. But still do it occasionally.

Just read the part about treats--find something she LIKES. My stallion will just about lay down and play dead for a Domino Dot. I *use* that. :yes:

There's got to be SOMETHING, mints, sugar, apples, molasses treats... find it. USE it. ;)

[Ecks Marx The Spot]

When I got my horse in Dec, he was a backer. When you got on, or tried to actually, he backed up. Not fast but quick enough I was not going to hurl myself on. I simply backed him up into the fence first. Now it was not an overnight fix. It took mos of never losing my temper and making sure if he started to move, the process began all over again.Some times he backed at an angle sorta missing the fence.
I also for a time gave him a treat from the saddle once I was on. It made him stretch his neck too!!! He began to wait to walk off ... knowing he got a horse cookie.

Now 6 mos later I am very proud of my boy who stands like a statue and doesn't walk off until I tell him too.

[amastrike]

Cookie! My mare used to walk off. I got on her one day, and she started to walk off. I made her stop and stand, then said "Good Girl! Cookie!" and gave her a cookie. Ever since then, she stands like a rock for mounting :lol:. The only problem is if I forget a cookie.. then she won't move. She'll keep turning her head around and looking at me asking for her treat :lol:.

[5]

My "good mare" taught herself to line up with anything I can clamber up on as a makeshift mounting block. Even from five or six feet away and facing straight at it, I can climb up on a bucket, a hay bale, the front step, a truck bumper, a corral panel, a snow bank, anything and tell her to "Step Over" -- and by golly, she sidles right over. :p

Sure spoils a rider to have one that good...even more so when it's something they offer of their own accord.


The mares dam is like that and yes I am spoiled.

Once or twice away from the stable I tried to keep the mare from moving forward and she went up and being unbalanced she fell with the rider. If I taught her to rear on que* she would develop balance but I would also wind up in divorce court since it is my husbands mare.

I would just like to try to teach her to stand the nice way before I put the fear of God into her. It may come to that.




*Rearing on command is controversial since it can develop into a vice. However it also teaches a horse balance so that when they do rear they do not go over.

[JohnDeere]

JD ---:lol::lol::lol:. Most of mine have been Shire/TB x's.

So no, that wouldn't work...:winkgrin:!

What your leags arent 6 feet long! :eek:

Well shame on ya! :lol:

[Ajierene]

1. bring mounting block to horse/have it follow her, but let her move her feet (assuming it is plastic moveable block). horse moves? pick up block in right hand, keep horse in left hand and la-de-da move her in circles (like you are asking her to move over when tied)...and stop when she stops. reward the stop. hop on mounting block and if she moves, get down quick and repeat. works pretty good.

2. for the big, unmovable ones, like at the trail riding outfits: i use a halter & longer lead- but basically, align horse to block. pat & reward. put weight on horse- if he walks away, send him out and then bring him on back, reward him when he comes in and stands. basically, his only time he can rest from moving is when he's standing at that darn block.

What I have always done is similar to the above. I never use treats while training, I prefer not to since they can lead to being spoiled and the horse training the person (kind of like amastrike's post).

Follow her around with the mounting block - if you have a roundpen, use that, if not, have the reins in your hand. At first, when she stops moving, take one or two steps back, mounting block still in your hand, put it down another arm's length away from her and take a moment to praise her. Pick up mounting block and move it towards her side. If she does not move, verbal praise, and take one or two steps back and put mounting block down away from her and praise. Repeat until you can pick up mounting block and bring it to her side at least 5 times. Repeat on other side if desired.

Repeat process, except with putting mounting block down at her side, then pick it up and put it away from her. Always moving the mounting block, not her.

Next, step on mounting block and step off quickly, praise - if she moves away, go back to step 2. If she stands, praise and repeat at least 5 times. Next is reins over head and back. Then foot in stirrup and out, stepping down from mounting block and praise - again, repeat at least 5 times that she is good. Then weight in stirrup, then getting on her and back off....

Usually takes me one 45 min session and no riding that day. After that, horse is almost always good from then on. I saw 'almost always' because I have noticed that my mare does walk off once she is decided I am situated enough in the saddle...my mistake, over the last ten years of owning her, I have lapsed.

If mounting block doesn't move, adjust by walking her past at first, then ask for one second stand, two second stand, three second stand, then stand by her head, then step on mounting block, etc. The important steps are a-making sure she is 'bored' with it, as in the repeating at least 5 times after she does what you want and b- not stressing her out to much, which is the stepping back and praising part.

[Tom King]

The quickest and easiest way is in the round pen. You move, you have to move more. Takes maybe 5 minutes total.

[cssutton]

There is a much simpler way than all of this.

If your barn aisle is large enough, that is high ceiling, room to work with a horse, etc., simply close the door at the end of the aisle. Lay a bale of hay or straw about the correct distance from the door to the horse's shoulder. In other words, put it where you want to stand when the horse is backed against the door.

Now back the horse into that space.

So the horse is backed against the door. The aisle wall is on the horse's off side.

You and the bale are at the near side.

You are on the bale with the reins in your left hand. That horse can not move if it is broke to ride. The aisle wall to his right stops movement in that direction, you stop him from moving either foreward or to his left.

Get on him and ride him out of the aisle.

Now assuming you do not have a barn that works.

Go outside and put up a jump standard and a pole so that it acts as a wall. Set the end of it against a fence or horse trailer or barn wall or whatever.

Now put your bale in the right place. I like a bale because it is longer than the ordinary mounting block and allows you to place your feet as required.

Now you have crated the same situation as you would have had in a barn.

The horse is in a chute with the fence behind, the jump pole or pols on his off and you at his near.

Get on him.

I just broke a horse that you could not get near. He was all over the place.

About three weeks in my little chute and he stands like a dead broke old hack horse.

Now I can mount him from a stump, ditch bank, trailer fender or whatever when riding cross country.

No snacks. Next thing you know he will be nipping you in the butt or worse when you are putting your foot in the stirrup.

Ground help gets in the way and will make it worse unless they are really really top notch horsemen. They will pull on the bridle at the wrong time and make the horse fly back when you are about half on. Worse worse worse if the horse has any tendency to rear.

My method teaches the horse that there is no other way.

By the way, backing him into that chute does something to a horse's brain. There is something about it that makes him submissive.

This is a modified much simplified version of what the bronc rider or bull rider does in the rodeo. The horse or bull is in a chute and is docile until the gate opens.

CSSJR