Tips on mounting a moving horse!

[Purple Hugs]

Today, I rode at the yard I help out on (remember the poss share.. well it's kind of an informal help out / ride thing at the moment).

Today I was to ride Paddy, and boy is he fun to tack up.. well getting his bridle on he sticks his nose in the air! :rolleyes:

After about 10 attempts of sticking my thumb in his mouth whilst trying to pull his head down enough so that I could get the bit in his mouth.. I managed, and from then on he was perfect!

Till we got to the menage... where he turns around all the time as you try to mount... me being a fairly new rider i've never mounted from the ground and certainly not on a horse that won't stand still!! hehe

After about 10 minutes of circling (I'd tried walking him around the menage etc for a bit, then mounting.. same result) I took paddy to his stable secured his reins in his throat lash and went to ask the YO/owner to give me a hand mounting! Felt a right fool!! :o :rolleyes:

After mounted.. Paddy was a dream and had a great ride (first ever on my own). :) Didn't feel out of control at all. And managed a great sitting trot as he's pretty smooth to ride. :)

Plan to try stirrupless work next time :)

Sorry it's long, but I'd really appreciate tips on mounting on the move.. from the ground! I'm not the most flexible of people.. :o

Thanks,
Hugs, x

[*Sez*]

It's not always an easy one to do alone - I'd normally suggest teaching him how to stand still, so that you can mount, but I realise that if he's not yours it might be difficult. Even from a block, I always insist my horse stands still, as I worry that one day I'll have my foot in the stirrup and be about to swing aboard when he walks off and drags me from my mounting block!

Maybe if you have someone help you get started for a while - hold his head and put some weight in the opposite stirrup (stops saddle twisting too much) while you mount, then he'll eventually get the idea and should stand still for you.

[Purple Hugs]

:) thanks Sez, was hoping you'd say that!

At least I know it's Paddy's quirk, and I'll ask for help mounting from now on if riding him. he won't stand at a block at all, :rolleyes: In the end, he backed himself into a corner, and RI held him while I mounted, taking the block to him. :o

The horses at the RS are all rescued, so have their quirks, at least this'll help me learn from them! :D

[Wings]

PH, I've been reading about your quest for a share horse, and it sounds like you've found a nice place to get a lot of experience with different horses.

Not standing still when you are mounting is pretty bad manners. If you want to solve that problem, you will probably have to do some training. But, I think you will be riding different horses, right? And Paddy will be ridden by lots of different people? That would make it difficult to train him to stand still.

Have you tried more practical, instant solutions? Does he move forward, back or sideways? If he moves forward, try to take up more rein contact just before you mount. If he moves back, so you can't position yourself next to the saddle, try walking him back until he gives up. This could take a lap of the school. If he moves sideways (or forward or back), can you try putting him in a corner of the school, and sandwich him in between you and the fence? That way, he might not be able to move around too much.


Edited to add: Oops I am a slow typer and cross posted with Sez...

[Bertie]

In answer to your question - I would mount quickly:p :p :D !!

No more seriously, it's plain and simply bad manners from your horse but it is hard to overcome alone especially if you aren't particularly quick at mounting from the floor or the block.

I would suggest as sez has making your horse stand whether your mounting from the block or floor. If you have to repeat it till he does it then so be it, unfortunately it may be a battle of stubborness and just don't give up till he does it, when he does make a huge fuss of him. You could faze it in, 1st time get someone to hold, don't let them talk to him just you, 2nd time just get them to hold down the opposite stirrup 3rd time just get them to stand there gradually building up to doing it completely alone.

One thing a friend did with her horse was always have a polo or small treat with her and if her horse stood still whilst she mounted, once on board she would give him the treat, a mint or something.

he soon learnt to stand still and twist his head round to her when she was on board - it amazing what bribery can do ;) :D

[Purple Hugs]

PH, I've been reading about your quest for a share horse, and it sounds like you've found a nice place to get a lot of experience with different horses.

Not standing still when you are mounting is pretty bad manners. If you want to solve that problem, you will probably have to do some training. But, I think you will be riding different horses, right? And Paddy will be ridden by lots of different people? That would make it difficult to train him to stand still.

Have you tried more practical, instant solutions? Does he move forward, back or sideways? If he moves forward, try to take up more rein contact just before you mount. If he moves back, so you can't position yourself next to the saddle, try walking him back until he gives up. This could take a lap of the school. If he moves sideways (or forward or back), can you try putting him in a corner of the school, and sandwich him in between you and the fence? That way, he might not be able to move around too much.


Edited to add: Oops I am a slow typer and cross posted with Sez...


Hi, yep will be riding different horses, but initially paddy. And he's riden as a RS horse too.

He moves kind of side and back, but mostly slowly sideways, spinning if you kept going around after him you'd go in a circle.
Hope that makes sense.

I was worried about backing him into a corner on my own, but that's pretty much what happened when RI came to help. paddy had the wall at his side and back. Didn't kick out or anything.

I guess it's just a case of knowing him, I wasn't initially sure if he'd buck or whatever. :o

[Purple Hugs]

In answer to your question - I would mount quickly:p :p :D !!

No more seriously, it's plain and simply bad manners from your horse but it is hard to overcome alone especially if you aren't particularly quick at mounting from the floor or the block.

I would suggest as sez has making your horse stand whether your mounting from the block or floor. If you have to repeat it till he does it then so be it, unfortunately it may be a battle of stubborness and just don't give up till he does it, when he does make a huge fuss of him. You could faze it in, 1st time get someone to hold, don't let them talk to him just you, 2nd time just get them to hold down the opposite stirrup 3rd time just get them to stand there gradually building up to doing it completely alone.

One thing a friend did with her horse was always have a polo or small treat with her and if her horse stood still whilst she mounted, once on board she would give him the treat, a mint or something.

he soon learnt to stand still and twist his head round to her when she was on board - it amazing what bribery can do ;) :D

Thanks, will try the bribery! ;) hehe
And the phasing away. It would be nice to learn to mount from the ground but I know it's not great for the horses back and I'm pretty heavy so wouldn't want to hurt him.

gotta learn more 'bounce' in my mounting. :rolleyes:

[Peace]

You did exactly right by going and getting someone to hold the horse for you.:) Most riding school accidents happen during mounting and dismounting and if you're unsure asking for help is the best course of action.

But since you asked:p Yes, it is very bad manners to go wandering around while the rider is trying to mount, but it does happen - Bram will do it when he thinks he can get away with it, for instance if I've had to dismount on the trail.:o Maybe it's a crafty old schoolhorse trick.:rolleyes: Anyway, I had a chance to practice the technique below just last Saturday.;)

I shorten my reins, making sure the left rein is shorter than the right so he will circle into me and not away, and hold mane and the reins in my left hand. I put my left foot into the stirrup, and get as much bounce as I can off my right foot - I only get the one bounce. I grab the offside of the saddle in my right hand and make sure I'm leaning forward, over the horse. It is important to do this quickly so the rider's right foot is off the ground (or the block) before the horse moves. It is even better if the rider has gotten hold of the offside of the saddle and, by leaning forward at the waist, has her weight centered over the wiggly beast before it moves.:) Swinging one's leg over and sitting down will have to be done whilst the horse wanders around, as will putting the other foot into the stirrup. Keep those reins short!

But really, if there's someone there to hold the critter life is made a whole lot easier by letting that person do so.:)

[Bertie]

Thanks, will try the bribery! ;) hehe
And the phasing away. It would be nice to learn to mount from the ground but I know it's not great for the horses back and I'm pretty heavy so wouldn't want to hurt him.

gotta learn more 'bounce' in my mounting. :rolleyes:

I completely understand why you don't want to mount from the ground, I will avoid it at all costs but it's useful to be able to do it. You can still try the treat and phasing out method using a block or from the ground.

I saw a girl alst week at my RS mount & she twisted the saddle nearly right round :eek: :mad: a girl who works at the farm & is an instructor was riding with us & gave her a right mouthful for it and she just ignored her and wiggled the saddle back into place :mad: how she didn't make her get off I don't know :eek: :confused:

[Purple Hugs]

Thanks Peace. :)
I'll have a go next time, now i know his tricks.. and the corner thing.. he didn't kick out so i guess he probably won't.

I did manage to get up in the position similar to what you describe while RI held Paddy initially but couldn't get the bounce to get my leg up and over. :o

Guess I'm just a novice mounter! hehe i'm so used to mounting with a RI holding the saddle, horse and with a block.
Also needed to shorten reins as I only ever 'hold them' by the saddle, RI today made me really shorten them to keep Paddy in check. :p

Bertie, that's awful the poor horse.. with his saddle pushed back round! :eek: bet it wasn't as comfortable. :rolleyes:

I'm back at the yard on Friday so fingers x'd it works out better! hehe