Maya and the mounting block video

No comments or questions? I know it's a bit hard to see as i was doing the filming.

About 7 years ago when I started parelli (i don't follow any more for a few reasons) and in the level one or two tasks you had to teach your horse to line himself up and stand for you to mount. I retired and sold the original horse as a gentle hack and his owner was amazed by him and said he was so lovely as all you did was click your fingers and he would line up.

Maya isn't quite to the clicking fingers stage yet but she caught on very fast. If any of you have the parelli packs I do suggest a read of the lining up/mounting bit as It really can ruin a ride if you can't / struggle to get on.

I don't want this to seem like a parelli is great thread either (i know this causes arguements) because the lady who backed Maya for me is very traditional and all her horses line themselves up too.
 
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Tis very interesting Shockblue and I know it was difficult to explain exactly what you were doing as you were filming at the same time, but have to say (and this really, really isnt a criticism!:wink:) would have been more swayed by the method you are using to solve the mounting issues, if Maya wasnt grazing and you were actually tacked up and got on her to follow through with the training method?

JJ used to very difficult to mount from the mounting block (or anywhere for that matter!) but if I had let him graze he would happily pull over and line up if I allowed him to graze at the same time!:unsure:

If it works for you and Maya that is great - have no issue with that. But they are all different I guess - and training JJ like that just would NOT have worked. Im sure he would have complied if I allowed him to put his head down and gnosh everytime - but wouldn't have followed through if I then withdrew his opportunity to graze.

For me the only way that worked was 'trapping' him between the mounting block and a very solid stone wall, and gradually, day by day, moving the block farther and farther away from the wall. Until he learnt that he is to stand stock still alongside the mounting block, tacked up, no treats or bribes until I got on board. And then, and only then was he allowed to move a muslce, i.e when I told him he could.

But as I have already said, they are all so very different, and we have to adapt our training to the horse we have in front of us, and what works for them and us.:smile:
 
I do normally have her tacked up and get on :) I thought because I had the phone in my hand it would be a lot easier not to keep asking her not to eat.

When she is in work mode (when she has the saddle on and I get a bit more into work mode too) she normally doesnt try to scoff her face!

This is the first time I've allowed her to graze when asking her to do something. So it isn't the grazing that does it.
 
Ok I accept that - but have to say if it was my lad - it WOULD have most certainly have been the grazing that solved the issue! But then he is a very greedy cob who will sell his own mother for food!:giggle:
 
Maya prefers a scratch. If it works then use it to help (within reason, especially with food). Maya was cantering around the field after me this evening for a scratch as a bit of a reward was lovely.

I think food/a scratch/ a break if the horse really likes it can work towards your advantage if used well. I don't believe in bribery though. the grazing thing is a bit more difficult as well because grass is usually all around and you can't just take it away (it would be a bit like taking a child to a sweet shop and telling them that they could only look).

My old boy wasn't food or itch motivated despite having sweet itch and being a cob. He preferred just the relaxing and falling to sleep.
 
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