problems mounting - any help please?

P

PEMBREYb

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Oct 24, 2008
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Hello, I'm pretty sure someone out there can help with this, as it's a stupid problem. Do horses have a laugh at us?

Every time I try to get on my horse she backs up, not once or twice but just keeps going and she's getting worse every day I think!

It is so annoying and looks really unprofessional, as soon as I step onto the mounting block, that's it! She backs away just far enough for me to be in the wrong position to get on. I always ask someone to hold her stirrup but she still backs away between us, yesterday I backed her into a corner so she had nowwhere to go, but still she managed to swing around I had just enough time to get on, when I dismounted I thought let's see what she'd do if I was on my own, I stood by her side and put my hand on the pommel and round and round we went, her back end swung away and I followed, her back swung away and I followed - it was like ****** "Come Dancing" on horseback - joking apart, if I was out on a hack and HAD to get off, I think we'd have real problems getting back on, she has never had any bad experiences with me and once I am in the saddle she goes like a dream, forward going, not a problem and when I'm ready to dismount she stands still and quiet, so heeeelp please? Sorry its a long ramble but it's doing my head in.
 
Hi, I had a similar problem with my horse except the reverse to yours!! When i tried to get on he'd bolt off, leaving me the option of trying to get my foot out or trying to get on his back without being dragged off!!!! He wouldn't do it every time but the few that he did was enough to make me nervous to get on him (which he picked up on and would do it again!!!). I'm quite determined though and would never stop until he'd let me on - i thought if i did that then he'd do it everytime so had to get over my nerves and try again! He only started doing it after my other 1/2 took him out as this was the first occassion he done it with him. He is a bit peculiar in the fact he doesn't like anyone but me riding him!!!! He's worse too if anyone holds the other stirrup so help wasn't really an option.

We had his tack, back, teeth etc checked and no problem.

I eventually got round it by telling him to stand and giving him a sugar lump, repeating but 2nd time round put the treat under his nose while telling him to stand but not actually give him it until i was on him! This has worked great and he's stopped doing it! I did try about a month ago to get on him with no treats as i thought long enough time had gone for him to be a good boy - how wrong was i!!!! He took great offense at not being given a treat and wouldn't let me on and bolted!!! Tried again but with a treat - no problem!!! Clearly not a pain issue, just a 'you're kidding if you think you're getting on me without a bribe' thing!!! Once i've started riding he's fine and i can get on and off no problem.

Don't think this will be of any help to you but its interesting to read i'm not the only one who has had problems with mounting and keen to see if anyone has any solutions i can try other than bribery!!!!
 
Oh no! How annoying, I'm sure they must have a giggle at our expense and it's so time consuming. I think having her checked over is a definite must but she backing up so can't be much wrong with her back. Think about other associations she have made with being mounted and ridden...

Don't worry, horses are forgiving creatures and she's only trying to tell you something. Make sure your saddle isn't too far forward and on her shoulders - this is really painful for them. Wherever the saddle is normally, move it back so it clears her whithers completely and the whole shoulder blade is visible. It might look strange at first but many saddles are too far forward - like having someone sitting on your neck. Horses shoulders are only connected by way of ligaments and muscles so if you were to strip a horse to bare bones the front legs/shoulders would come clean away.

I would lunge her in tack, then go to her side as if to mount. Tell her to stand. Don't actually mount. If she moves back, send her forward on the lunge again. Try to mount again and keep going till she stands when you try to mount. When she stands for you, give her lots of praise. You might want to end it on a good note and reward her by leading her back to the stable.

Once it's consistent, if poss bring mounting block to you and attempt to mount again. If not, take her to mounting block. Send her forward and back round to the block if she tries to back away. Say stand. If not, back around in circles you both go until she does. Once she stands for you get on properly. Lots of praise. Dismount and do it once more. When you feel confident, go off into walk with lots of praise. She's doing brilliantly if you've got this far, she deserves a pat.

I hope you don't get too frustrated, you'll get there and keep it calm and focused so she stays focused too. Hope it works out!
 
My new loan pony does this, we believe caused by somebody previously yanking on her mouth, the bit she came with was quite severe. My friend holds onto her noseband and she stands as good as gold. She's getting better each time I get on and hopefully I will soon be able to get on without help.:eek:
 
You just described how my SB used to be. Get to the block then a little side step. Followed by a look that says 'can't get on now can you?'.
This is how we did it, having checked back, tack etc.
Loose rein, let him have space, if he wants to move, let him, turn a circle, he follows in and back to where you want him. Move all surrounding scares, never back to a fence etc.
Walk past the block, me up on the block, down off the block, jumping up and down on the block, let him sniff, bite, lick the block. Pat the block and sit on it, let him walk around and size it up.
Tack and repeat. If he;'s frisky, lunge a little.
Tacked, walk to the block, loose rein, let him move freely. Round and round.
Beside the block, me up, down, up on the block. Him in place. Pat the saddle, play with stirrups etc. If he moves off, bring him round on a loose rein the whole time. Let him decide when to stand.
Play with saddle, foot to stirrup, if he moves, turn your back, he follows you round again. Repeat.
If he still takes that step, lunge a bit more. Soon he sees that he gets worked whether he lets you up or not.
Bring him back to the block and let him decide it's the right time for you to mount. Repetition, bring him round, loose rein, stand command, reward.
WHen he lets you mount, dismount straight away. and repeat the whole thing.
I also got a movable step and the look I got was priceless. 'You mean that thing moves?' he said. Now he gets to shuffle twice, I bring the block to him and he kinda gives up with the games.
Yes I do think they have a laugh at us. :) good luck.
 
Flo is a pain to mount, from the ground she spins round as you bounce (im good at guessing where to land!! and she swings her bum round from the block. I either keep her walking round and road me on the block and catch her out or i pin her between the block and a wall, or wheelbarrow, or person, or car lol she is just being a pest!!

Good luck, i use improvisation with my two!!
 
Storm used to havea bit of a dance when I first got her when I was trying to mount - it was mainly as she was a bit scared of the mounting block! (It takes her a while to get used to anything new!). Also, she was sometimes just being cheeky. She is very good now and I can even (just about) get on from the ground if I have to!! I would have your horse checked over tho - by vet or back person, just to be sure there isn't anything painful going on - could be that she simply doesn't look forward to being ridden as she's sore? Worth checking out anyway. I know I had Storm looked over and she was a bit sore (this was years ago) her back was just a bit not quite right but I had the back lady out a few times - and we did some exercises together and she's fine now. I only just picked up on it tho - she was doing something she never does normally.
 
Whilst this sort of behaviour can be viewed as cheekiness, I would guess that most of the time it is either connected with pain or remembered pain.

If your horse has always done this it could remembered pain that has become habbit (as is the case with my horse) or if it is new behaviour then I would do a thorough check to see if something is causing discomfort.
 
http://irishnhsociety.proboards41.com/index.cgi?board=usefulinformation&action=display&thread=326

A few ways to train a horse to stand while mounting - from block or ground.

Firstly check its a training issue, and not a pain issue. If a horse has a sore bad, uncomfortable saddle, gets a huge kick by rider on way over etc horse is probably well within his rights not to want you to get up into saddle.

1. Back to the start – is your horse comfortable for you to stand beside him, and walk near his hindquarters? Will he stand still for all of this on a loose rope? Some horses are not comfortable with people walking nearer to their hindq than their head, and will try to move. If this is the case, you’d want to work on general handling first.

2. Back to the start again – if your horse will stand still while you move around him on LOOSE rein, will he also stand still before you put on girth & numnah? If not, then you need to work on here too.

3. Make your idea your horses idea….. i.e. train your horse to like when you get into the saddle. For example, bring you horse over to mounting block, Spend some time making a fuss of horses, scratching horse there, etc. Do that for a while without any attempts to mount, and horse will twig that standing beside the mounting block is quite a nice place to be. Then progress to putting foot in the stirrup before horse got her scratches, then stand up in the stirrup... then swing your leg over etc.... Each time giving horse scratches and rubs before then getting off again. So horse is a willing participant in the whole operation.

4. Could also be pain – if saddle is hurting horse (doesn’t fit right), or he associated riding with pain (sore teeth, mouth being pulled a lot, sore somewhere) he could move around when you try to get up. If this is the case, you need to take away the source of the pain.

5. Does rider dig toes into horses side when getting up, or kick horse on HQ when swinging leg over? Then horse might also be inclined to move. Don't dig or kick.

6. Move more than the horses intended too. Horses that move about when being mounted, you can also move them some more and give them the opportunity to stand still in the right place. That one works every time, as long as you are prepared to "take the time it takes". So if they decide to move one step away as you try to get up, get off and ask them to backup maybe 5 steps, or do a few small circles, then try again. It might take 10 times on day one (foot in stirrup, horse moves, foot out, horse asked to backup/do small circles, foot in stirrup again, horses moves… etc) until you get to the ‘foot in.. horses stands still’. THEN!! The most important part, don’t try to get up!! Take your foot out, and reward the horses for standing still by giving him a nice rest and rub. Even end the lesson if you like if this was a big achievement for your horse.

7. Useful tip: Before getting up on horse, shorten one rein to ask your horse to turn his head to the side you are getting up on. Then if horse walks off as your are getting up, continue to get up, but your horse will have to walk around in a small circle. Make him walk in a few small circles, then let him stop. The idea is horse moves a step of two as you get up, and the consequence in that he ends up walking a good few small circles. Horse should get fed up of doing all those small circles after a while, and just stand still. But if horses moves AT ALL, do ask for small circles. If you’re not consistent and only call horse on this sometimes (not all the time) it wont work.

8. When you get up, always ask your horse to stand still for a few seconds before you move off. If you always ask horse to walk off the second you’re ass touches the saddle, you’re training horse to move.

9. If a horses does tend to rush the second you get on, maybe get on and then from now on always ask for a step or two of backwards first, then rest, then move off.

10. Lots of small steps. Write down what you want to do. Then write down all the small steps which you need to do to get you there. Then start at the first step, and work on each one separately, only moving onto the nest step when the previous step is perfect.

a few more ideas.........

1. foot in stirrup and hop alongside until he stops moving, then remove foot. Let him think that stopping is the way to get me to give up mounting, then he gets into the standing still habit.

2. Make it harder work to move than it is to stand - each time he moves, get him to move loads more, backwards if possible, also a good few small circles works well. Whenever he stands, spend a moment or two letting him know that is what you want, rubs etc.

3. Clicker train a stand still on cue.

4. First, do some groundwork to get some control of the feet. (As usual ). I'd work without the saddle first, then add a saddle later. Because if there is an issue with standing still you need to know if adding a saddle makes things worse or no different.

Second, stand where I want to mount and flap everything about, like the stirrups etc, and my own body. If horse moves just move them about a bit, allowing them the opportunity to stand still alongside ready for mounting.

Repeat as necessary while jumping up and down alongside, hanging over, sliding off (both sides). Until you sit up on top and as Pat P says "Hurry up and do nothing".

Then get off. Very important, don't ride off, get off. Riding comes next.
 
Haven't stopped to read all of the above so apologies if I'm repeating something already highlighted, but PLEASE don't assume that it's a training issue. This is exactly what our mare did when her saddle became uncomfortable. As soon as it was replaced with one that fitted comfortably she was back to her old normal self. :)
 
Haven't read all the replies however here is my advice:

First of all check it isn't a physical issue. Get your saddle checked and fitted by a professional. Check the saddlecloth and girth as they could be sticking into her. Also get her teeth checked.

After all of the above has been done then you can start with the training.
Basically I had a similar problem with my mare when I first had her. If you went anywhere near her to get on she would flip and go backwards really fast, so I was persistent and would take her back to the same spot and try again. It may take a while for the first couple of times but it does work. Try to be nice and calm but also firm. Showing anger or getting annoyed will not help the situation however frustrating it is.

Alternatively you can play another game. Make your horse stand still. Then just stand next to the saddle area and have a bit of a mess around but not getting on. If your horse moves in the slightest make your horse "work".
For example you horse takes a step back - you make your horse take ten steps back, 10 steps forward and two circles. Keep doing this until you have your horse stood still for you to get on with no hesitation. It worked for me.

Next step is introducing the mounting block - use it in the game above and teaching him to stand next to him.
It may also be worth spending a good hour session of mounting on and off until he learns.

Also if your horse walks off when you mount and when you try to pull him up he resists, what I did was get on let your horse walk off with no pressure in the mouth, then ask your horse to stand with your voice and aids and he will learn that when you mount your not going to pull on his mouth and make him stand. Over time he will realise and will stand straight away when mounting :)

Hope this helps a bit :)
 
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Have you tried with a chair? There is a mounting block at my yard, but my horse will NOT stand beside it. It's in the busiest part of the yard with lots of comings and goings and she just has never settled. So I use a chair, the normal fold up kind, and place it up our end of the yard. She will stand next to it every time and there's never been a problem with her moving out. If she did, I'd just move the chair :D But I don't use the mounting block now, it's too much bother.
 
I mount by holding the horses mane by the pommel of the saddle and holding the left rein in the same hand as the mane tight enough so the horses nose is almost touching my left toe, then mount.

The horse cant back up, the horse cant buck and cant go forwards.
 
Sticky's GF said:
Whilst this sort of behaviour can be viewed as cheekiness, I would guess that most of the time it is either connected with pain or remembered pain.

If your horse has always done this it could remembered pain that has become habbit (as is the case with my horse) or if it is new behaviour then I would do a thorough check to see if something is causing discomfort.
Click to expand...

If it was due to pain/discomfort would you not experience problems/issues too when actually in the saddle and riding? My mare won't stand for mounting at the moment but is fine once I'm on! Just wondered....as always assumed she was just being her usual self trying to have the last word! I generally get someone to hold her when I get on although she will stand if I'm quick enough but to be honest I'm usually expecting her to move!!!:)
 
Wow - thanks all for the replies. I'm going to print off this page and have a good read, I notice a lot of similar suggestions.

I had the back lady out earlier this year she said she wasn't as flexible as she could be and suggested leg yield and circles in our schooling, her saddle was refitted just after this as she also said there was a little muscle wastage either side of her withers (this has since improved), her teeth are checked every six months and the vet gave her a check over in September.

I think I will get the back lady out again in case anything's changed! How else would I be able to see if her back was sore, would there be any other idications other than this backing up, as RRA said wouldn't it show up in schooling?

She's not scared of the mounting block.

One thing I have changed is the saddle cloth from a thick velvety one to a thin cotton one, I might change it back - at least I could eliminate that from the enquiries. Thanks again everyone, it looks like a common problem so I'll keep you informed.
 
RRA said:
If it was due to pain/discomfort would you not experience problems/issues too when actually in the saddle and riding? My mare won't stand for mounting at the moment but is fine once I'm on! Just wondered....as always assumed she was just being her usual self trying to have the last word! I generally get someone to hold her when I get on although she will stand if I'm quick enough but to be honest I'm usually expecting her to move!!!:)
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. If I had a horse that had 'issues' with mounting (which I have!) but was OK for ridden work I wouldn't want to assume they were just being an ar*e for the sake of it. It is surprising how tollerant to discomfort some horses can be. For example, my YO discovered this year that one of hers that had pointed + evented recently had kissing spine, navicular and advanced arthritis, but he always kept on giving/trying. I'm not saying your horse is the same of course but its worth investigating these things thoroughly. :)
 
Once you have the pain/discomfort thing discounted:

I would take things very slowly. Progress in small steps. Find out what stages of mounting you can achieve without problem and identify the sticking point.

For example you might be able to do right up to the part you put your foot in the stirup but the the moment you try to swing your leg over THAT is the problem.

Mounting is the cumilation of a number of smaller steps so fining out which part of that process the problem lies in is the key to finding the solution :)
 
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