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HARD
TO MOUNT HORSES
Scenario Number One: When you first bought your horse, he
always stood quietly, while you mounted, now he moves away
before you can either get on or fully get seated in the saddle.
Scenario Number Two: You are training your own horse, and
he is doing most things right, except standing still for you
to mount. He learns quickly and has no spook in him at all.
In both cases here, lets not blame the horse, okay. Lets take
a look at ourselves first. In the first case, obviously at
one time, he knew to stand still to be mounted. Hmmm, so why
not now? In the second case, he seems willing to learn and
behaves very well under saddle once you are mounted, he just
won't stand still when you are getting on.
One of three main things are the problem here. One, you don't
realize you are doing it, but when you put your left foot
in the stirrup and begin to swing up, you are digging the
toe of your boot into his ribs. This hurts and also cues him
to move. Two, you don't realize it, but you are pulling the
saddle crooked, over to the side, when you get on. This pinches
him under the saddle and also his tender skin under the cinch.
This hurts and he moves in annoyance or he moves in an attempt
to balance himself with this pinching weight clinging to his
side. Three, every time you get on, you immediately head right
out. I'm on, lets go. He is starting to go the second you
go to get on because he thinks he is to go and go now.
The
first one is easy enough to solve, quit sticking your toe
in his ribs. The second one is easy enough to solve. Don't
use the saddle to pull yourself up. Push yourself up using
the strength in your legs. Place your left hand on the top
of his neck, in front of the saddle and use that hand and
arm to assist your legs in getting yourself up there into
the saddle. Or do what many people do, use a mounting block
to make it easier on both you and the horse. The third one
is easy enough to solve too. Never ever get on a horse and
head right out. Sit there for anywhere from three minutes
to twenty minutes. Make him stand still, then head out after
he has learned he gets to stand (or has to stand still) for
a varying amount of time before going any place.
But lets say, it has become a conditioned habit of the horses
by now and even though you have corrected your wrong doings,
he still won't stand. Unlike some trainers who may recommend
tying a horse to a post a few times and getting on and off
until he learns to stand, DO NOT tie any horse up and get
on unless he is tied with a stout, strong halter and lead
rope, to a totally solid post and is not known to ever try
halter pulling. Because, trust me, if he decides to fight
this being tied when someone gets on, and he is halter pulling
and anything breaks, he is going to come over backwards on
top of you. Pretty messy and maybe deadly for you. Instead,
mount and dismount with his head facing into a corner of a
small sized square corral. Get on and off enough times without
moving out of that corner, until he realizes that nothing
is hurting him anymore and that he isn't expected to jump
right out and start moving every time you get on. Or have
a horse smart person hold onto his halter under the bridle,
while you work on showing him that he is to stand during mounting
and for awhile after your on. He can be retrained and learn
to stand being mounted. But it is going to take some time,
before he gets the picture. He has to learn, no more toe in
the ribs, no more pinching, pulled sideways saddle and no
more going anywhere for a while when you first get on.
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