Standing still for mounting, help please, I am not getting any younger!

I would like some suggestions for getting my mare to stand still for mounting. She has a tendency to walk off when I am mounting. Or I should say she always walks off when I am mounting. She loves going out for a ride, and maybe it is anticipation that makes her do this. I have tried circling her around me when she does this, but it has not helped. She has been off for 4 months to have her foal and it is now time for us to be riding again. I want to start off on the right foot, after this layoff. Any ideas that may work? BTW, she is not a hot mare, she is a 9 yr old bay Quarter Horse and I love her dearly. She is in excellent health with no pain issues. I ride western and use either an O-ring snaffle or Indian rope Hackamore.

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Permalink Reply by Margaret Langlands on August 21, 2009 at 4:13pm

Hi - just attended a Parelli clinic a couple of weeks ago and one of the girls was having this exact problem. He suggested getting the horse desensitized to the mounting procedure, - being busy around her, retreat - be busy again, retreat, fuss, retreat, fuss, retreat - until the horse gets the picture that by standing still everything around her will settle down also. Geoffrey's comment below is right on the target - work on the ground first. Don't get directly into the saddle, one foot in, get down and take it out, one foot in, take it out, repeat until the horse will let you lean into the saddle using only one stirrup, then get down, do it again, then get down, once you think the horse is calm enough for these starting steps, get on - then get off immediately if she stands still, do it again, get off, do it again, get off - you are desensitizing the horse to the motions of on and off. Once on, don't immediately take off. Do lateral flextions to both sides until the neck and nose are given willingly - afterall - if you have a runaway, you need to be able to bend your horse to a stop. I do the circle game with my horse once tacked up, then the yoyo game - if you don't recognize these games have a look at Parelli - it makes the most amazing difference in your horse's attitude.

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Permalink Reply by Marti Langley on August 23, 2009 at 6:05am

Bill, I really like this idea. I think I will try it with both of my antsy to get going mares today. I will just allow the time it takes to get it done. Thanks. We've got some work to do.

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Permalink Reply by Petstorejunkie on August 26, 2009 at 6:46pm

Bingo.

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Permalink Reply by Marti Langley on August 23, 2009 at 6:09am

Hi, Rosemary. I have actually tried this technique with several horses I have owned over the years. It does work, unless you try it with the occassional horse who will decide to panic if you mount her while tied. It can either work or be very dangerous.

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on August 23, 2009 at 1:12pm

Hi Marti!! :)

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Permalink Reply by Marti Langley on August 23, 2009 at 1:28pm

Hi, Jen. Read my thread on green horses. TTYL.

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Permalink Reply by lark campisano on August 26, 2009 at 9:21am

Hi Marti, Seems everyone is giving you good advice. As an older rider with carpal tunnel in both wrists, it is imperative my horses stand for mounting. A simple method already mentioned is when they make a move, you stop trying to mount, put them back where they started and say "stand" or whatever word you use. It may take 20 minutes to get on but do it every time you mount and soon you won't have to. This worked for me with my Arab and TBs, it just takes patience. I don't think this is anyone's method, it is just common sense. Good luck.

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Lamm on August 27, 2009 at 11:07pm

My horse would move one inch in just the right direction even when I said stand and I had to get off again, LOL.. got a butt work out that's for sure..... when I try to climb on him bareback from a wall or something he just scootches enough to get out of the way, grr.....

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Goucher on September 8, 2009 at 11:14pm

I had the same problem with my 8 yr old 3/4tb, 1/4 draft gelding. The way I taught him to stand still was to work with him for 10 minutes daily for a few weeks prior to riding, after riding, and on days that I didn't ride. I would walk alongside him, saying "walk" while we walked. When I wanted to stop, I would say "whoa" and place my hand on the point of his shoulder, making him stop immediately.
Then, once he had this down pat, I would have a helper do this with him. Once he and my husband/helper were both solid at the walk/whoa exercise, I would stand on the mounting block, and have them practice the whoa right in front of me.
I got on a half dozen times with hubby holding horse for me, and that worked well for a bit. Unfortunately, he is not often around, so I ended up getting him to occasionally give horse a treat (little piece of crunch) once he whoa'd.
When I was alone, I would give him the whoa command, mount, and then he would have to stay standing to get the treat. He is a clever horse, and caught on quickly. Some people have told me that they believe giving a treat spoils the horse or makes him rude or pushy. Luckily, my horse is a gentleman, and hey, he is my horse, not theirs, so I can "spoil" him if I choose to :-)
Good luck, I hope this works for you.

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Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Hanley on September 21, 2009 at 11:28am

Is it ok to give your horse a carrot or mint if they have a bit in their mouth? I have been told never to let them eat with a bit in.

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Permalink Reply by Marti Langley on September 22, 2009 at 8:21pm

Well, at the gymkhanas some of the teens love to go around and give peppermints to the "good" horses. My horses wear snaffles and have had no problems chewing a mint there, or an apple on a trail ride, for that matter.