# Horse walks off when mounting



## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Lots of other good ideas on YouTube, just search 'horse moves when mounting'


Basically, you show him that it's easier to stand there than to move. Lots of repetition. If he moves, you put him back and try again. If he moves, rinse and repeat. Then once you do mount, don't just get on and go. Get on, adjust your stirrups, fix your rein length, get off and on a few times, etc. If the horse knows that you get on and then a few seconds later, you ask him to move, he'll start moving earlier and earlier.


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## RickTrot (Jul 13, 2018)

If you mount a horse while they are unbalanced, they may try to walk off to rebalance themselves. Make sure your horse knows that you are going to mount and that they are ready.

Also, make sure you are getting in the saddle gently, calmly, and balanced. You don't want to just pull yourself up, slam on their back, kick them in the ribs/hip, and be all excited. Horses can feel when you are tense or excited. This will transfer to the horse and cause them to walk off.

I like to teach my horse to stand and mount on a loose rein. While I am able to pick up contact for correction if needed, I am not pulling the horse back to make them stand still.

If they try to walk off, ask the horse to stop and back them up about four steps extra. Ask them to stand on a loose rein. If they try to walk off, back them up again and ask them to stand. Once they stand on a loose rein for a couple seconds, dismount. Remount the horse and ask them to stand. Rinse and repeat until they consistently and reliably stand to be mounted.

Horses sometimes walk off in anticipation. I like to make my horse wait, rather than immediately asking them to walk off as soon as I sit down. Horses do best what they do most. Horses that mount well get mounted a lot. Do a lot of mounting and dismounting without asking them to walk off. This will teach them that every time you mount, you won't immediately ask them to go.

Some people like to make their horse work harder when they try to walk off. While this may work, and I have done this, for anxious horses, it may fire them up. However, for "lazy" horses that walk off just to get the ride over with, it may work.

Some people like to make their horse flex to make them stand still. While this may work, and I have done this, for some horses, that is the only way you can mount without them walking off because that is the only way you taught them to mount.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

My mare has just started backing up as soon as I step on the mounting block. I get off, make her take a step or two forward (I do not move the block), line her up again, and get on the block again. Usually she stops, but I might have to repeat. If I do, the next time, I anticipate by taking a step on the block, stepping down, going all the way up, and down again, fixing my reins while looking down at her, then eventually I get on and wait. I don't let her walk away immediately. By now, my daughter and her gelding have already mounted and are walking around, and my mare desperately wants to join them. She's figured out that her backing up trick delays that. At least, that's my hope. I think it's getting better. 

Every horse is different and reacts differently. I'd be tempted to figure out what your horse is trying to tell you. Mine was telling me that lately, I've been holding onto her face too much. This is the only way she's telling me, btw, but she was obviously letting me know she didn't enjoy me riding her with a lot of pressure (this behavior is completely new). I found some leverage, because she wants to be doing what my gelding is doing, and is willing to cooperate with me to get what she wants even more than not being pushed hard under saddle. Not a permanent solution, but a workaround to fix this minor issue. I'm also working on holding her a little less, and giving more release when we ride.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

cindynyx said:


> My horse tends to walk off when mounting. How do I stop this?
> Everything is fine (tack, feet, hooves, etc...)


The tool you need to teach your horse to stand still at mounting is -- the determination to not go anywhere. 

Until your horse will stand on a loose rein to be mounted, just don't ride. Instead, mount and get off a bunch of times. When your horse is thoroughly bored and stands still because it's obvious nothing is happening -- put him away. 

Most horses walk off at mounting because, well, it's the next thing that happens, and they are anticipating doing the next thing. I'm assuming this is not a horse who is trying to evade being mounted -- sidling off, spinning, whatever. 

Make getting off the next thing after mounting enough times, and your problem will solve itself. 

Ah -- it's hard to do! All tacked up and nowhere to go! But if you are determined to stop the walking off, the above is the most straightforward and probably fastest way to do it.


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## Caledonian (Nov 27, 2016)

I agree with above, it’s all about calm repetition at every stage.

I’d break it down into segments and desensitise each action so that the movements don’t trigger the excitement. 

Have a designated spot to get on or use a mounting block, I’d lead him up and place him and give plenty of praise if he stands. Lead him round and back into place every time he moves. 

I’d do it for each action – gathering the reins, turning, foot in stirrup and sitting in the saddle etc.

I know nothing about western riding but for my type of riding, I’d have a light contact on the reins when mounting with a slightly stronger one on the inside rein. It prevents forward movement especially when you’re in a vulnerable position and if he does move off, he’ll turn around you rather than forward. 

If he starts swinging his rear out, then stand by a wall or have someone stand there. If he backs up encourage forward then replace. 

As long as he’s able to balance as you’re getting on and you’re not kocking him with a toe then he should get the message that it gets him nowhere.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

Standing for being mounted is a training procedure just like teaching to lead or lunge or line drive and the horse needs lessons on it just like other training procedures.
I will do ground work with a horse, ending up with some time spent at the mounting block teaching the horse to stand quietly for me, this is without even thinking of getting on the horse, just stand quietly while I scratch him or lean on him or just walk around him.
I find they soon get comfortable standing at the mounting block and don't associate it with immediately moving off.
I have also after a ride spent some time at the mounting block just scratching the horse maybe getting on and off a few times and have found this to be very successful as the horse is more relaxed after a work out and willing to stand quietly.

Also I have seen many people dig a horse in the elbow with their toe when getting on or off and this can cause a horse to move because it hurts.

A friend came out one time to ride with me and I let her ride my mare and I rode Sis's horse, when she got on the mare laid her ears back and moved away, my friend said she shouldn't be allowed to do that, I replied that you just jabbed her a good one in the elbow and my friend said Oh I didn't do anything like that, but she sure did, so it can happen without realizing it.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

On the other hand, some of those old b/w cowboy movies I've seen, the horses were moving as soon as the cowboy put a foot in the stirrup. So at some point, that became unacceptable. But who knows? Maybe 30 years from now, it will be acceptable, again. lol.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

charrorider said:


> On the other hand, some of those old b/w cowboy movies I've seen, the horses were moving as soon as the cowboy put a foot in the stirrup. So at some point, that became unacceptable. But who knows? Maybe 30 years from now, it will be acceptable, again. lol.


Yeah, that's for drama. 
Cowboys also roped their horses out of the remuda every morning, and the horse didn't buck when first mounted they figured it was sick.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

The "Pony Express Start" was a lot of fun as kids.... teach the horse to take off once you pull on the saddle horn, hold your feet off the ground ahead of you, then drop back down a couple of strides later when the rear feet of the horse hit the ground and momentum will swing you up into the saddle. We had tons of fun doing it and did our training down the road so the parents wouldn't see. Then mom made us train our horses to stand again, though, when we were at camp and the neighbors needed another horse for a guest. Apparently the horse taking off at a gallop when one started to mount was not what they were after....

Now I'm too fat and inflexible to even consider doing it.


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## charrorider (Sep 23, 2012)

Avna. Whatever the reason was, it was done and it was cool. I'm 68 years old. I ride Arabian horses. At one time, I had them standing still until I was ready. I was doing it that way because that was the way it is supposed to be done. Then, I just didn't care if they waited for me or not. Now, they all start going as soon as my leg swings over the saddle. I really don't mind. If a rider want his/her horse to stand still, fine. If not, that's fine, also...as long as the rider doesn't mind and can handle it. JMO.


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

When I was younger (this means 55 years ago) I don't even remember mounting as being an issue, did the horse stand still or move off? I can't remember.
Being young and limber made the difference, now that I am in my dotage, standing still is more important as I clamber aboard.


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