# A Mounting Issue.



## MaximasMommy (Sep 21, 2013)

My new lesson pony likes to walk off. My teacher told me to be the boss and be scary when he tries his shenannigans. So I get in front of his cute little half asleep face and yell STAND and pull back on the reins, just a quick yank. It sounds so mean but he just gives me this *fine, whatever* sort of look and stands there real good after that.

EDIT: omg I read this and it sounds like I walk him up to the mounting block and start off with that! Nonono. I walk him up, and usually end up making him back up a step or two, and then if he tries to walk forward on me, THEN I do that. If he's nice then I'm nice too!


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

There are numerous different things to try, and depending on the horse/problem some will work, and others won't.

Here are some methods, in no order of usefulness:

- do not pick up contact on the reins until you are on, as the horse may take this as a cue to move

- teach the horse what you want, as he may never have learnt. Walk up to the mb, ask for stand, praise, lean on saddle,praise, etc. If he moves or shifts give him a firm 'no' or 'ah ah', push him back into place and continue

- when he moves, make him work is feet in tight circles thus teaching him that to stand will result in reward, and to fidget will result in work.

- place your mb so that the horse is inbetween it, and a wall, thus he cannot swing his hindquarters out

- do lots of groundwork with him in the round pen, using the mb as the place where he gets rest and praise 

- have mints in your pocket and only give him one when you have mounted successfully

The list goes on, and there are as many solutions as there are horses. But with patience, and trial and error you will find a solution


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## CowboysDream (Nov 12, 2011)

The horse I partboard is also a lesson horse and pretty much all the girls that ride him let him just walk off while they are getting on. So he has the habit that as soon as I put a bit of weight in the stirrup he starts to walk off. I have to take some contact on the reins and when I him tense up to walk off I 'woah' him and tell him to stand. If he actually takes a step I back him up. I used to be nervous about it but we have our routine now and I got comfortable since he's so predictable. 

I think the main key is consistency. For awhile there I was the only person to ride him Saturday - Monday and by Monday he was already standing nicely for me.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

My friends TWH came with the same problem. Bring him to the center of the ring with the nmounting block. Lunge him around. Stand up on the block and ask him stop and come in. When he comes in pet him so he associates the block with rest and relaxation. Then just start walking him up to the block. Stand by his face, and pet him. Move towards his neck/should, see where the boundary of his comfort zone is. If he stays pet him until he is relaxed then walk away from the block. If he moves send him back out and work him. Once he is comfortable with the neck area move one step up the block. If he stands, reward. If he moves he works. Then progress to step 2, then step three, lean on the saddle, then eventually get on. Move at a pace that is comfortable with her! Remember if she stays you reward with a pet and walking away, if she goes she works. Don't push the boundies to fast either. Once you are able to get on, get off right away and quit on that! My friends horse learned to stand in about a day and a half. Everyone once on a blue moon he needs a reminder, but he is pretty solid for mounting!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SammysMom (Jul 20, 2013)

I had this issue with my guy in the beginning. His former owner did a hopping-mount from the ground as he was walking away, and it was maddening trying to get on him from a block. What worked really well for me was making the calm thing be me settling into the saddle, not walking off. My trainer explained it like this: the way I was doing it, I was gathering my reins, getting ready and then _abunchofthingshappenatonce_! So we worked on doing things in stages. Gather the reins, put one foot in, stand up on that foot, swing my other leg back and forth, swing over, sit down and THEN get super quiet. Teach him that me doing things doesn't mean he needs to get going. I can mess with the reins and move things around, and all he has to do is stand there. In the beginning when he was still moving off, I didn't move on to the next step until he was still. Generally if I could gather the reins and he stood, I could put a foot in and he'd stand. Of course there were times I didn't have time to work on it and just jumped up and hoped for the best, but the slow thing really helped. Now I can hang out standing up with one foot in the stirrup and he doesn't go anywhere, which is a HUGE change from mounting him in the beginning.


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