My horse won't stand for mounting, someone always has to hold her. natural horsemanship only answers please!

Question

I just got my horse in october. She used to be abused so we are using natural horsemanship. I've tried that when she backs up, i make her back up faster and when she turns away, i make her turn on her forehands faster than she was doing, but she doesn't learn. It's getting a litle annoying! Help!

ps. i only do natural horsemanship, and can't use whips, ect because she was abused in her past. thanks

Answer 1

so this is what ive done in the past for horses with mounting problems and it's worked great for me. first have someone hold the horse and put her next to an arena fence. the key is to let her fidget around if she wants but by having someone hold her and have a fence at her side she won't be able to run or spin or anything. the idea is that you want to reward her for standing still. most horses with this problem don't want to work or have had a scary experience so you're going to show her that if she stands still she wont have to work. first go up and put your foot in the stirrup and hang on. let her fidget around and stick with her. (of course use your own judgement on this. if she starts acting really dangerous then bail out so you don't get hurt) you may have to hop a little bit but the second she stands take your foot out and give her a pat. teach her that when she stands, you don't get on. once she stands perfectly for this, start slowly taking it further. remember this doesn't all have to happen in one day. if she had a lot of trouble with just you having your foot in the stirrup, end the lesson with just accomplishing that. by taking it step by step you should be able to get on no problem. once you do finally get on don't ride anywhere. for the first few days just practice getting on and off then start working up to riding lightly and briefly until you're sure she gets it. hope this helped

Answer 2

Hi, I do Parelli Natural horsemanship.  Ok, here's a link that helps really well with that problem.  Any questions e-mail me.  Good Luck.

Answer 3

Every time she tries to move away when you try to mount her, firmly tell her no (don't yell!) and either tug a little at the reins so her head turns towards you, or make her back up. Repeat this over and over until she get's the idea. Do this by yourself without anyone there, it makes her concentrate on you more.

Answer 4

I had the same problem with my horse. I just got used to jumping on her faster.. but at frist turn her head to you and then get on her while she is truning she wont go fast at all.. Just try it.. Just don't yell or raise  your hand at her real fast. Good Luck I know how it is it takes lots of works until she really tursts you.. My horse was 7 years old when I got her and she was abused all of her life until I got her. She will come around.

Answer 5

when you get on her hold her back a little and then once you get on back her up and stand for a few seconds then get back off and do it agian and agian untill she stands still for you and once she does when you get on her dont let her just walk off when she wants to make her wait untill you tell her to! it will work  i promise.

Answer 6

A great website to check out would be http://www.jonathanfieldstore.net/index....

I know him personally and he does wonderful horsemanship....I have the dvd set and it is great, watch the clips of the dvds and he will explain the neutral spot which is what you will need to develop to be able to teach you mare to stand for anything you wish to do including mounting.  I have worked with my creeping mare an this who would always try to inch herself away from anything I tried and when I started the neutral spot it worked wonders!

Remember if you can't get her to stand still to mount you are on your way to a horse who will eventually take control and be a runaway.

Hope this helps.

Answer 7

Here's an article by trainer Kevin Wescott about getting your horse to stand still for you to mount.  It is excellent!  He points out that each horse is an individual, what works for one may not work for all, and gives four different suggestions to try with your horse to see how your horse responds.

It is EXCELLENT advice, and I know Kevin personally...he's a natural horsemanship trainer and always puts the horse first.  Read this and let me know if it helps you out!

http://www.liverystable.net/kevin_advice...

(Kevin is not about the money, as far as training....you don't have to buy the DVD set with him....he answers questions on Liverystable.net free of charge, and they are detailed enough you can actually use the advice!  He is the best trainer I know, and is not into gimmicks and crowd-WOWing tactics.)

Answer 8

One of my horses was retrained to natural horsemanship by a trainer who combines methods of more than one expert.  She never uses whips or even the popular carrot stick...everything is achieved with the rope halter and long lead......no metal parts.  

Stand on the mounting block and use the long lead to shake the horse away and "lunge" to the left, trotting her around you as you stay planted and switch the lead one hand to the other to keep her moving around you.  After a couple circles, have her reverse, again, you don't move...just use the lead to  have her face you and reverse her direction, without stopping her.

This is teaching her to move around you while you control her...she does not control you, since you don't chase her around.

Next, bring her back into a circle left, only this time stop her in front of you.  Take the long lead and toss it over her so that it goes from the halter all along her right side (opposite side from where you are) and feeds around the back of her rump, and back to your hand.  When you pull the lead, it will bring her hindquarter into you.  If she over reacts, she will turn her front away from you, in which case you stay put and "lunge" her all the way around you again, then switch her direction again and bring her around to stop her in front of you again.  Feed the lead behind the rump again, and pull her hindquarter into you.  If she gets positioned in front of you with her quarters in close, you're finished.

Do this exercise a few more times over the next few days, then change it up so that when you stop her in front of you, instead of feeding the lead around and behind the rear, just bring it over her neck, so it emerges from the halter on her right side, then over to you. Now, when you pull on the lead, as it turns her head slightly away from you, she will bring her quarters into you.  Once you can get her to do this consistently, again, with you planted on the mounting block the whole time, you're ready to do it with the saddle and reins on.

Bring her to the block with reins in front of her...if she doesn't get into position, keep her walking around you and back in front into position.  Bring the right rein up the right side of her neck, over the wither, and pull that one rein to get her to move her quarters into you.  You can use the left rein to halt her or move her forward or back.  Let her stand a moment in the correct position.  gather your reins to mount...if she moves, use them to reposition her and stand a moment again...then mount her...if she moves, rein her in to prevent movement...don't back her...just stop her, and sit there a moment.  Only move off when it is your command to do so.

I know this is long, but it works well on horses being trained, or retrained to stand for mounting.  You do need the right halter/lead to do it.  Good luck.

Answer 9

the first post is correct and also you can teach her to flex on the ground,and then when you go to get on her you can flex her and she will be busy flexing and not fidget.(so you wont have to have help)

Answer 10

not to be mean or anything but abused or not..she still needs to listen when you ride her. I'm not saying use the whips or anything just get after her a little bit. the past is the past. before you get on her don't pet her or anything nice. be firm and say woe or ho what ever you say to make her stand. say it kinda mean. keep the reins in your hand as your getting on.if she goes to move as u put your foot in the stirrup, jerk the reins a Little bit. as you go to get up keep telling her ho. if you get on and she keeps moving pull her in a tight circle. until she stops. and kinda kick her in her side to let her know your meaning business. but don't pull back just keep pulling to the side. keep doing the same thing getting on, getting off. she will learn. when you get on her and she stands still, pet her and let her now she is a good girl.

Answer 11

No matter whether the horse was abused or not, lack of use of whipping and use of natural ways will always result in a better started horse.

Remember the foundation ideas behind natural horsemanship?  Make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard.

Here's how I have taught my youngster to stand during mounting.

If, while in process of mounting, the horse moves - get down, do not mount.  quickly get back on the floor and make the horse work in circles - around and around and around you maybe 10 times.  Then try again.  I doubt once will work and I doubt one session will work - but as you do this, the need to circle will get less and less - and more quickly than you think.

No shouting, no hitting, just make the horse move.  When she successfully stands to let you mount, rather than immediately moving off, allow her to stand and pet her calmly.

It soundsl ike she's been conditioned that a rider gets on and moves right off, perhaps even taking off at the gallop.

To teach her this isn't so, take time and patience - when you get on, if she moves right off, ask for the stop.  If she stops, release the bit, pet and reward her.  She must be reinforced to understand that allowance of standing still is her reward - which is natural to the horse, but often people can inadvertently teach them they are not allowed to stand quietly.

If, when you are mounted and you ask her to stop, she keeps fighting you and moving or dancing, employ the same tactics - work in a circle about 10 times, then allow her the opportunity to rest.  She'll learn after a short time her choices are work at something not fun, or comply with what you've asked her to do.

For the backing, if she backs up when you have not asked her, this is a way of avoiding you - instead of backing her faster, turn her off in some circles, allowing her to stand quietly again as you did before.

Also, you are aware that whips can be communication tools if used correctly too, right? They can be an extension of your arm to reinforce a cue, and can be good communication tools if they are not employed through use of pain.

Pat Parelli started out with the "carrot stick" - he built this term for his orange whip-like stick from the old adage about use of the carrot and the stick in getting someone or something to comply with your wishes - you have a choice, entice them through a positive offer of some sort (like a carrot dangled in front of a horse) or you can force them through pain or negative means to do what you wish (hitting with the stick) - thus the "carrot and stick" theory.

Pat uses the carrot stick to communicate to the horse - it can be flipped around to put emphasis on a request (used somewhat as a stick) or it can be used to impart space pressure to cause a horse to move as we wish.

other natural horsemen use the same version - Clinton uses a white one, some use pink, purple or other colors and call them different things, but they are all nothing more than a communication tool.

I hope this helps you

Answer 12

Youre doing the right things by the sounds of it!  When she goes to walk away when you go to mount, make her work for it.  Move her out in a trot around you until she licks/chews or shows a sign of thoughts then ask her to whoa.  If she doesnt whoa, keep her moving.  You must make sure that when you END your lesson, YOUVE ended the lesson not her.  And most importantly, youve ended it on a good note.  I have off track TBs who NEVER stood still, now Ive got two little "QH's" who stand untied, come when called etc etc.  Did they both learn right away? No. Of course not! They all learn at different paces...especially one who has been evidently abused.  Its a matter, again, of patience and consistancy.  Just remember to always end the lesson on the goal YOUVE set.  Set a goal (even if its, she stands still for 30 seconds).  Then end it and put her away feeling like a champion.  It doesnt happen over night, sometimes it takes months, the important thing is that you HAVE accomplished it not the amount of time it took.  She is learning, just keep at it and keep your patience at a workable level.  If you find yourself getting upset, end the lesson for both of your sakes.  Or, consult a natural horsemanship trainer in to give you a hand.  IT can be difficult and frustrating!  But just be patient...just remember to set a goal, do the lesson, reach your goal, end on a good note. Every time its important to end on a positive note.  :)  Your best bet, work in the round pen.  This way, you can apply your own pressure in getting her to turn into you, stand still etc.  And when she does, she will really have to work for it.  What your teaching her is that standing still is MUCH easier than her having to work and run around.  She WANTS to stand still, its your job to work her into thatmindset and show her that its ok to stand still and when she does, she will be rewarded accordingly.

Good Luck! :)

Answer 13

This is what I do when I try to mount my formally abused pony. Do you have any jumps in your ring? Or fences if you go trail riding? If you do, face them towards the jump or the fence so that they cannot move. The only way they can get out is by backing up. Now your pony might do that, but mine hates to back up. And just be patient. I've had three rescued horses and two rescued ponies on my hands and I know that it can be frustrating. Hope I can help!

Answer 14

The idea is not to make her do it faster but to make her do it longer.  I had a horse that wouldn't stand for mounting.  I backed her up all over the yard, around the house and back down the drive way.  She finally decided that standing still was lots easier than backing.

I only had to repeat this lesson 2 or 3 times before she stood stock still for mounting.

Answer 15

In the past I've had trouble with ex race horses, who were both nervous and walked over the top of me.

What I would do is make sure the horse had halted nicely enough to be equally balanced on all hooves. And check: are you in the best position? A good spot to quickly spring up onto your horse. If your horse is large, place him slightly down hill or use a block or anything to mount from.

The only contact you have with a horse to make him stand still is your rein, so you must use this firmly till it becomes 'old hat' to stand still.

Hold the reins so you have contact, use the right hand to get the reins short enough, with the left hand grab hold of a big chunk of mane then put the rein in the left hand along with the good clump of mane - have good contact on the bit. If he then goes to pull with his head your arm won't move with it as the mane will give your hand stability. And when you pull yourself up holding of a good clump of mane it doesn't hurt.

Make him stand still without moving. Then place your foot up the stirrup, take it out and give him a rub and tell him he's a good boy. Repeat this several times. Next stage put some weight in the stirrup and maybe pull up half way - then slide back to holding and give him a rub for standing still - lots of lovely voice commands and praise for standing still.

Then once he's happy standing still for this try and fully mount. If he moves jump off and start again. I discovered horses not standing are a little like a dog pulling when being led, ie they like to be on the go. So if you spend a few days never getting on unless he stands still he'll soon realise the best way to move off quickly is to stand still at the beginning for a few moments.

As you mount your right hand holds the front of the saddle or the middle (but never the back of the saddle as this can twist the saddle and hurt the horses back) this may have hurt in the past.

Give yourself 15 minutes the first day, follow through the above plan. Then for the next 5 days allow 10 minutes to work on mounting. I wouldn't use a helper, but you must be in a position to spring up quickly. This technique still works if you need a leg up, but your horse needs to know you are in charge. So only you must hold him still.

Best of luck, go out with the attitude that 'he will stand still' for you.

Answer 16

well for now still use someone to hold her for you when you mount.

1. when you get on her don't ask her forward or anything for a while

2. make her stand for a few minutes just with you on her back

3. maybe even flex her neck both ways but don't move on for a few minutes

4. evenutally you wont need anyone to hold her because she will know that you dont want her to go go right away and she will learn to stand for you