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Post by dollymix on Nov 24, 2011 13:31:50 GMT 1
Hi all
I'm hoping someone can offer some practical advice for teaching my new mare to stand still for mounting.
She is a 5 yr old Irish Draught and is generally a good girl. I bought her nearly 3 months ago and despite having some ups and downs with saddles we are now sorted and her ridden work is coming on.
The problem I am having is getting her to stand still at the mounting block.
When I bought her the seller said she could be a bit fidgety to mount, but actually when i tried her she was very good. However, the vet did also notice she didn't stand still at the mounting block during the vetting.
She is a big girl - 16.3 and I am 5'5 with short legs so I do need a mounting block.
She doesn't do anything dangerous...at first, when i climbed the mounting block she would swing her quarters away. i stayed on the mounting block and pulled her around til she was stood straight. To try to stop her minimize this, I started to put her alongside a fence so she couldn't swing away.
The next trick was to not move her quarters away (because she obviously couldn't), so she would stand whilst i went up the mounting block, but as soon as i picked the reins up she would walk backwards. not in any silly way, more of a cheeky..nur nur nur nur nur way!!!
If someone holds her she still sometimes walks backwards, unless they scratch her neck to distract her (she LOVES good scratch)
Any tips for working on this would be appreciated. I have never had this problem with any of my other horses so am drawing a bit of a blank!! I want to nip it in the bud before it becomes a big issue!!!
(P.s - she has had her saddle professionally fitted and her back, teeth etc have been checked)
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Post by jill on Nov 24, 2011 15:00:46 GMT 1
Use reinforcement training to teach her to stand still - and stay - on cue, somewhere where she is relaxed, like her field or stable. No point in making it difficult for you both.
Much like teaching a dog a sit/stay - stand her, move back a step and then return and treat. Each time she moves return her to the spot and do it again. Gradually increase the distance/time you can leave her and return without her moving, and add whatever word you want to use - "stand", "wait" or whatever, she doesn't understand but it becomes a trigger. Then do it in lots of different locations, including, yes, by the mounting block, and add a release cue, such as "okay" so she begins to learn to stand still until she is released.
And when you do mount, keep her standing until you give a release.
You can pair the cue with a rein dropped to the ground and hey presto, you have a ground tie!
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Post by Rosie J on Nov 24, 2011 16:08:17 GMT 1
Sorry I don't have time for a longer reply but my latest blog is all about mounting problems, you might find it useful. Www.Rosiejones.yolasite.com Sounds like your onto a possible simple solution already though with someone scratching her neck, if it's as easy as that then just make sure soneones around for the next 20 times to hold and scratch her the habit will begin to work in your favour so that you can take over the scratching and phase out the handler. The thing is to set yourself up to be practicing good behaviour, not daily dealing with bad. Good luck |
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Post by guesstimation on Nov 24, 2011 17:39:29 GMT 1
Have you tried any clicker training, could be very useful particularly if she likes a scratch as you can use this instead of a treat if you wish.
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Post by outoftheblue on Nov 24, 2011 18:34:30 GMT 1
I am disabled so we had to teach Blue, my horse, to stand absolutely still - and we did it as above teaching him the stand and walking away and leaving him. It took a bit of patience as he used to just walk off when you put your foot in the stirrup - not a frightened way but just because he was anticipating walking. He now stands for as long as I want after I am on board. It did take quite a bit of patience though! Hope it goes well.
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arki
Advanced Poster
Posts: 364 
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Post by arki on Nov 28, 2011 20:55:36 GMT 1
Is it wrong to teach a horse with the use of food? I have a heavy weight cob who is fab in every way apart from mounting him. I have had his back checked, he has a torsion saddle so I think he is anticipating going out for a hack and is eager to get going. I don't always have anyone to help so was thinking of teaching him to stand by placing a bucket of happy hoof where I want him to stand. Or do you think this is a bad idea?
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Post by jill on Nov 29, 2011 12:40:50 GMT 1
Is it wrong to teach a horse with the use of food? I have a heavy weight cob who is fab in every way apart from mounting him. I have had his back checked, he has a torsion saddle so I think he is anticipating going out for a hack and is eager to get going. I don't always have anyone to help so was thinking of teaching him to stand by placing a bucket of happy hoof where I want him to stand. Or do you think this is a bad idea? Nothing wrong with using food but you have to have control over it, and placing a bucket of food where you want him doesn't fall into that category. Training him to stand on cue and rewarding him with food does - start from the ground and eventually you will reach a stage where you reward him from the saddle. At that point you can stop rewarding - he will have learned. With the bucket, what's to stop him swinging his quarters away, or stomping off and hen returning. Could be less than safe, and he will eventually disregard it - the difference between a reward and a bribe is that they can choose to ignore a bribe (which comes before the wanted behaviour as an inducement) and for that reason it often fails. A reward reinforces behaviour, and comes AFTER the behaviour has been offered. |
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Post by dollymix on Nov 29, 2011 14:46:12 GMT 1
thanks for the replies everyone.
I am working on a combination of the suggestions above..specifically, using the scratch method, the 'stand' cue and then giving a treat for good behaviour
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Post by sophieandmaisie on Nov 29, 2011 15:23:13 GMT 1
I had a similar problem with my mare too! She had a bad back twice from bad saddles (one didn't fit correctly, and while the other fit perfectly, it didn't suit her at all!) and now have a fantastic enlightened equitation one. She used to walk off as soon as I had mounted (which was a pain with one stirrup and knowing she might explode!), but now she has learnt that being ridden/mounted isn't going to hurt, she happily stands until I ask her to walk on (even enough time for someone to move the block for me!).
I found that a quick lunge first helps, just a quick walk and trot on both reins so any tension in her back is released from a stretch and any extra energy is used up!
Hope this helps.
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Post by nich on Dec 1, 2011 14:13:11 GMT 1
every horse we have bought (4) has arrived and been on a continuum from 'poor' to 'not great'. each learned within a month, by
a. insisting - do NOT mount and ride away instantly, or let the horse walk on before a moment of stillness - horse must stand still after you are on board for girth check etc. Get off and start again if its not perfect.
b. rewarding with polos - starting by just standing at the block, then one foot in stirrup, get off, reward, to the full deal as above. they were all weaned off the polos without problems once they got the hang of it.
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