my mare is really gentle you can handle her in anyway but when you try to mount her she side steps toward or away from you before you can get your foot close to the stirrup what can i do?
mounting
- Thread starter kay @kayla
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my mare is really gentle you can handle her in anyway but when you try to mount her she side steps toward or away from you before you can get your foot close to the stirrup what can i do?Obviously you're making sure you don't dig her with your foot or make the mounting process uncomfortable for her in any other way?
Don't know whether this would apply to your mare, but it always pays to make sure a horse is standing square and ready to take your weight as you mount. One of my old farmer friends would always get hold of a young horse and push him back, and then give him a gentle shove to the side, just to make sure he was thinking about where his feet were before getting on. That way the horse was already bracing himself.
Also if a horse is young (and again I don't know whether this applies here) it helps if you try and mount with your weight as close as possible over the withers, which makes it easier for the horse to balance as you get on, and also puts less strain on the weaker part of his back.
Don't know whether this would apply to your mare, but it always pays to make sure a horse is standing square and ready to take your weight as you mount. One of my old farmer friends would always get hold of a young horse and push him back, and then give him a gentle shove to the side, just to make sure he was thinking about where his feet were before getting on. That way the horse was already bracing himself.
Also if a horse is young (and again I don't know whether this applies here) it helps if you try and mount with your weight as close as possible over the withers, which makes it easier for the horse to balance as you get on, and also puts less strain on the weaker part of his back.
Here are three things you can try.
1. Have someone hold your horse with a lunge rope, if she moves away from you, have the friend lunge her for a few laps them try again..... She'll think I have to do more work if I don't stand still, I'd better stand still.
2. Carry a crop and lightly tap her in the chest with it when she moves and tell her whoa.
3. read this january's edition of Western Horseman to find out a natural horsemansip way of doing it.
1. Have someone hold your horse with a lunge rope, if she moves away from you, have the friend lunge her for a few laps them try again..... She'll think I have to do more work if I don't stand still, I'd better stand still.
2. Carry a crop and lightly tap her in the chest with it when she moves and tell her whoa.
3. read this january's edition of Western Horseman to find out a natural horsemansip way of doing it.
Mounting problems
I too am having a similar problem with my thoroughbred gelding. He is a real gent otherwise, but will not stand still as soon as you go to mount him. I usually have to get on using a mounting block (or other similar method) as he is 16.3.
His previous owner was quite heavy and a friend suggested that he may have been had his back pulled about a bit causing him discomfort when she got on and he has probably come to associate this when anyone tries to get on. I've tried someone holding him, but he still fidgits about. Any suggestions would also be welcomed as I can sympathise with this problem!!
I too am having a similar problem with my thoroughbred gelding. He is a real gent otherwise, but will not stand still as soon as you go to mount him. I usually have to get on using a mounting block (or other similar method) as he is 16.3. His previous owner was quite heavy and a friend suggested that he may have been had his back pulled about a bit causing him discomfort when she got on and he has probably come to associate this when anyone tries to get on. I've tried someone holding him, but he still fidgits about. Any suggestions would also be welcomed as I can sympathise with this problem!!
the only other suggestion i have is a bit hard to do if your horse is big, but it's to ask yuour horse to stand if he moves as you get on you get back off ask again and repeat until he gets the idea that you won't go anywhere until he stands!!!
then when he is good go off for a walk or something do something fun then try again, maybe do it 2 or 3 times hopefully he will learn quickly!!
ps this can kill your legs and back the next day!!!!
then when he is good go off for a walk or something do something fun then try again, maybe do it 2 or 3 times hopefully he will learn quickly!!
ps this can kill your legs and back the next day!!!!
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