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Post by watchbank on May 8, 2012 15:04:21 GMT
Need some advice as never had to deal with it before.. I have a mare who completly refuses to let me on at the mountain block. I have tried all sorts.. ive fought with her about it were i will lead her up to it and she just runs backwards and i will do it 100 times and she will still run backwards, ive tried ticing her with feed and she gets to it but as soon as i step on the block she goes backwards again. Ive had people stand around her and someone lead her up to it and she will go backwards even then!! Shes not in any pain, saddle is fitted etc i think its just a naughty thing shes learnt to do with a previous owner. She will let me on from the ground with someone giving me a leg on and isnt fussed by that at all. The mountain blocks a stone one built into the wall. Also she will walk to it and stand next to it when we ride back down to the stables and let me get off onto it.... Any ideas much appreciated  |
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Post by carrie17491 on May 8, 2012 16:08:15 GMT
some horses don't like people being higher than their ears/head. How high is your block? I can't remember the word for it but it's a sort of claustrophobia thing (so hard to explain on here!!)
I know horses that have real issues with this, they aren't headshy or touchy on the ears! I know a girl who had to take it literally one step at a time. She started with a small step standing next to her horse and grooming her then gradually got to the same height as her block and carried on grooming her at this height so she was relaxed. She eventually moved on to getting her horse to stand there tacked up whilst she was at the height. If her horse had issues she would simply go down a step.
It may be a long process but it did eventually work and she finally got on her after about 2 months of constant work. It may or may not help, hopefully it will! xx
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Post by Julie(luke3) on May 8, 2012 18:01:24 GMT
I would try a movable mounting block away from any buildings. I use one and mount from anywhere outside my stables. I have never had your problem, but my horses never know where they have to stand for me to mount(hope that makes sense!) x Does she stand when you ask her too? In hand or ridden? All mine will stand anywhere for as long as I ask, as I like them to have manners x Good luck  |
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Post by brindlerainbow on May 8, 2012 18:05:26 GMT
Im guessing that she is frightened of the fact that you are higher than her, lots of horses react like that. You will need to be patient and take your time
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Post by watchbank on May 8, 2012 18:20:05 GMT
I would try a movable mounting block away from any buildings. I use one and mount from anywhere outside my stables. I have never had your problem, but my horses never know where they have to stand for me to mount(hope that makes sense!) x Does she stand when you ask her too? In hand or ridden? All mine will stand anywhere for as long as I ask, as I like them to have manners x Good luck She never lets me mount from steps at shows either, i have to be thrown on from the ground.. She stands perfect away from any kind of mountable object lol, very well mannered never moves but lead her to a mountain block and that happens.. |
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Post by horseylady on May 8, 2012 18:46:31 GMT
hmmm :/ maybe don't tack her up, and take her to a mounting block, stand on block and groom her, just groom her only for a few days... tack her up.. do the same again and groom only... keep doing this for a period of time... when the time comes to get on groom her and try to mount.. if she moves away walk her in a circle away from mounting block and try again.. Dont move block to her.. take her back to block.. just a suggestion and worth a try :/ xxx
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Post by jessandoscar on May 8, 2012 18:56:56 GMT
I had this exact problem when I first bought my horse, it eventually got worse so you couldn't even go on your tiptoes next to him!! It was a long hard process but by desensitising him to it (hard to explain on here) and using a smaller block as much as possible, he even went to monty roberts for help...
I've had him two years now and although he can sometimes be nervous and scoot a bit when I get on from a block, he is fine with us standing on one and getting on him from the block xx
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Post by speedysally on May 8, 2012 19:05:34 GMT
my mare used to do this. what i found worked was just making her walk round until she adventually gave up. it didn't take her long to realise it wasn't worth walking around for! :-)
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Post by sageandonion on May 8, 2012 20:36:07 GMT
You must have her back checked and I mean really thoroughly, followed by the saddle
by someone who knows exactly what they are doing.
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Post by GinaGeo on May 8, 2012 20:41:48 GMT
My mare dips when i put the saddle on and hunches when i get on, shes always done it. Ive had back people out and the vet and had a saddle fitted for her and she still does it. Shes in no pain i think its just something she does. I also got a mountain block built!! Good luck I noticed that on the cold backed thread you said that she dipped her back when you got on. That is an indicator that something isn't right, and she's uncomfortable. It's definitely worth finding a 2nd opinion, starting with your vet. |
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Post by sageandonion on May 8, 2012 20:44:51 GMT
I agree with GG. I would put money on it there is a back problem there. I would not accept a pony that dips the back is not in pain.
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Post by watchbank on May 9, 2012 14:38:38 GMT
My mare dips when i put the saddle on and hunches when i get on, shes always done it. Ive had back people out and the vet and had a saddle fitted for her and she still does it. Shes in no pain i think its just something she does. I also got a mountain block built!! Good luck I noticed that on the cold backed thread you said that she dipped her back when you got on. That is an indicator that something isn't right, and she's uncomfortable. It's definitely worth finding a 2nd opinion, starting with your vet. Completley different horse there! And shes had her back checked by loads of different back people, saddle fitted correctly also. I cant keep getting people out just to tell me theres not a problem. Shes 22 years old now and i dont ride her often. |
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Post by watchbank on May 9, 2012 14:40:00 GMT
You must have her back checked and I mean really thoroughly, followed by the saddle by someone who knows exactly what they are doing. Shes had it fitted to her and i got the back man out to her aswell. He said its not her back the hunching is just a habit shes got into  |
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Post by GinaGeo on May 9, 2012 16:46:07 GMT
I'll let you off on that one then I guess just desensitiizing and practise then. |
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Post by watchbank on May 9, 2012 16:50:48 GMT
lol yeah! i think it could be, as regards to moving it to a different location its a stone one built into the wall and the one outside the stud gates is stone also so i wont be moving them lol!! the lady who produced her used a movable step and when she used to get on she used to bounce up from it and im wondering if its something to do with that, i wonder if shes stood on it and had a fright or something.... hmmm!! All your comments are useful though thankyou!
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Post by brookviewequine on May 9, 2012 17:02:58 GMT
speedy sally is spot on.... if she wants to walk round then make her walk... she ll soon get sticky feet and realise its easier to stand still.. not quite as simple to do as it sounds but persevere and it will come. reward her with a rub when she stands
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Post by Kaseyleigh on May 21, 2012 13:55:42 GMT
Seem to me shes had a bad experience when someone has mounted from a block i would mess about even not tacked up standing on a mounting block while grooming and sit on it with her give her a treat when she stands next to it (dont like giving treats but sometimes you have to as a reward) just make her see it not a bad thing.
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kates
Full Member
Posts: 491
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Post by kates on May 23, 2012 14:35:43 GMT
Had this with my coloured, so I tacked him up and we went for a walk round the block, every now and again i would stand, gather the reins (something else he didn't like) and go to mount and just jump as high as i could.... with my hands on the saddle....
then went i got home, i stood him up to the mounting block and held myself up with a foot in the stirrup....now he is fine.... lets you mount no issues.
But I now have this issue with the fell, so off I go again lol
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Post by shpgirl on May 31, 2012 13:47:49 GMT
I had a similar problem with my young mare to start with, who I think was just too impatient and wanted to get going, and she would often back up as soon as you put her at a mounting block.
Myself and a friend worked with her almost every day until she learnt to stand still. We started by getting her to stand by the mounting block untacked, then went on to standing her by it tacked up but not getting on, then standing by it tacked up and me going up onto the steps, then onto the steps and taking up the reins, then the same and putting a foot in the stirrup and leaning on her back, then eventually getting on. We didn't move onto the next stage until she was settled and stood still and we rewarded her with a small piece of carrot when she stood still. We'd also mix it up a bit and alternate between different stages (once she was happy with them) in each session so she didn't anticipate. Getting on practice wasn't done when up at the yard to actually ride - afterwards she would go back in the stable/field so she didn't get worked up about it being time to be ridden.
It worked and now she's perfectly behaved to get on and will stand by different mounting blocks at home or away. It does sound like a long process, but it is better to do it in tiny steps and hopefully make progress than struggle at trying to get the end result. In the end it took us about 2/3 weeks of no more than half an hour a day, although we are lucky that she's quite a quick learner.
Good luck!
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Post by Smurffx on Jun 1, 2012 21:52:51 GMT
i had a mare who would not let me mount any other way than with a leg up, she would spin if i stirrup mounted her, and would run backwards or spin if i tried with a mountain block - you could see in her eyes it was genuine fear though so initially i just got on with a leg up. Then after a few months i decided to try and crack the problem as i, more often than not, rode during the day when the yard was empty - thus having noone to leg me up! I started off by teaching her to stirrup mount, with a long stirrup initially and someone holding her and usually in a fairly confined space such as the stable block as oppose to the open space of the arena and then slowly built this up to being able to mount her by myself. From this, getting her to mount from a block was much easier, i started by grooming from a block (and i needed a block during hunting season to plait up which helped drastically) and worked with the same process of getting on in the stable block etc. Its something which took time but was a problem which was easily rectified  She has since been sold and hasn't put a foot wrong mounting with her new owners. |
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She has since been sold and hasn't put a foot wrong mounting with her new owners. 