Hi all
I'm so excited about this I just had to share. My nearly backed 4 year old shadow is a lovely boy bit was very wild when I got him and being very sensitive it took a long time to do basic things like picking up feet etc. After being backed he always had a problem with standing still to be mounted and would fidget this way and that and it was really hard to get on. I watched the mounting block series on the uni and tried it out. It is a wonderfully simple proceedure and ever so effective. On the 3rd day he was bringing himself up to the mounting block and stood perfectly still for me to get on. He then waited patiently for me to give to aids to walk on. Now he will do it anywhere, the minute I climb up on anything he just side steps and parks his body in place. He will even do it loose as in without a head collar or leadrope or anything. He will follow me to the block and park himself in position. Hilarious and exillerating for a horse that would do anything but stand still for mounting:) A very happy customer!
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Horse Behavior and Training
Mounting block triumph.
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Well done, Helene. This must be so exciting for you. So pleased you and shadow succeeded here. Tricka has learnt this lesson too and it makes mounting so easy. I always make Tricka stand still for about a minute before she is allowed to move once I am mounted.
The mounting block is still a problem for me. I have a 16 year old Icelandic, He was born on our acreage and he is a loving easy going fellow. I lead him up to the mounting block and the moment I step up on it he moves a step away and I can not reach him. He does not respond to my lightly tapping him with the wand and I have to move him around the block several times with me standing on it, until he finely stands still. I also try to move him from the ground away from me, but he is so relaxed, he just does not move. I am a bit at a loss. Hiltrud.
You need to watch the video's on how to stand to a mounting block. They have everything you need to properly teach your horse to do this.
Helene! That's so awesome for you! I've recently watching the mounting block lessons myself and am excited to try it on my buddy, Biscut! Congrats on the success! It sounds like you and Shadow have a wonderful relationship!
Nickers,
Holly
Hi kleinne, I have watched the video and it looks so easy, but my Icelandic does not respond. I know it takes a lot of patience and I have tried it many times. Although I also tried to let him move around me and the mounting block several times and, yes, finely he stands. But at the place where I have him, I can ride on beautiful trails through the woods and my concern is, when for some reason I have to dismount and have to look for a spot to get on him again, there might not be the room to let him walk around the " mounting block ". I must admit, in an emergency I would find a way to get on him again to get home, but I sure would like him to learn to move where I want him. I am 74 years old and in pretty good condition for this age, but my knees are a bit sensitive and I just have to watch what I am doing.
That is soo exciting Helene!
Hi Hiltrud
Standing on the near side, when you gently pull the rein over his back towards you, also gently pushing his head away from you to encourage him to bend his head away from you, does he refuse to take a step towards you? When he takes any step towards you you must immediately release all pressure on the rein and let him relax a bit. Gently making him bend a lot, even if his nose is nearly at his belly on the off side should encourage him to step his body towards you to release himself from the bend. If he does not do this perhaps try practicing some leg yields with little pressure on the outside rein first to get him on the right track. You can even do this from the ground, by standing on the off side, pulling his rein and head towards you and putting pressure with your hand on the girth where the leg would be. I hope this helps. Good luck.
Hi Hiltrud - Have you tried using the dually halter under your bridle? Teach him to stand still with the dually - any movement at all correct with the discipline tug and a Woo command then do the same at the mounting block. This worked perfectly for Tricka when I had a similar problem. She will now stands perfectly still for me to mount her where ever we are - like you I need a bit of a help up these days! Once mounted I always ask her to just stand still for a few seconds before we move off too - good discipline for them.
Congratulations to a very good job Helene! Warmest Ann Lindberg CI Sweden
I also have problem with the mounting block. I tried the first step, celinette does not move. She bends her head and that is it. Nothing to release, reinforce. She does not know what I want. I tried with a friend on the outside, just putting a finger helped. I will try again, perhaps bending her head stronger. IThis was my first video and I found missing the point what to do if it does not work. kayak
I have just watched the videos and started training my Holsteiner! He would ALWAYS just walk away when i'm halfway up and it became quite dangerous.
He was very unresponsive to the bending of the neck, I just stood there holding the rein for ages (like 5 minutes!) before he took a step towards me ~ I was so happy ( i released immediately!) And after that he did it easily within a couple of seconds and sometimes just giggling the rein!
So the first part is always the hardest they can be a bit slow but just hold then rein firmly and they will eventually move SOMEWHERE to get out of that pressure!
Now he is walking up to the mounting block and doing wonderfully!
Congratulations to everyone else I know how relieved you feel now that your horses doesn't takeoff with only half a foot in the stirrup!
From Micky and Napoleon
What a great story Micky, very pleased for you both :-)
Mickey has explained perfectly what to do if you get no response - just take as long as it takes.
this technique does work like magic doesn't it guys!!!
My girls a gem with mounting having used this method.
Well done Monty's student who worked this out!
I just tried the mounting block "trick" with my 3 years old mare Shadow. I have no real mountig block so stood on top of the chair, pulled gently at the rein( shoe string under the english saddle and loop made from a piece of thick wire) and Shadow walked straight into me, knocked the chair over and i fell backwards... i didnt expect her to do the side steps so quickly and to do so many straight at the first tug of the rein. Didnt practice any further. Went for a walk instead. I will try to practice today a bit more careful and a bit more precise. Maybe i just didnt release the rein as quickly as I thought and as I should have... and maybe try first on the ground...My mistake.
Katerina, Czech rep.
Take a moment to go over in your head what exactly happened Katerina, ask yourself, were you properly balanced on the chair? Did you put too much pressure on the shoe string? Were there any distractions about that could have made her move a bit quicker than she needed to?
Can you get hold of some pallets? I use these for creating steps, it gives me a big and steady platform.
xx
chairs are dangerous animals, & easy for a horse to put it's legs through etc, so please use something more solid to stay safe.
I once fractured a rib from standing on a chair & taking the wrong foot off first, it tipped up & the point on the back stuck in my rib!
I think you have a very responsive horse, so perhaps next time a very light touch on the rein will be enough; try to get just one step at a time so you are in control, you will need to be very quick to release the pressure for this.
Well done, great start.
I am so glad that there is a forum. I tried today to start to train my filly, Kinder to the mounting block by suggesting the step and having the right rein over the western saddle. I found that she just wanted to back up, rather than step to the side. I review all related posts, and see that I can push her a bit to suggest the bend. She is very calm and patient, so she should get it in a couple of days. She also is trained on the long lines, so I see that I could use long lines and a helper to train her. I hope to be posting soon about the success!
Looking forward to hearing how you progress Krista Jane. We are all here to support and learn from each other :-)