Monty Roberts Equus Online University | Monty's Horse Training Post: Mounting from the right side

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Horse Behavior and Training

Mounting from the right side

By:

farkasschuller.arpad

Date:

2009-Dec-20 at 06:15PM

I have a four years old lipizzaner mare. I have started to work with her about four months ago.
She is very confident with me on the ground with good manners. I am trying to teach her let me to mount from both sides. On the leftside everything is fine, but if I try to mount from the right side she oppose by stepping around and trying to bite me. However within a few minutes I can convince her that nothing bad will happen and get on her.
My question is should I push the note or just simply mount her from left side and let the time solve this problem. I don't want to create a phobia behavior with repetition of this situations.
My second question is how to build the horse's confidence in me when I'm riding her?. If I make sudden moves in the saddle, moving my arms or legs she gets very nervous, tries to buck or kick wich indicates for me the missing of confidence in the rider.
If I'm on the ground, I can put anything on her, plastic objects, sack or even puppet rider and she stays calm.
I was her first rider and probably my lack of experience has created this issues with her.

Ekat 2009-Dec-29 at 10:40PM

Greetings,

It may be good to note that the majority of horses can not transfer lessons taught on one side to the other side. What this means is that when you teach a horse to do something on the left, or "near", side of the body you have to teach the horse how to do the same thing on the right, or "off", side as if the horse has never been trained to do the thing at all. If you keep that in mind it may help you. When you are training your Lipizzaner (I am so jealous) to be mounted from the "off" side. I would suggest going back to basics and begin with showing her the blanket, saddle, etc. and get her used to being tacked up from the "off" side and see if you can work her up to being okay with you mounting from the "off" side.

I use near and off side as right and left confuses me with right and correct side. :)

I have used the above method to teach my horses to let me mount from both sides and it seems to work well for me. With horses that were trained for years as well as new starters.

farkasschuller.arpad 2010-Jan-07 at 04:05PM

Thanks for your post, I will keep in mind your advices and give her time to accomodate with off side mounting. I realized that this university it is a great place to get good knowledge and advices :).

Dakotasmom 2010-Jan-28 at 01:30PM

I think it is a good idea that you are teaching your horse to be mounted from both sides. It will help keep her back healthy!

vicci - UK (North Wales) 2010-May-01 at 12:11AM

I agree with all the above but would add...check that her saddle isn't biting or pinching or causing pressure anywhere, if she is fractious when you are moving around etc. it may just be worth checking that the saddle fit is as good as it can be and that she's not experiencing any pain at all.

Best wishes