Guest Author - Susan Hopf
I often get requests from clients to fix or eradicate something they define as my horse is perfect except for this one thing
. Behavior issues are rarely that simple.
For example standing at the mounting block. If your horse does not stand quietly while you mount then you have no business getting on her back in the first place. Why such a terse answer to a common problem? When you address your horse, be it for mounting, grooming, administering to a wound or tacking they must stand quietly for your safety as well as theirs. If you have not yet introduced this to your horses training repertoire your horse is uncertain of his role in your relationship and therefore does not trust your judgment. Moving about is the same as fleeing which I have no doubt he would be doing if the opportunity were to arise. A horse that does not accept human leadership on the ground is not a civil partner and riding such a beast will present unnecessary difficulties. Any lesson taught from the ground will transfer to safer and more productive mounted schooling sessions.
Keeping in mind the first tenet of equine stewardship you must obtain and retain your leadership role each and every time you work with your horse. To manage fidgety behaviors you simply must accept only the behavior that you want. Of course how you approach correction with a horse that is already anxious is of the utmost importance. The simple answer is to keep placing your horse back where you wish him to be until he understands you will accept nothing less.
If you wish to crosstie your horse she should be centered without crowding one side or the other or leaning back or forward at the end of taught lines. With a series of taps from whip or lead keep replacing the four-legged curmudgeon into the desired position. Do not let anger or frustration creep in. This will take as much time as it takes depending upon how long your horse has been engaging in the behavior prior to you correcting it as well as individual equine personalities. Now here is the tough part once your horse is consistently standing quietly and in the position you have requested you then must be able to move her to and fro and place her back in position where she should once again stand quietly.
The above exercise can be used for all times, places and reasons that you wish for your horse to stand. The mounting block question has two additional elements to it. Once you arrive at the mounting block never allow your horse to convince you to move away from the evil boxy thing and never move the block to your horse of course you must position the block in a place that gives the horse enough room to move once you are mounted as well as ensuring that he does not feel unnecessarily trapped. You must never allow your horse to change your mind about this or anything else that said there must be degrees of give and take in all training questions from both horse and human.
Once positioned at the mounting block your horse may try many evasions but there is only one correct answer she must stand quietly while you mount. Working with the ideas presented at the crossties you must keep placing your horse at the block in the proper position for you to mount. This will entail bumping her up from behind with the lead or the whip and then moving her back with a touch of the whip or lead on her chest if she steps ahead of the desired position back and forth back and forth until she stands where you want her.
You must allow your horse time to make these adjustments it takes longer for a horse to interpret and make a physical change then it does for us humans so please keep this in mind. Once she is standing put one foot in the stirrup and make sure she waits. Take the foot out and make sure she is standing still. Put your foot back in the stirrup again make sure she is standing still and continue mounting. Once in the saddle relax and take a breath if you have been successful your horse will be waiting for the next aid which should be to walk quietly away. If she has bolted from the block regain control jump off and start again. Do not forgo the mounting lesson for your ride. The lesson of the day is standing quietly at the mounting block and is only completed when you are in the saddle and the horse is quietly waiting for your next aid. When you can apply your aid without interference from a horse that is too anxious to listen you can then move on.
