I worked twice using the cookie method with a mare i catch rode once a week and a year later she remembered me and my cookies and was perfect.
I am not sure id be paying to lease a horse that had a mounting issue like this unless his other merits made up for it.
I just have to post again to emphasize that you don’t want to move off right away once mounted, I had this problem too. You want him to stand there until YOU ask him to go.
All good hints…
I cannot have a horse that walks, jigs off, or I’d fall off and break.
Mine has to stand still, while I check girth, mount, wait until I’ve had a cigarette, put on my gloves, had a stirrup cup or two (figurateively speaking) and then can move upon command and not before.
It takes tons and tons of time and patience. Even the tug on the stirrup leather has to be conditioned out of the horse if it moves when you pick it up.
BTW, a firm tug on the stirrup makes sure the horse is stable and square for the transfer of your weight, or they will have to move a foot to rebalance themselves, then they are not standing still and another foot will move, etc.
Also, I frequently back up a few steps before going into forward gear, do a few manoeuvres like turn on the forehand/haunches just to stop him anticipating e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.
There may be a time on the trails when you have to get on without help, when you are standing on a slippery log with a keener wanting to go - and he had better be trained.
Surprising how many horses are not given this important basic.
Oh - also, this horse will know when it is you in charge, and what you demand - even if his other sharer does not expect a stationary mount.
[QUOTE=Beverley;7961143]
In general, I’ve had good results over the years with schooling on mounting at the end of the ride. Horse has worked and should be more mellow, and the reward for standing (better and better each time), is, hey congrats, you did that right, we are done for the day. I like to practice mounts and dismounts on both sides, myself, just to expand horizons and have the capability.[/QUOTE]
That is just insanely brilliant!
Every time I see a mounting post I have to throw in my two cents because I got in a bad accident 10 years ago with a horse that was bad about mounting.
I clearly did some things wrong. First I allowed someone to hold the horse. They grabbed both reins right under the bit. What that meant is when they let go, my reins were slack. What happened is as soon as I barely touched his back with my butt, he started spinning very quickly around the person on the ground holding him. So quickly that I couldn’t get my foot in the other stirrup. Then that person got scared and let go and left me with a wild horse that took off on a tangent at a full gallop and bucking with one stirrup and slack reins.
Now I work with horses for a long time on the ground (like others have said in this post) to make sure they are really quiet around the mounting block. Never be in a rush to get on. Also, if you must have someone hold the horse for you, make sure it is someone you trust to actually hang on and deal with any situation that might arise. Also, make sure they only grab one rein and not both reins so you don’t end up with a lot of slack when they let go. I’d also recommend they stand on the opposite side of the mounting block while holding the horse so the horse isn’t encouraged to step away from the block.
These days I’ll sit for hours making sure a horse lets me mount politely, but in the case where I just need to get on quickly and ride the horse (like if we’re trying it out or something), only my DH is allowed to hold the horse for me. Freaked me out if you can’t tell lol.
ETA: The horse in question was supposed to be a well trained horse that just needed some fine tuning so they could sell him. I was under the impression he was a very safe ride. I found out later he hadn’t been ridden in 6 months because he dumped his owner and she broke her collar bone.
Rather than leaving and going somewhere else on the property and working on your mounting block issues completely separate from the mounting block, work on your mounting block issues actually at the mounting block.
Make standing flat footed at the mounting block a good place to be.
Pull him up to the mounting block, when four feet are on the ground feed a treat. When he moves, put him back where you wanted him, when his four feet are on the ground, feed him a treat.
Gradually increase your expectation: put a foot on the block, if he is still standing feed a treat. If he is not still standing, put him back where you want him and when four feet are on the ground feed a treat.
Gradually increase the amount you are able to futz around on the block while he stands flat footed, rewarding good behavior with treats. Bang on the saddle -still quiet? Treat. Put foot in stirrup -still quiet? Treat. Put foot in and out of stirrup -still quiet? Treat.
When you do actually get on, you are going to have to be quick, because probably he WILL still spurt off a little. Hop on, stick with the spurting, bring him back to a halt. When the four feet are back on the ground, reach down and give him a treat.
He will learn quickly to “look for the halt” so he can get his treat.
(Everyone is always like, “but isn’t that rewarding him for running off?” No. Running off was the initial behavior. The treat rewards him for when he STOPS running off and puts his attention on what YOU want and gives you the DESIRED behavior that is your idea instead of the crappy behavior that is his idea. He will learn he has to HALT to get his treat. Eventually he will stand at the block and wait for his treat, but remember he has a brain the size of an apricot so give him a few tries to get better and better until it’s right. If he halts after 10 steps the first time, then after 8 the next time, then after 7 the next time, this is progress. Give him a treat.)
I learned this on a horse that ran off during a mounting up attempt, had me face down in the dirt by the block, and sprinted around the farm a few laps in victory while I picked myself out of the arena dirt, dusted myself off, and trudged wearily off to go catch him.
I caught him, did not beat him, swung by the tack area to fill every pocket with treats, and taught him to stand nicely using the above method in literally 10 minutes.
We made sure to pointedly practice every time we rode that week, and after a week the behavior was fixed and just a pat on the neck was fine.
Kindness and timing works.
By the way, a really great time to practice is at the END of the ride.
At the end of the ride hop on and off 5 times. Hop on, treat, wait, treat, ride away a few strides, halt, treat, hop off, back to the block, treat, hop on, treat, wait a while, treat, ride away a few strides, halt, treat, hop off, back to the block, etc. Lots and lots of treats for good behavior. This takes away the preride anxiety and help the horse practice good behavior and really solidifies in his mind to “look for the halt” so he can get his treat.
[QUOTE=oliverreed;7961194]
I just have to post again to emphasize that you don’t want to move off right away once mounted, I had this problem too. You want him to stand there until YOU ask him to go.[/QUOTE]
Agreed, that’s the end result, but you can’t get there in one fell swoop with most horses. You have to set them up for success, and it comes in increments. There are lots of ways to do it, of course, my approach is, get on any way you can, school the halt and stand a lot while you are riding (at first, maybe only a nanosecond for some, and increasing the time, but as you note, horse moves when YOU say so, the key is you have to be able to judge that ‘ask’ before the horse messes up). And then mounts and dismounts at the end of the ride, and it’ll all get better from there.
[QUOTE=Bluey;7960870]
Sounds like that is a horse with some holes in his basic training.
I would start to re-train him like you would a colt you are starting under saddle.
Except that he is not your horse, so don’t know if the owner will be happy if you do that.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Posting Trot;7960898]I think that all of the above posts are right about problems in the horse’s basic training, but I just want to suggest that you check the fit of the saddle. Trying to scoot away upon mounting and in the first minutes of the ride can be an indication of a saddle that is pinching the horse at the withers or that is otherwise causing pain.
A saddle that used to fit a year ago or several months ago, may no longer fit now. Here’s a link on evaluating saddle fit: http://www.saddlefit.com/educational_2.html[/QUOTE]
Ditto these.
Most horses are never really taught that they are expected to stand at a mounting block. They are taught to allow the rider to get up and get on, and I think over time they associate the action with moving off right away - this is a gap in their basic training I have noticed in most every horse I’ve worked with.
For teaching a horse to stand at the mounting block, I am not above rewarding with treats. For my guy, it was simple: I broke it down into three steps - feel free to modify them to fit your guy’s training method.
I taught him the command “stand” with a clicker. I drop the lead, he stops and stands still until I ask him to move. The moving cue is “walk on”. Always make a vocal/verbal cue in the first stage of training for a new behavior.
I would walk towards the mounting block, and say “stand” when you walk onto the mounting block. Click/reward when he stops and stands, do this many times without getting on. Verbal cue “walk on” for when you are ready.
Now, practice with him standing still getting on. For my guy, I would give him a treat if he stood still – but only AFTER I adjusted my girth and stirrups. He now stands patiently for me to fuss around, no problem. Verbal cue “walk on” for when you are ready.
Some horses anticipate pain - withers, saddle fit, back pain.
I had a similar issue last year with a pony I ride and got some great suggestions when I posted about it.
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?426812-Flinching-scooting-at-the-mounting-block
Ultimately, my trainer and I decided that because the pony is very cold-backed, and is prone to shivers due to EPSM, his issues were due to a) anticipating feeling uncomfortable during mounting, and b) exacerbated when he had been standing around for a while because it made him more likely to get shivers. By walking him around before mounting, always having someone stand at his head, mounting VERY slowly and carefully, and posting at the walk to warm up his back, we have addressed the issue. In his case, since the cause was physical, we were more willing to make adjustments to what he needed. If it was a behavioral issue, there are good suggestions that were made on my original thread - namely, making the wrong choice (not standing) uncomfortable by making them work. Definitely address this issue though, because it can be dangerous and it may be because the horse is in pain.
^^^^^ this is a valid point. It may be that you have to mount quietly and keep walking, like racehorses do. Depends on the reason. You may have to make the standing still a more distant goal.
All above are good suggestions.
I’‘ll add two: 1) If possible, arrange mounting block so it faces a wall of barn of fence so he cant’ take off. I realize this is not always possible. If he dances sideways, a ground pole making an outside"rail " helps laid on ground.
2). I have a half mustang arab who I trained after he stood in field for years. And he seems to have mostly a mustang mind which imo is a bit unique…they can be extremely smart and extremely stubborn. He was not good about mounting, ( trained from green), he did not take off but would move off, dance sideways, etc. I tried all the above suggestions from the posters and none of them worked. Finally one day I lost my patience and on the ground, made him back up hard and fast, a long time, maybe 40 fee or so, pushing my crop into his chest . THAT got his attention. After that, he was smart enough to stand rock still. And if he ever starts to revert, I back him up hard and he remembers and stands nicely.
I don’t know about others, I’ve found through trial and error I have to do things a bit differently with him and corrections or training has to be exaggerated to make an impression, otherwise he just chooses to ignore it. Mustangs/half mustangs can be a lot of fun and he’ll make you a better rider but imo do not assume he is just going to chill out and be a regular horse because most likely he won’t…they are a bit smarter and will challenge you more so be a bit “louder” as far as directing him if need be, otherwise enjoy, they can also be charming and endearing once they cooperate.
Lot’s of good suggestions here, you are in a tough situation too, where you only get 2 rides a week on the horse. One observation, if the horse moves off after you get on but before you tell him to, you need to be prepared to get off and mount again until he stands still for at least a heartbeat 
I always make mine stand a bit before moving off. He gets a pat and praise from me as we move off for cooperating. While we need to be a bit louder with corrections same with praise for the mustang…they need a lot of interaction from rider/handler and thrive on it.
Why are you leasing this horse?
Who are you leasing it from?
Why does you trainer think it is ok to leave you ride on your own a horse you are anxious to ride to begin with?
At your level, riding should be fun and enjoyable. Not making you anxious. If you are anxious, things will go wrong, no matter what you do.
I suggest you don’t get on that horse. Not until someone teaches you (and the horse) how to make it stand politely for you to get on.
Ill-trained horses shouldn’t be offered for lease. The owner should PAY someone to train it…
Alibi brings up a good point. If you can not get him to stand to mount , don’t try to get on. Ask that trainer work with him to be taught to stand, ask if owner will pay for it, or if trainer will do it for a discount rate for you if you plan to board him long term and are taking lessons from her,
Will be interested to see if this horse volunteers to stand for you without trainer around to hold him. They are very smart and he just might. If he doesnt’, back him up, talk to him, ask him to stand. If that does not work, imo, just work with him on ground and dont’ try to mount if he is not offering to stand for you. He needs to be trained to stand and that is something that unless he offers first time after a few corrections, you should not be handling on your own as mounting a horse that moves off/takes off ( not sure what exactly he does) can be dangerous. I was alone with my horse but he was my horse and I chose to do it and I also knew him real well and he’d move off, not take off, which is a big difference.
best of luck, be smart and safe and enjoy if the half lease works out.
Since you are leasing the horse, you might also want to watch the owner ride the horse (as well as mount the horse). Does the owner have some of the same issues as you do?
If you have a round pen, it’s a great alternative to treat’s (A lunge line can work too but it would be best to have a second person to unclip and I much prefer a round pen) . When I broke my mare she had two choices, go out and work, or stand quietly at the mounting block… which was scaryyyyy at first but now she knows it’s a quiet place and she gets scratches etc. when standing there.
I also like to mix up what happens once I’m on board. Sometimes we flex, sometimes we back, sometimes war go left right, or side pass… occasionally we go forward too!
Super brave pony meeting the pony eating mounting block in our pretty ghetto western tack.
It’s just clicked that it’s not your horse, I would really really talk to the owner and try to make a plan with her!
One other suggestion. Some horses move off because they feel unbalanced when you get on. I found that if I pull the stirrup hard toward me, the horse will often take a more balanced, solid stance. This can also become a cue to stand until you cue him to go once in the saddle.
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