Jan. 08 Monthly Training Tip
Question:
My Horse keep moving away when I try to mount. I have even fell down while trying to get on. Is it my horse or is it me? How can I get her to stop?
Answer:
This is a cartoon we see all the time in the horse world. But it isn't funny to the person having the problem. First it is important to understand why the horse is doing this so we can develop a successful plan to deal with it and change the behavior. Sometimes the cause lies with the horse and other times it is the humans problem, but most often it is a combination of both.
There are several possibilities behind the cause of this problem, and without seeing you with your horse I will list some of the possibilities. However it usually boils down to one of these three generalities or a combination of them.
1. The human allows it and doesn't know what to do to change the behavior. The person tries to put up with it which causes it to only get worse. Have you taken the time it takes to teach the horse to stand quietly?
2. The person doesn't use the most efficient method of mounting which makes it easier for both the horse and the human. This is a nice way of saying the person isn't athletic enough to mount so they are pulling the horse off balance.
Do you square your horse up before mounting? Are you poking the horse with your toe? Are you pulling back on the reins? Are you putting too much pressure on the withers? Do you grab the cantle of the saddle? Is your center of gravity too far away from the horse? Are you looking across the horses back? Does your saddle slip a lot? Are you landing abruptly on the horse's back with heaviness? All of these things can cause the horse to be off balance and therefore have to move to get comfortable and maintain a stable position. If you can't mount athletically then you need to strengthen some muscles and consider using a mounting block at all times.
3. It is a conditioned response which has been developed by saying "Giddy up, let's go" the moment your rearend hits the saddle. Do you ever just sit and do nothing for a couple of minutes once mounted?
Other more specific causes may be:
Pain: A horse with a poor fitting saddle, a sore back or any other physical issues can cause the horse to move in order to relieve the pain. If we can eliminate physical problems first then we need to keep digging to get to the source of the problem.
Distraction: If you do not know how to keep your horse connected with you mentally he will be easily distracted by other horses, food, or any other thing that grabs his attention. When the horse isn't paying attention to the rider, his feet will go wherever his mind is taking him.
Attitude: This horse is expressing his opinion loud and clear by saying "I don't want to be ridden". He is playing games with the human and is avoiding being ridden. Maybe he has a poor work ethic, or doesn't like being ridden for a million different reasons. However it is usually a case of disrespect and poor ground manners.
Fear: This happens most of the time in a young horse, but no matter what age, a horse can have fear issues if they have not been properly desensitized. If the horse does not trust you or is afraid of the saddle and you being above him, it is time to go back to some foundational ground training.
Once you determine the cause of your problem and I am guessing it is a combination of the above possibilities then it is time to develop a plan to change the behaviors. I have found many times the rider has unknowingly created the problem. The solution will most likely involve finding a more efficient, less awkward way to mount, which may include incorporating a mounting block. If necessary you may need to go back and work on ground manners for respect and trust. Then start slowing down by relaxing in one place for several minutes before asking the horse to go somewhere.
If you are not familiar with the efficient mounting process which allows the horse to stop fidgeting while you mount then call Sherry, she will guide you through the process. It is much better to see a demonstration than imagine it from words on a piece of paper.
Happy Trails,
Sherry Jarvis
Heart in Your Hand Horsemanship
www.heartinyourhand.com
