me, that is.
Decided to go downthis morning, as we're meant to be out this afternoon. So after i'd mucked out etc got her in and groomed. By the time i was tacked up there was no one there but Liz was out on a ride. After 1/2 hour of me trying to get on on my own and failing - the usual bollocks, get her so far and then the quarters go round - Liz came back and came to help me on. so far so good you would think.
Molly set her jaw and set off for the 20 acre - which would have been all very well if she hadn't planted at the top of the hill. turned her round, planted again. turned again, planted again. said, ok then, down the hill - planted again. turned her round, planted again. Now this is quite a steep hill so not a good place for sitting out a plant at all - she was getting to a situtation where we would have been planted at the steepest bit, rather than the bit you can go down. So i got off and walked back, and whilst doing that saw Liz getting in her car and she drove through the yard in front of me on foot.
There was no way i was getting back on - Molly went back to quarters round when i got anywhere near.
No one will be back now until this afternoon.
so i called her several names and turned her out again.
The bit i had in was the new one I'm trying out.
and please don't tell me i shouldn't have got off. I'll scream at you if you do.
I know the idea of putting straw bales opposite the mounting block. There aren't any, and if I did I would have to put them there every time then move them away again, as they would be totally in the way of everyone else trying to do anything with their horse. don't think my back would be up to all that moving straw bales around.
And we did have a period when she did stand to be mounted, I don't know what happened to decide her to stop doing so.
Decided to go downthis morning, as we're meant to be out this afternoon. So after i'd mucked out etc got her in and groomed. By the time i was tacked up there was no one there but Liz was out on a ride. After 1/2 hour of me trying to get on on my own and failing - the usual bollocks, get her so far and then the quarters go round - Liz came back and came to help me on. so far so good you would think.
Molly set her jaw and set off for the 20 acre - which would have been all very well if she hadn't planted at the top of the hill. turned her round, planted again. turned again, planted again. said, ok then, down the hill - planted again. turned her round, planted again. Now this is quite a steep hill so not a good place for sitting out a plant at all - she was getting to a situtation where we would have been planted at the steepest bit, rather than the bit you can go down. So i got off and walked back, and whilst doing that saw Liz getting in her car and she drove through the yard in front of me on foot.
There was no way i was getting back on - Molly went back to quarters round when i got anywhere near.
No one will be back now until this afternoon.
so i called her several names and turned her out again.
The bit i had in was the new one I'm trying out.
and please don't tell me i shouldn't have got off. I'll scream at you if you do.
I know the idea of putting straw bales opposite the mounting block. There aren't any, and if I did I would have to put them there every time then move them away again, as they would be totally in the way of everyone else trying to do anything with their horse. don't think my back would be up to all that moving straw bales around.
And we did have a period when she did stand to be mounted, I don't know what happened to decide her to stop doing so.
5 comments:
Phooey. Been there with the getting off too many times myself to yell at you. Better to walk home than get into a battle you might not win or get hurt in pursuing. I know getting off isn't the "right" thing to do, but let me tell you sometimes it's the only safe thing to do for some of us.
Have you done the "if you don't stand still while I mount, you are going to just keep running around in your little circle" technique? In other words, you ask her to stand. She moves. You make her move and keep moving until she offers to stop and stand. Then you try to mount again. She moves. You make her work, a lot, and instantly. She has to associate moving with being made to move. This might need to go on for quite a few sessions as it's not an instant cure and some horses just don't get it right off.
Here is a web article on the subject:
Now, on to the training...
When a horse does not want to stand still, I make it uncomfortable for him to move around. Once he realizes it is uncomfortable to move about, he will begin to enjoy standing still. Standing still will soon become a wonderful reward to him.
Every time your horse stands still, stroke his horse's coat and talk to him softly. Do not pat him, just softly stroke his hair. We want him to learn that standing still has great rewards. Also, don't forget to do ALL the steps on BOTH sides of the horse!!!
Step 1. Stop the horse and prepare to mount by using the rules outlined above.
- If the horse stands still, move on to step 2.
- If the horse moves, move on to step 7.
Step 2. Reach for the stirrup and pick it up away from the saddle. Jiggle it around a bit.
- If the horse stands still, move on to step 3.
- If the horse moves, move on to step 7.
Step 3. Place your foot in the stirrup.
- If the horse stands still, move on to step 4.
- If the horse moves, move on to step 7.
Step 4. Put pressure in the stirrup.
- If the horse stands still, move on to step 5.
- If the horse moves, move on to step 7.
Step 5. Stand up in the stirrup, but do not swing your leg over.
- If the horse stands still, move on to step 6.
- If the horse moves, move on to step 7.
Step 6. Gently swing your leg over and softly sit into the saddle. Do not sit down hard on your horse's back, or kick him in the rump while swinging your leg over!!! Be very gentle when mounting...we want him to enjoy this too!
- If the horse stands perfectly still, dismount immediately and stroke his neck, give him TONS of praise. Tell him "Good Boy!" and just stand there and gently pet him for awhile.
- If the horse moves off after you sit in the saddle, but before you give him the cue to move off, gently bend his head to the side (toward your knee) until he stops. Once he stops, dismount and stroke his neck.
Now...repeat the whole process!!! Be consistent!
Step 7. Make it uncomfortable for him to be moving around by asking him (with the lunge line) to trot to the left, trot to the right, trot to the left...don't lunge him! Just ask him to keep moving his feet left to right and back in 1/2 circles around you. Put some energy into it! Make him really work hard at it...he will soon learn that standing still is a much better deal than running around getting all worked up. Once you have made it uncomfortable for him to move around, gently ask him to stand still again. Now, go back to Step 1.
(http://www.equusite.com/articles/riding/ridingStillMounting.shtml)
Another option is to get some lightweight steps. Put them to mount. If at any time (like Jean's model above) she moves away, step down and move the steps to her. Repeat until she is sick of moving away and having the steps moved towards her again and again and again. It took about two weeks for Zippy to get that message but he's never looked back since he gave in.
C
Caroline, we tried that one. i used to have my own little steps in the arena until someone left them out and someone else ran over them! all that happened eventually was that my foot hurt even worse than it does anyway.
jean, that's essentially what max's thoughts would be as well.
guess i'll have to go buy another stool to have in the arena ...
then combine and have some free hours....
i get so frustrated though, as you can tell.
there was a period last year when she would stand to be mounted and we were doing ok!
and i've called her several million names. i don't think thumping her will help, unfortunately. and it certainly wouldn't be the right thing to do as it would be done in temper...not clever!
You'd be surprised! I thumped Zippy in anger when he wouldn't line up at the wall I use to get on. I knew it was "the wrong thing to do" especially for so young a horse. Guess what happened? He lined up and stood like a rock.
I think the key is - does she know clearly what you want? If so, and she refuses to do it, and you are sure she is not in pain or difficulty, then she deserves a wallop. I suspect she knows too well that you won't do that .....
I'm sure you don't find it helpful for me to tell you that she's taking the micky out of you but I'm at a loss to know what else to say really :-(
Have you considered sending her away for some remedial training from someone who can ride out her nonsense?
I know this is terribly negative Claire, and not what you want to read, but it seems to me that you are getting precious little pleasure and an awful lot of stress out of spending an awful lot of money, time and emotional effort on a very unrewarding horse!
C.
Caroline, yes it is .... frustrating. maybe i should just have the stick with me and hit the offside when she swings it away from me....but if I did, it would have to be at the start, certainly wouldn't want a stick anywhere near me if it didn't work!
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