MOUNTING
GROUND
WORK MAKES MOUNTING EASY
By SUSAN
DUDASIK
How often
have you tried to get on your horse only to have him move away
just as you put your foot in the stirrup? Or have you ever wanted
to use something as a mounting block but your horse refused
to go near the object? Well, this is not an uncommon occurrence,
especially in horses that don't have a strong foundation in
ground work. At the beginning of this series, I stated that
it would be focused toward horses that have been ridden, though
the methods could be used to develop a strong foundation in
any young equine's training. So far we have covered the basics,
standing, leading, turning on the haunches and forehand, sidepassing,
backing, approaching obstacles and working ground poles. Now
it's time to transfer that training from the ground to the saddle.
I am not going to spend time on the walk, trot or lope as everyone
has their own methods and since this series is geared toward
rideable horses, I am assuming they already know how to do that.
So to advance
with the program, you will need to get on your horse. Sounds
easy enough, but can you mount from either side and will your
horse let you get on from some type of mounting block? Several
years ago I was asked to design a Trail class course. Many of
the competitors complained about how hard it was mounting their
tall horses. So thinking I would be nice, for the mounting obstacle
I had them lead their horses to a bale of hay, step on it and
mount from there. All were riding seasoned show and ranch horses
but of 28 entries, only 3 could complete the obstacle. Several
of the horses refused to stand still, but the majority flat
out refused to be led up to the bale, and if they would approach
it, as soon as the rider stepped up on the hay, they would swing
their rumps away from the rider. Needless to say, that group
never again asked me to design their course, though it proved
a good point. Many of the equines we ride lack the basics of
simple ground training, but if you have been following this
series, that shouldn't be your problem.
Now, for
mounting. Saddle your horse and lead him to an open area. Take
hold of the reins and tell him to "Whoa" or "stand."
Put your foot in the stirrup and swing up. Once on, sit there
for at least twenty seconds. Don't ask your horse to move, just
stand there. One of the reasons a horse moves off when someone
tries to get on is because the second their butt hits the saddle,
they tell him go. Be patient, get settled, straighten your horse's
mane, check the cinch straps or just quietly pet him. Once both
of you are settled, ask him to walk forward.
If your
horse is nervous about being mounted, go back to the basics.
Tell him to stand and put your foot in the stirrup. If he starts
to walk off, take the rein on the side you are mounting, and
pull it tightly toward you. This will bring his head around
and force him to walk in a tight circle. As he is circling,
tell him to "Whoa." Don't shout or jerk on the reins,
just persistently keep his head in tight and say "Whoa."
When he does stop, even for a second, release your pressure
on the rein and pet him. Then step away. Repeat the process
until he stands still at least three or four times. When that
is accomplished, go ahead and get on but remain standing for
at least twenty seconds. Be forewarned, this may take a few
minutes to several days to accomplish. If on the first day your
horse spins like an out of control top, be happy if he stops
for a split second.
Remember,
it takes time, patience and persistence to undo a bad habit
but it will pay off in the end. Don't forget to practice this
from both sides. This is very important! For teaching your horse
to stop when you pull his head around also serves as an emergency
brake. If a rein breaks, all you need to do is pull the other
rein around and your horse should stop. Or, if your horse spooks
and takes off running, if he has been taught to stop when his
head is turned, you may be able to control him. We have all
heard people yelling at someone who's on a runaway to "pull
his head around!" Well this works great IF the runaway
has been taught to give to the pull, otherwise some frightened
equines have the ability to run like a rabbit with their heads
touching their sides.
This is
also a good exercise to practice when you’re cooling off
your horse. As you are walking around, reach down and pull his
head around and say "Whoa." Do this from both directions.
Practice this at the walk and trot until your horse will stop
when you say "Whoa" and slightly pull on the rein.
When mounting,
it's also a good idea to keep the near rein slightly shorter
and your horse's head slightly tipped toward you. Then if he
starts to move off, just wiggle the rein as a reminder. This
is also a good tip when showing in Trail classes. How often
have you seen horses walking off just as the rider was getting
on and the rider ends up with a foot in the stirrup hopping
after his horse because the reins were too long. This not only
looses points, it is very dangerous. At least if the horse's
head is turned, all he can do is go in a circle.
Once your
horse is solid at standing while you mount, it's time to put
his other ground training skills to use. Find something to use
as a mounting block, like a bale of hay, large rock or old wide
stump. Lead your horse up to it from the sides and straight
on. Let him touch and explore it. Now, climb on to it. This
may upset your horse since now you are towering above him which
may be something new. Most likely, your horse will swing his
rump away and want to face you. That's o.k., practice getting
up and down until your horse is comfortable. Now, here's where
your ground training is put to the test. Get back on the ground
and ask him to either sidepass or move his rump around so he
is parallel with the mounting block. Tell him to stand and climb
up on the block. Chances are he will step away when you step
up. Patiently get down and reposition your horse. Do this from
both sides until he will stand still while you climb onto the
block. When he does, don't be in a hurry to get on. Stand next
to him a few seconds, check your cinch, tuck in your shirt,
or pet him. Then get on and stand still. Take about a minute
from the time you climb on the block till you ride off. It will
pay off in the long run.
Once your
horse has succeeded at the mounting block, be safe but get creative.
Try mounting from rocks or stumps. When you get really good
at positioning your horse, try leading him into a small ditch
or between two rocks and mount from there. By using a variety
of objects to mount from, you’re teaching your horse several
things: to approach strange objects, to stand wherever you put
him for as long as you tell him and to trust you. It's extremely
rewarding to be able to lead your horse up to a rock, cue him
to sidepass over to it and then have him stand quietly as you
get on, but to accomplish this takes time and getting back to
basics, back on the ground.
Susan Dudasik
Shadow Rider Equine News
srider@salmoninternet.com
Member: Idaho Press Club
North American Saddle Mule Association
