How to stop a horse from moving while mounting?
I can often see how someone brings their horse to the middle of the ring, stops and tries mount in the saddle. But just as they put their first feet into the stirrup their horse starts walking. If they don’t fall and they manage to climb on top while the horse walks, they just grab the reins, and the riding begins.
So what is the problem?
I believe that horse riding should be about your horse doing what you want as a rider. Or at least that should be the aim.
Starting in a way that your horse just wonders around the ring as you are trying to mount is not the best way to start. Most of the people approach the training of their horse in a sense of “OK, I want my horse to listen to me now, and then I can give him a break.”
They let him do what he wants and just walk around as they are trying to climb in the saddle, and then they all of the sudden want their horse to listen when they are in the saddle.
Horses don’t understand this too well. If it happens they always start trying whether they have to listen, or they don’t. And if they start trying, it becomes quite difficult to teach them anything.
If you want your horse to listen to you 100% of the time you spend around him, it will become much easier for him to understand what’s going on, listen to you, and improve.
If you are now thinking about what should you actually do to make sure your horse listens to you and stays still as you are mounting, it’s quite simple.
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So, how to stop a horse from moving while mounting?
Grab the reins as soon as possible, and if your horse moved as you were climbing in the saddle, back up to the spot where he was initially. Then just stay standing there for at least half a minute. Until your horse gets calm and waits for you to ask him to walk.
If your horse moves so much that you have problems climbing in the saddle, always just back him up to where he was from the ground. Sometimes you have to keep backing up your horse over and over again. But even if you had to spend an hour with it (which is not very likely) its going to be time well spent. And even if the next day, your horse starts walking again without you wanting it, you just have to correct him again.
And this is how to stop a horse from moving while mounting. If you keep consistent with correcting your horse. You will be able to see improvements not just while mounting, but your horse will start listening to you better and more reliably in general.
