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Post by solomon on Jun 11, 2010 12:53:26 GMT
My friends lovely cob, barney has a real 'thing' about mounting blocks. He sometimes is ok about going to it but is never good. Last night she reversed him to it! Which worked, but she often has to resort to schooling whip encouragement. We are really not happy with that solution and desperately need some ideas to try and change things. He has had a bad experience while near the mounting block, he accidentally got zapped by the electric fence one and I think that is part of it. But if my friend has to get off when we are out, he can be a pain to get near to a tree stump. He also has some general leading issues, i.e. he is very slow when being led, you feel like you are dragging him sometimes. This is a pain when I have Pete to lead at the same time as he is speedy. He is worse in his bridle, head collar seems marginally better but he is stubborn. Help.
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Post by fleabitten on Jun 11, 2010 13:16:28 GMT
what about trying a dually halter? they seem to work well with pressure and release etc. I dont know of a fail safe method to get them to walk faster when leading but maybe if you get him listening with the headcollar then hes more likely to move quicker to get off the pressure of the headcollar?
If you maybe do it gradually after you have got a bit of general leading improvement - such as just walking past it, then pausing for 5 seconds, and then 10 and then build it up. But lead him off again before he thinks about moving.
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Post by granniesboy on Jun 11, 2010 19:05:14 GMT
My horse was the same with mounting blocks, always had to get some one to hold him and push him over. Mounting from the ground was just the same. He'd always been like it before i got him. Suppose as he was in a riding school he just assocciated it with work and it was an adversion tactic. One day while alone in the school for a couple of hours i took in a small plastic mounting block and spent the time just getting on and off. Mount, stand still, get off and move to another place always praising him. Eventually he realised it was always going to follow him and it did not mean work. Never had one single problem since. Mind you i was exhausted at the end of it but it was well worth the effort.
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Post by FirenLady on Jun 11, 2010 20:37:17 GMT
What about bribery? Take a carrot put it on the mounting block lead him to it, let him eat it then take it away. So he learns mounting block iiissss veeerry nice carrot machine. Hopefully going gradually you could get him used to standing near it and give him a carrot whilst your friend mounts? Fire used too shoot backwards when I got him and polo therapy helped imensely and he never ever moves whilst being mounted. Barneys a cob isn't he? I'm sure carrot will go down well.
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Post by duckles on Jun 13, 2010 20:14:08 GMT
I know this isn't really the question you are asking but there is a possibility there is something wrong with Barney. DOes he always walk so slow? Does it look like he is dragging his leg slightly? If so , it is possible he has a back or pelvic injury which would also lead to a lack of enthusiasm with the mounting block. I speak from personal experience here. Arthritis, kissing spines or misaligned pelvis can give these symptoms although the same horse can be lively and forward when been ridden. However, if he walks briskly in the field or when been led back to the field- perhaps he is just playing up. Just thought I would mention it.
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Post by dannyboy on Jun 13, 2010 20:41:33 GMT
Thats interesting Duckles as Murphy has always proved hard to mount, probably down to his arthritis and I never even twigged!!
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Post by solomon on Jun 13, 2010 21:05:16 GMT
Thanks for that, Duckles interestingly he is horrible coming in from the field, really slow. Not too bad going out. He has had his back and saddle done this year though.
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Post by fimacg on Jun 14, 2010 9:58:06 GMT
Chompy and Dexter can both be slow coming in from the field I put it down to just not wanting to be away from the grass. Dexter used to be a lot worse before he stabilised I litterally was dragging to and from the field so that ties in with what Duckles says too.
Chomp used to be a real pain to stand at the mounting block he used to walk up to it OK but then wing away. 2 tactics seemed to work.
1) the plastic mounting block following him around until he just gave up moving then lots of praise and a treat, get off and put him away, the first time I tried it, like granniesboy, it took about 1.5 hours for him to get the message.
2) after the plastic mounting block thing he would just step sideways away so his nose was at the block but his bum was at 90 degrees to it, so I started to offer him a treat over the saddle on the right side so he had to strecth his neck around the right, thus keeping his body by the block, once he got that he got another treat as soon as I was in the saddle, then I phased out the first treat so he just got one after I got onebut again on the right side so he was stretching around to the right, now he doesn't get anything but stands brilliantly
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Post by scattymare on Jun 14, 2010 16:24:21 GMT
Think the good tactics have been mentioned. I would probably go with leading him up to it, getting him to stand for a few second, reward without getting on, then move away. Keep on getting longer then add a rider getting on. Treats work wonders for cobby types! Re the leading, Duckles has a good point about pain, but if this is ruled out then sounds like he needs a bit of groundwork - just practicing leading - a schooling whip to give him a little tickle to get him moving. Again, repetition is the key really.
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Post by brigadier on Jun 14, 2010 18:17:45 GMT
Gosh- everyone is getting so good on this forum, really cant add anything. Must echo duckles re the pain issue- worht checking but I had a similar issue with Basil and it was simply him being a bit too big for his boots, did pretty much what firenlady and Fi suggest- bribery- why make things tricky when a treat can work wonders!
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