Problems with Standing Still...

[Annie&Dixie]

Dixie started out horrible at this. I thought that it was going pretty good for a while but now it's been back and it doesn't seem to be getting any better.

She walks around in a circle whenever I even go near her girth or to make any of adjustments on her tack. I have played around with the girth many times and she'll stand still for that but not for tightening until after she has been worked a bit. Sometimes she makes it so hard I can't even fix her breast collar! She has also just recently gotten really bad with the mounting block. I tried to get on her bareback and the minute I step onto the mounting block, she starts moving forward.

The method that I have been using is everytime she walks off, I tell her to stand and I flex her to the side because she knows that means to stop...she does very good at this. And like I said it was working for a while but now it doesn't seem to be helping and I'm searching for a new way to get it into her brain to stand still!

[luvs2ride1979]

My mare did this for a bit. I swear, they just like to test you, lol. What FINALLY worked for us (and I tried a LOT of fixes) was to ride with a Dressage whip for a while. When she'd start dancing, she'd get a good whack on the shoulder along with a "QUIT THAT". I'd re-position her and try again. Rinse and repeat. Once she did stand still, I'd praise her like crazy (from the saddle), walk forward a few steps, and get off. Then we'd do it again from the other side (I like my horses to be mounted from both sides). Once I got it on the right side, we'd quit with that. No riding, just a mounting lesson.

I used some treats from the saddle too, little horse treats or mints (easy for them to eat around a bit). My mare isn't a total treat hound, but she enjoys them. It worked VERY well in combination with the verbal praise.

After 4-5 mounting only lessons, she figured it out and stood still. I still rode with a Dressage whip for a while, but never needed it for mounting again.

Using the whip and "QUIT THAT" along with the praise/treats makes it VERY clear to your horse exactly what is acceptable and not acceptable at the exact moment that the behavior occurs. The 3 second rule applies to praise and punishment; you have to react within 3 second of the behavior, otherwise the horse won't connect the praise/punishment with their action/behavior.

Personally, I prefer a quick punishment over endless repetition, and so does my mare ;). Mares are generally very smart and most seem to appreciate quick and clear communication. :cool:

[cloedoll]

luvs2ride gave some awesome advice. Is her tack fitting properly? Any back pain?

[JackieB]

One thing you can try is backing her up aggressively when she refuses to stand still, along with a lot of unpleasant vocalization. Then walk calmly back forward to the spot where the ruckus started and go back to adjusting the girth or whatever. I had great success with Buster doing this.

"If I stand still, everything's fine in a few seconds. If I get fidgety, it's unpleasant becuase I have to walk backward a bunch of steps and the round-headed kid is yelling at me, too."

[Annie&Dixie]

Luvs - Thank you for the advice, I would like to aviod using the whip just because Dixie gets very flighty and often will not do the same thing as long as I don't have the whip. I will definitely keep this in mind though if nothing else works. I do try to give her as much praise as I can when she does good. I think I will have to have a mounting lesson one day just praticing this, like you said.

Cloe - No as far as I know her tack is fitting fine. There are never any dry spots and I ride her in a treeless saddle. I did just recently switch to a felt girth because the neoprene one rubbed her during our trail ride and then after that, I didn't want to use it anymore. She was also adjusted by the Chrio two weeks ago.

Jackie - I had thought about that, I'll have to try that next time. I just don't think I thought about doing that because I had tryed that on another horse at the barn and it really just made everything worst although who knows it could have helped if we kept on doing it but I don't really work with him much anymore. Oh and I love your interpetation of what Buster/Dixie (I'm pretty round-headed too) would be thinking!

Thanks for your advice guys!

[Miracle Whip]

In my case my trainer had me just keep moving the block to the horse until the horse stood still. Don't get upset about it, just keep moving the block until she stands.
Without a block, I would rock the saddle back and forth and she would brace herself for me to get on.

Still trying to figure out something for Whip though. Last time he was too squirellly at first so I rode him until he was good and tired and THEN went for the mounting block and let him rest while I got on and off. He is so big I need the block even with a western saddle.

[elleng]

Dutchess does this primarily with the mounting block (ours is a movable one as she doesn't like the permanent ones). I get her lined up with the block and then as soon as I go to get on she would move backwards a step or two. What I was told to do is keep after her with the block, take the inside rein and make it tight against her neck flexing her head/neck down to the side so she CAN'T move anywhere and this usually works. It is a pain the neck but we work through it.