Mounting
Whether
your are mounting a young horse for the first time or an older horse that you
have had for some time, do you anticipate mincing and dancing, a fight, an explosive
surprise, or do you see things going like clockwork with both you and your horse
emerging winners? It is natural to experience anxiety before mounting a young
horse for its first ride - that's just normal horse trainer's stage fright. A
small amount of apprehension will probably make you pay closer attention to safety.
Being alert primes your nerves and muscular actions. But too much tension can
take the smoothness and confidence out of your moves and that might bring undesirable
reactions from your horse. If you have an older horse that is developing bad habits
when being mounted, proceed like you would with a young, untrained horse.
The best way to make the first mounting just another day in the string of lessons
for your young horse is to precede mounting with the proper ground training. Contrary
to what you might think, the vast majority of accidents with young horses are
not due to a horse being sneaky or dishonest and pulling out all the stops on
mounting day. Most young horses act very honestly and predictably and are merely
reflecting their previous handling. Accidents with young horses can usually be
traced to the violation by the trainer of one or more very simple, basic safety
rules or to the omission of important basic ground training. Even the most experienced,
accomplished trainers consistently emphasize the importance of the basics. The
importance of groundwork should be taken seriously. The true test of when your
young horse is ready to mount is whether..........read the rest of the article
here: Mounting
Ask Cherry: Mounting Problems
Problems
Mounting a 3-Year-Old
Problems
Mounting a 20-Year-Old
Collectible
Books - Excerpt
"Next the vaqueros mount.
The left rein is held short enough to make it possible to turn the two-year-old
to the left it one starts to jump. The left hand is placed on the neck, left foot
placed in the stirrup, right hand on the horn; then the rider mounts quietly to
avoid frightening the animal. The rider is careful to let himself down in the
saddle lightly."
from The American Cow Pony by
Deering Davis
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Mounting 