Is it pain or naughtiness?
When your horse refuses to stand at the mounting block, it’s easy to blame his behaviour on bad manners, but he might actually be trying to tell you something. “The first thing to do when you encounter a problem with mounting is to stop and think,” says Dr Marsden. “When did it first start happening and make it your focus to fix it. Has he always done it, or did it start after the saddle slipped a couple of weeks ago? Has he had an injury or is he in pain? “Problems with mounting can usually be split into two main reasons – either he’s learned that something unpleasant is about to happen (this could be pain or he’s about to leave his mates at the yard), or it could be due to what we call ‘confident learned behaviour’, where the horse is being a bit cheeky. “To decipher between the two, we look for tension signs. These signal that your horse is nervous about what’s about to happen. He might be worried that he’s about to get hurt, or he might have had a bad experience that’s making him scared. His chin will tighten, as will his nostrils, making them appear long and thin. The other sign to look for is his tail.” If your horse is feeling nervous or anticipating something unpleasant, he might flinch or tighten his tail. In serious cases, he’ll clamp his tail right down and tuck his hindquarters right underneath him – telling you that something isn’t quite right. “If we see these tension signs, we can generally assume that the horse is expecting something unpleasant to happen,” says Dr Marsden. “Also, if you have a horse that’s good to do in all other ways except when you try and get on, you can assume he’s not being naughty and is trying to tell you something.”
Find the problem
The first step to conquer tension signs is to get a team of professionals to make sure he’s comfortable. Have a vet check him out and have all of him looked at – not just his back. “A lot of problems start at other points in the horse’s body and cause a cascade of issues,” says Dr Marsden. “He might have a slight lameness in his hind leg and it’s putting pressure on other muscles to compensate. Eventually, it can cause problems with his back and he’ll feel sore when you ride him.” Once the vet has checked him over, ask for the advice of a Chartered Physiotherapist. “If you have a physio* come out to see your horse, they can work all over his body, looking at his soft tissue and dealing with any problems,” explains Dr Marsden. “They can also give you simple exercises to do at home to keep him comfortable.” It’s always important to check that your saddle is a perfect fit. While you may have only had it fitted a short while ago, any changes in your horse’s diet or routine can alter his shape and affect how his saddle fits. “Get a Society of Master Saddlers Qualified Saddle Fitter* to check your saddle and adjust as required,” says Dr Marsden. Finally, consider any changes that could be causing him discomfort. A new numnah or detergent could make him uncomfortable.
Take your time
Once you’ve covered all bases and he’s comfortable, you can try getting on board again, but take things gradually. “He won’t know that the problem has been resolved,” says Dr Marsden. “So take things slow by taking the numnah on and off, followed by the saddle with no stirrups or girth, then girth up gently. Gradually he’ll realise he’s no longer in pain and he’ll be happy for you to get back on board.”