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In this exercise, it is my intention to teach the horse to present himself for mounting. A rider should be able to walk him up to a fence, climb the fence, and then ask the horse to present himself for the rider to mount. Nothing is more irritating than the mounting block dance and if a horse does that, then, it is a clear indication that his education is deficient.
Another important reason to teach a mounting presentation is so that the horse will be very sure in no uncertain terms that when he presents himself, that the rider will mount. In a sense, it is the horse's last chance to voice any objections that he might have to being mounted. If he has a sore back, if he is afraid of the rider, if his tack is uncomfortable, he can show it by refusing to present himself.
In this video, the horse has learned to present himself. His lesson is tested by the rider. She leads the horse with his right side to the fence. As she climbs the fence in preparation to mount, the horse moves his hind quarters laterally and presents his left side alongside the fence for the convenience of the rider. When he is not quite close enough, the rider exercises her option to ask for greater proximity and the horse responds nicely with another side step into the fence. Bear in mind that this is not a natural movement for the horse as his natural tendency is to move away from the fence. Max learned this lesson very well and is performing it perfectly on his second day at school.
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on June 15, 2009
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