Teaching a horse to pick up his rider from a raised mounting platform - Session Two

This is the second session teaching Hank the Missouri Fox Trotter to pick up his rider from a raised mounting platform. Yes the horse can be taught to be responsible to move itself into position so you can easily mount from any raised mounting platform.

The objective is to get the horse to move itself over very very near to the raised mounting platform the rider is standing upon and then stand there calmly until told to move - no matter how many times the rider mounts and dismounts - no matter if a little kid is saddling the horse and has to get up and down repeatedly from the raised mounting platform to get it done.

Immediately after filming this video I took Hank and had him pick me up while I was standing on several other things including: the fender of our horse trailer; a stump; a stack of firewood logs; four different boulders (large rocks); and a stone bench - each and every raised mounting platform looked different. The objective is to get the horse to understand that his/her job is to move into position very very close to literally any object the rider is standing on and then stand there calmly while the rider mounts and keep standing there calmly until the rider gives a command to move. So once you have taught the concept then you just keep working on getting the horse better and better at it - until it will do it off your voice command alone. As it starts moving off voice command you start teaching that snapping your fingers is the reinforcer (which you follow with gentle taps of the dressage whip if it doesn't comply) - so that eventually you do not need the whip.

Remember to read, study, and ponder upon God's word each day and also pray each day to find out what God needs you to do today and then do it. And have a blessed day!!

Jack Griffes
Certified Farrier - Colt Starting Trainer https://griffes.tripod.com/farrier.html
Be part of the solution - Learn Founding Principles https://griffes.tripod.com/Learn-Founding-Principles.html