Publisher's Synopsis
Not being able to get on your horse is one of the most frustrating problems there is in terms of ridden issues, I think. You can catch your horse, tack him up, and once you're on you can walk, trot, canter and jump. But it's the getting on that's the tricky bit. He sidles away from the mounting block, tenses up and feels as though he might buck, keeps walking backwards away from you, circles around you every time you go to put your toe in the stirrup, takes off as soon as you swing your leg over, or a multitude of other problems. One lady I visited had mastered the art of getting on her horse as he cantered around the mounting block - literally! Mounting problems pose one of the greatest risks around riding, and they can be overcome, as client after client of the Intelligent Horsemanship Recommended Trainers will tell you. First look for the cause (brain, pain or training?), next make sure your horse understands when you ask him to stand still for an extended period of time, and then break the mounting process down into achievable steps. Work over whatever period of time is right for you and your horse, and if you stick to these suggestions, any fear in relation to mounting will just melt away.
