All too often, horses will move away or sidestep when the rider steps onto the mounting block. This poor behavior can be frustrating for a rider who now needs to reposition their horse. Fortunately, this behavior is correctable! You can actually have your horse step toward the mounting block and position themselves perfectly for you to climb abroad.

Follow this training method to get started!

Move toward the Mounting Block

Essentially, the rider stands on the mounting block and the horse will step forward or swing their hindquarters over so that they're standing directly next it. With a specific training cue, the horse gets into position.

Warwick Schiller, a professional trainer, shares how to accomplish this maneuver. With over 30 years of experience, his methods have proven to be effective. This exercise is taught in his book, "The Principles of Training."

This maneuver can be accomplished in a few simple steps. The rider stands on top of the mounting block, they lift a whip in the air, they move the whip to the outside of the horse's hip, and they finally softly tap on the horse until movement is made. The important part is to allow a few seconds to pass in-between each step. You want the horse to think and react before you continue through the process.

Warwick explains the steps in greater detail during his video:

This is a useful and practical exercise to teach your horse!

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