Re: [RC] Need advice--horse won't stand still - SturmRanch
I bought a nine year old gelding last spring that the seller described as having "happy feet". He was so fussy with her under saddle that I wasn't even going to ride him. She said something like "Oh, you've driven all this way and you've never even ridden a gaited horse, don't you want to just try him?" Well I rode him and bought him - he's the most remarkably handy mountain horses I've ever owned, just a quick tough little horse, and he's never figgeted around for me like he did for her.
But, he would hardly stand still to be saddled even when in cross ties in the hall of my barn.
In my other life, I would have considered the solution as "rewarding bad behavior", but I slipped the saddle quickly on and handed him a treat all in one motion. The next time I saddled him, he wiggled a little bit. The third time he stood stock still. He's been easy to saddle ever since. It's sort of the idea of catching them when they're doing something right theory.
He was also horrendous to blanket - embarrassed me in ride camp by knocking me flat when I went to put a blanket over him. Same method - I inched the blanket over his withers and quickly handed him a treat. He's still a little edgy about the blanket, but he does stand stock still.
He's a smart horse and loves treats and I think he has to come associate standing still with a reward.
