Koda put me on the ground but I don't hold it against her.

Restarts are always harder that starting a young one because the holes are solid and the horses are strong but Koda is going to work through this and be nice.

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[MrEzekiel]

I don’t know if many trainers would post a video like this. You are both competent and humble

[ilaria]

I really love how your energy didn't change, you were not angry or nervous at all, just kept doing your job

[thomasosburn]

Tim, I've been training for 25 years and this video exemplifies the correct way to fix this problem. I'm 66 years old and 5 foot 9 inches, so getting on taller horses is difficult. As you pointed out, keeping the horse's neck bent keeps her rear end disengaged. She can only turn towards you, not move away from you, as she did at first. Breaking down the mounting into pieces, as would be done starting a horse, makes it easier to reward the correct behavior. She's a smart horse and learned quickly that bad behavior is not rewarded. Your time, patience and skills were taught this horse that the right thing is easy and the wrong thing is hard! All of this accomplished without harm the horse or the trainer! Great job.

[daffodahlia]

I can hardly see past the beauty of this arena and it's surrounding trees. The light in the arena is so gentle. What a serene place.

[suzanneyorkville]

I'm 5' 1 and turn 63 next week and my horse is a smidge shy of 16 hands. When we go out on the trail with friends, even though I'm the shortest and oldest by 20 years, on the tallest horse, I get off and get all the gates {sadly they are barbed gates}. I do this because my friends cannot mount from the ground, so once they are on that's it. So here's to us short 60- somethings who really have it going on and can still get on from the ground....lol BTW, love your videos and I learn a lot.

[juliehmidmo]

What a gorgeous mare. I hope you are being paid well to get her going again ! I agree completely that her behavior is not pain related because you can see that obviously once she sees she isn't getting rid of you she stands. No pain or discomfort showing in her eyes or facial expression. I do believe that we as horse owners are being conditioned to make every act of disobedience by our horses pain related. Not that it shouldn't be considered but many start treating for ulcers and stop riding as soon as they suspect something. Just what the horse wanted--a vacation. I just turned 60 a month ago. Not sure I can get on without a mounting block anymore!

[Loralarify]

A beautiful thing to witness, you gaining her trust. So many horses have been mistreated because whoever worked them didn’t have any patience and horse sense. Beautiful horse- wonderful human.
Thank you.

[lightsoutlena]

I've noticed a lot of trainers don't post themselves in a moment of loss of control, nor are they able to admit mistakes. Thank you for posting all of this. You are a wonderful example of a kind, smart, humble and patient trainer.

[aileen]

OMG Tim, your patience is amazing! Well done, again!

[kidstuff]

It happens to the best of us! Horses are the great levelers. If you don't have persistence, patience and a good attitude (like Tim here), you won't get far with horses

[meycoe]

love how you break it down to baby steps when necessary. No sense creating worse, more deeply ingrained issues. Smart stuff!

[fallbrkgrl]

Ouch... Really glad you weren't seriously hurt.
Like someone else said, you sure have a lot of patience. But then again, it's probably one of the most important thing folks need to have that work with these beautiful, prey animals.
Glad you're ok, and she's getting better at standing still.
Thanks Tim!
❤️🌵☀️⛈️🌈☮️🐎

[melissahilbrand]

After watching the first minute. I retract yesterdays comment and agree fully with you. This is a habit not pain.

[gretchenzwicker]

Wow Tim the same thing happened to me with my mare when she was a youngster. I held on to the back of the saddle as long as I could and then I bailed. My arm was one giant black bruise from holding on to the cantle. After that I always turned her head to me just like you did here, but she needed a lot of work getting on and off, from the start she had an issue with me being above her. Great job here with this mare Tim! I know what you are saying I just turned 63, but I’ll be riding till the put me in a box😊

[americanwoman]

Well done!
No anger; No taking it personal, Just breaking it down to small steps. and releasing pressure when she gets a step correct. This is how all horsemen should be treating any issues with a horse. Training is a process not an event. Horse do well what they do most.

[ClaudiaSwanson-ykfg]

I just love this video. I so appreciate seeing you deal with this kind of issue most of the way through the process. Thank you for sharing it.
I hope that the owners can practice this with her when she returns to her home so that she doesn’t revert back if she has a moment. This mare is just stunning to look at!! YOU are so awesome to watch; I always learn something… Hope your wife is doing well.

[Slidinglodge]

Glad your all good,
It's awesome to see those moments and how you work through it.
Your a great horseman.
Thank you

[chocolatefrenzieya]

At 54, and 5'2", I feel your pain. You took that tumble a lot better than I would have.

[blackdandelion]

Love it! Don't worry, getting on a tall horse with one leg is like stepping on the highest blocks at the gym from the floor one foot at a time. I speak from personal experience as the same muscles engage and when you do it 20X with each leg. . . .you don't really want to do it more.
Really like how you were the same energy level with the horse. Excellent example of training with patience, time, repetition, and rewards for progress made. Not just jumping in the saddle, but each step of the progress. It's how horses have it stick into their brains vs have it leave their minds shortly after leaving the trainer.

[thomaswhite]

I start colts and help people with horses that have baggage or learned bad habits. This demonstration is exactly how you restart a horse that isn't fearful of the rider but simply refusing to cooperate with something it doesn't want to do.

One thing I would add to really change the horses mind about being mounted is to make the horse work really hard with a rapid succession of difficult maneuvers from the ground in between attempts at mounting. It causes the horse to appreciate someone in the saddle more than them on the ground. They start to feel differently about being ridden because you've made the undesirable behavior difficult and the desirable behavior easier and more comfortable. It reduces the likelihood that the horse will revert back to arguing in subsequent lessons and revisiting the process shown in this video over and over.