Behavior issues

Question
Hi i'm Kristen, i'm 15 years old and i ride western. I have 4 and 1/2 year old mare who i mostly trained with a little help, but i don't know how to solve this issue. She used to be very polite when i go to mount her, but she's gotten very bad about moving even before i get my foot in the stirrup. I tried using pressure and holding the reins, but she just walks in circles around me, which is really annoying. She's 16.2 hands tall so it's not the easiest to get on her anyways especially if she's moving. How can i get her to stand still and stop circling me when i mount?
Also...she's never been fond of me cleaning her front feet. I pick her foot up (which i heard she's supposed to give me her foot)and try to clean her foot while talking to her, but she ends up "pawing out"/"kicking out" with her front feet.
How can i fix this problem and how can i get her to give me her feet?

Answer
Hi Kristen,

It will take patience to fix your mares problems.  When you are going to mount her, get beside her and than instead of trying to get on just stand there, if she anticipates that you are going to get on, stand there until she stops moving.  As soon as she relaxes, DO NOT get on, walk away and leave her alone for a couple minutes, this will show her that she did the right thing by standing still.  Do this until she stands every time you approach her and stand beside her.  When she starts standing everytime you go to her this means that you have shown her how to do the proper thing, she realize that if she is good you will leave her alone.  

Next go a little farther, place your hands on the saddle and pretend you are going to get on, if she moves stay in this position until she stands, when she stands leave her alone for a little while, once again this is showing her that she has done the right thing by standing still.  keep doing this until she stands everytime you do it.

Next, you can get someone to give you a boost and just lay across her back (I would say put your foot in the stirrup but you may not want to hop around), lay there until she stays still and dosn't fidget, than get off and leave her alone for a little while...keep doing this until she learns that if she stands you will give her a rest.  

Next get fully on and just stay there until she stands still, than get off and...you know the rest!  This may take a couple days but it's worth the time.  
After you have fixed the problem, don't let it come back.  to bring it back all yo have to do is get on and than she starts walking without you telling her to.  make sure everytime you get on you let her stand for a solid minute before telling her to move.

The horse is susposed to give you her foot, but that is only if you have taught her to give it to you.  Once again, use the approach and retreat method as i have explained above...go beside her and put your hand on her leg if wait until she stands and dosn't kick out than leave her alone, keep doing this eventually getting closer and closer to picking it up.  When you can pick it up hold her leg til she stops fussing and than let it down and give her a few minutes.

An easy way to get them to pick up their leg is to take the chestnut and actually squeeze it together in your hand, they pick it up better, and at the back leg you would squeeze the skin from the hock together. Only do this once you have her not kicking out any more and she is relaxed.

Good luck!

Echo Savage