dismounting western

stickytoria2002

stickytoria2002

Member
Joined
1 February 2016
Messages
20
Visit site
Hi
right my problem I have is I have started my mare on western, she loves the saddle and doing really well (still got the anxiety issue but we are working on that.) anyway. I am a little dumpy so . Getting on an English not a problem, I use a mounting block. getting off I have no problem just swing the leg over and drop down. but on western I still need a mounting block. but I have been told that dismounting you have to keep your foot in the left stirrup and drop down with your foot in the stirrup , my horse is 16.2 so doing this is impossible. my legs are just not long enough to have one in a stirrup and then one on the floor!! I have been resorting to swinging my leg over the front and sliding down. I feel a lot safer doing this and can see where I am going and land away from my horse she is good and will stand while I dismount. but I need to know if there is another way?
 
Yes, you can swing your leg over with the left foot still in the stirrup, pause a moment whilst leaning and supporting yourself on the saddle, taking the lft foot out and dropping down.

I do think that your legs would be long enough to do this though, it is technique. I have trained 5'4 riders to do so with 17.2 horses. They just needed to learn to stretttttttttch!
 
Could you stand the mare next to a mounting block and drop down onto that with your left foot in the stirrup. I taught my horses tostand next to the mounting block for dismounting after I broke my left ankle.
 
Get on and off however you please!

It’s OK for a 6’ Guy riding a 14.2 QH to say keep one foot in the stirrup and step down... it’s a bit different if there is a large size difference between horse and rider.

If it makes any difference, I’d swing my leg over with my left foot in the stirrup, then kick my foot free before slithering down the side of my horse :)
 
As Red says, once both legs are over one side you can still drop down. But be VERY aware of your clothing and that nothing can catch on the horn as you go!
 
That was the reason I couldn't get on with a western saddle - the cantle was too high to swing my right leg over without getting caught and I really didn't feel I could keep my left foot in the stirrup until my right leg was over. Old habits die hard!
 
I just need to practice I think. I get paranoid that I cant wiggle my foot free then my horse decides to move I fall and i'm on my back with foot in stirrup and horse running round the yard!! I suppose I need to get these thoughts from my head lol I have a nervous new horse who spooks at everything so I am always aware of leaves or birds or anything flapping really in that split second :)
 
I always used the same technique as Red-1, and found that I needed the boost from the stirrup to get my right leg clear of the cantle anyhow! If you're worried about the horse spooking whilst you dismount, consider having someone hold her. There's no shame in taking a few precautions, especially with a new horse :)
 
mule said:
Why do you have to keep your foot in the stirrup on the way down? Is there a purpose to it?
Click to expand...

Yes, with a Western Pommel you can't swing your upper body forwards to clear your leg from the cantle as you would impale yourself :oops:

With your foot in the stirrup you can use it to swing your leg over the cantle, then step smoothly down. If you lose the stirrup once you are level it is OK, but you have to push back as you go down and the down is controlled by gravity so not nice and smooth.

With your foot in the stirrup you can do it in one smooth movement, using the foot still in the stirrup to control your descent.
 
That's my problem my right foot will not touch the ground while my left foot is in the stirrup my legs just don't stretch that far lol. I am only 5.3 and my legs are short my horse is 16.2 !! tried looking on videos showing how to do it but they are all tall me on short horses!!
 
KittenInTheTree said:
I always used the same technique as Red-1, and found that I needed the boost from the stirrup to get my right leg clear of the cantle anyhow! If you're worried about the horse spooking whilst you dismount, consider having someone hold her. There's no shame in taking a few precautions, especially with a new horse :)
Click to expand...
Would like someone hold her but the yard I am on nobody rides anymore all veteran horses so nobody about when I ride !! like a ghost town my yard lol.
 
stickytoria2002 said:
Would like someone hold her but the yard I am on nobody rides anymore all veteran horses so nobody about when I ride !! like a ghost town my yard lol.
Click to expand...
Then the mounting block dismount is definitely for you. You do need a permanent structure though rather than plastic steps, at least while you are teaching the horse to stand during the manoevre.
 
Landcruiser said:
As Red says, once both legs are over one side you can still drop down. But be VERY aware of your clothing and that nothing can catch on the horn as you go!
Click to expand...

^^^^ oh dear...... this is what puts me off riding Western!! Knowing me, I'd get something caught up on the dang "horn" of it and be suspended up there for all eternity! And end up hugely embarrassed.

Think I'll stick to my treeless...... :) That's as far as I go folks! LOL
 
I'd echo PaS's suggestion of standing up at a mounting block. I mean, personally I kick out of the stirrup on the way down if I don't think I can reach / make a smooth landing - it's not that hard - but if you're not confident you won't get caught up, the mounting block is the easiest solution, and good manners for your new horse to learn.
 
I didn't know dismounting could be so complicated 😀 I have noticed on YouTube the US western horses are much smaller than the average wb/ sport horse type. It has to be easier to get on and off them.
I'd say many newcomers to western have had incidents with the saddle horn!
 
I'm short with a short mare and I' with Red-1. I still dismount by keeping left foot in stirrup right hand on horn (saves any hooking issues) swing right leg over back of saddle, kick left foot free and drop down as you would English.
There's quite a lot people at the shows and clinics I've been to who do this as well and its the way I was taught on a ranch holiday, so I don't think its particularly frowned upon or anything.
If I try and keep my left foot in the stirrup I just fall on my arse, too much muscle memory from English dismounts is the excuse I use ;)
 
mule said:
Mabey you could stick with an english saddle and still ride western?
Click to expand...
I bought a very expensive western saddle to use it?? not much sense there, I feel more comfy in a western saddle and safer. :) I have found a way going of frontwards. I know people will cringe but I feel a lot safer pushing myself away from the saddle after checking nothing is caught .(I have compulsive disorder lol so I wont have any thing caught lol. also I can see where I am going and she seems to like standing still this way. weird!!! but it works
 
Having ridden my own horses exclusively western for 10 years now, I have no muscle memory for english dismounting! On the odd occasion I sit in an english saddle I have to consciously think about how I'm going to get off. And I actually end up using a sort of hybrid version ie step over and then kick free and jump down, the whole sliding off thing just feels so wrong now I can't do it!
 
stickytoria2002 said:
I bought a very expensive western saddle to use it?? not much sense there, I feel more comfy in a western saddle and safer. :) I have found a way going of frontwards. I know people will cringe but I feel a lot safer pushing myself away from the saddle after checking nothing is caught .(I have compulsive disorder lol so I wont have any thing caught lol. also I can see where I am going and she seems to like standing still this way. weird!!! but it works
Click to expand...
I see. I hadn't realised you had bought a saddle.
 
I rode in a western saddle a few times in the US when I lived there, not regularly and no lessons (aside from one "trial evaluation lesson" that I got at a discounted price), just trail rides.

I have absolutely no recollection of mounting or dismounting, only of the rides themselves... which makes me think that it was not at all difficult. If it had been, surely I would remember something about it.
 
stickytoria2002 said:
Hi
right my problem I have is I have started my mare on western, she loves the saddle and doing really well (still got the anxiety issue but we are working on that.) anyway. I am a little dumpy so . Getting on an English not a problem, I use a mounting block. getting off I have no problem just swing the leg over and drop down. but on western I still need a mounting block. but I have been told that dismounting you have to keep your foot in the left stirrup and drop down with your foot in the stirrup , my horse is 16.2 so doing this is impossible. my legs are just not long enough to have one in a stirrup and then one on the floor!! I have been resorting to swinging my leg over the front and sliding down. I feel a lot safer doing this and can see where I am going and land away from my horse she is good and will stand while I dismount. but I need to know if there is another way?
Click to expand...
I have see in the past someone swinging their right foot over the back with left foot in stirrup, then sliding left foot out so both legs hanging and just sliding down to the ground.
 
As explained above, the Western and cavalry dismount in the USA involved stepping down with one foot still in the stirrup. But that is not always the case in the UK. Many of us older riders are taught to dismount using the left stirrup, a granny or disabled person's dismount from the Pony Club handbook. I was firmly told by an ex army RI to call this the cavalry dismount and he was right.
You swing your right leg over and draw yourself up, standing to attention, with one foot in the left stirrup. Dont bend your left knee. Take your weight on your hand in the saddle, free your left foot from the stirrup and drop to the ground.
I and my OH have dismounted this way for years, both English and western tack - it makes no difference. Tho I do first position my left boot in the stirrup so my weight is just on the ball of the foot. That is just in case the horse moves.
In the Pony Club handbook one was advised to have someone holding one's horse while doing this. Just in case. But when I shared a good mare and hacked solo, I taught her to stand for me - there is not always someone around when one needs to dismount.
 
JFTD said:
A reining saddle, a roping one, a barrel racing one, a trail one? What make? Is it pretty? :p
Click to expand...
LOL yes it is very pretty and very comfy like a little arm chair lol :) I think it is a barrel racing one as the seat is deep. but not sure it's a very nice one I could not resist it !!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top