Getting off mid hack

[Rowreach]

I never ever mount from the ground, it's bad for them, bad for me, and anyway I ride in treeless so I'd probably end up underneath them somewhere

But again, horses should be happy to stand anywhere at all sorts of random things in order for the rider to get back on. I'm always on the look out for useful things to stand on out hacking, so if I need to get off, I know where the nearest thing is (a bit like watching out for the emergency phones on the motorway ).

Regarding the window of opportunity for getting off, trust me it gets smaller as you get older, and you have to plan the action instead of leaping agilely to the ground

 

[NinjaPony]

Honestly I think it’s very liberating to ride out alone in the knowledge that you can always just get off if there is a problem. Once you get rid of the mindset that there is something wrong with getting off and back on again, you do so happily when needed and avoid getting into a bad situation. For me it made a huge difference to my confidence, particularly in new hacking places.
Agreed that sometimes being able to chuck yourself off quickly is useful life skill! It’s when you can feel the explosion about to happen, so you just have to fling yourself off ASAP!

 

[Auslander]

You are the exception though not the rule- with your condition I would imagine you would also have a relatively sensible horse, and have a plan in place to allow for someone to come and help you if you were miles from home and couldn’t get back on.

Most people can get back on from the ground if they practise enough, and it is an extremely useful skill to have. Just in the last week I have been off and on again several times - to retrieve a dropped whip (not mine!), to remove fallen branches and clear the path, to rescue the child who had not ducked in time and got caught in a branch and to find a safe way through scrub round a fallen tree (I would rather it was me who stood in the rabbit hole I couldn’t see, and not my horse!). On none of those occasions was I anywhere near home (or a road in all but one example) so being unable to remount would have meant a 40-60 minute walk.

I think you mean most reasonably youthful/fit/flexible people...
I can't get on my horse from the ground (and nor would I want to!). I have, in the past, been perfectly capable of mounting big horses from the ground, but those days are long gone. I'm in my late 40's, and although I'm fairly fit, my joints no longer agree to carry out certain tasks - I am reliably informed by my knees that mounting anything larger than about 15hh from the ground isn't going to happen. My horse is over 17hh, and if I've jumped ship because he's been an idiot, he's not going to be in a frame of mind where standing calmly is likely to happen, which makes it even less likely that I could haul myself back on!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I think you mean most reasonably youthful/fit/flexible people...
I can't get on my horse from the ground (and nor would I want to!). I have, in the past, been perfectly capable of mounting big horses from the ground, but those days are long gone. I'm in my late 40's, and although I'm fairly fit, my joints no longer agree to carry out certain tasks - I am reliably informed by my knees that mounting anything larger than about 15hh from the ground isn't going to happen. My horse is over 17hh, and if I've jumped ship because he's been an idiot, he's not going to be in a frame of mind where standing calmly is likely to happen, which makes it even less likely that I could haul myself back on!

What she said, except I'm a good 10 years older, my mount is smaller and my problem is ankle not knee.
I cannot stand on my right foot, not to mount from the ground. Only if tigers were chasing would I even consider trying as adrenalin would possibly help me....

 

[ihatework]

I avoid getting off where ever possible, but if it’s a case of getting off willingly versus coming off unwillingly then the former would always win.

Thankfully I’ve never been in a position where I need to get off frequently. But if that became necessary then I’d acknowledge there was a wider issue in the riding/training of the horse that needed to be addressed in a safer environment than out hacking

 

[Auslander]

But if that became necessary then I’d acknowledge there was a wider issue in the riding/training of the horse that needed to be addressed in a safer environment than out hacking

Alf disagrees. He says there's nothing wrong with his level of training, but if he wants to have a hissy fit about something ridiculous, he isn't going to let his former career stand in the way of some yobbish behaviour!

 

[ihatework]

Alf disagrees. He says there's nothing wrong with his level of training, but if he wants to have a hissy fit about something ridiculous, he isn't going to let his former career stand in the way of some yobbish behaviour!

How frequently are you getting off the yob then ?‍

Honestly if it’s most times you hack then it is an issue, whatever his past

 

[Bernster]

I’ve no hope then with the new girl. I’m a stumpy 5’4 and creaky as you like. She’s a leggy 16.3. We‘d just have to make our way home on foot. Although I think I might investigate those stirrup extender thingies for emergencies, like popping off half way to have a pee out hunting ?

ETA or one of those she-wee things ?

 

[poiuytrewq]

?‍ Getting on from the ground is super easy.... you just need a massive ditch, position pony in said ditch and away you go!

Seriously though I don’t think I could get on from the ground!
There’s usually something along the way that is suitable though so I don’t really worry about it. I’m certainly not going to start practising, poor horse!

 

[Auslander]

How frequently are you getting off the yob then ?‍

Honestly if it’s most times you hack then it is an issue, whatever his past

Three times in 8 years - I tend to stay seated unless he's really losing the plot!

I've walked home 5 times in total - the other 2 weren't his fault - the first time, he tripped, and we both landed on the ground, and the second time, he pulled a shoe off, tripped badly, and I jumped ship whilst having a flashback to the first incident!

 

[ihatework]

Three times in 8 years - I tend to stay seated unless he's really losing the plot!

I've walked home 5 times in total - the other 2 weren't his fault - the first time, he tripped, and we both landed on the ground, and the second time, he pulled a shoe off, tripped badly, and I jumped ship whilst having a flashback to the first incident!

Well then the comment isn’t really relevant in my eyes.

 

[Auslander]

I’ve no hope then with the new girl. I’m a stumpy 5’4 and creaky as you like. She’s a leggy 16.3. We‘d just have to make our way home on foot. Although I think I might investigate those stirrup extender thingies for emergencies, like popping off half way to have a pee out hunting ?

ETA or one of those she-wee things ?

Knowing her, you could probably carry a small stepladder, and she wouldn't turn a hair!

 

[Auslander]

Well then the comment isn’t really relevant in my eyes.

I can only apologise...

 

[crazyandme]

FWIW i don't mount mine from the *ground* ever, but I'm more than happy to walk until we find something to mount from (fortunately where I live there's usually something within a few hundred metres, bank/wall/treestump/park horse in tractor ruts etc!) I'm fairly disciplined about teaching them to stand to be mounted under normal circumstances, tho if they were stuck in the firebreathing mode I'd just walk, I don't mind tbh!

Teaching the horse to be mounted from any number of weird and wacky objects is incredibly useful! I had one instance where I jumped off as Reg suddenly went very lame (stood on a stone, and he is a massive wuss over them. Was sound 5 steps later!). Nowhere to mount aside from a vertical bank with a massive bush at the top, he stood like a rock as I clambered up the bank and hopped back on board! I wasn't going to get on him from the ground, I haven't got the strength or flexibility despite being mid 20's!

 

[NinjaPony]

It is relevant. People should know that getting off is a perfectly acceptable option if they are in trouble and feel unsafe, and they shouldn’t feel guilty about it. I’ve only got off mine out hacking twice in 9 years but knowing that I could has helped massively. I’ve got off a couple of other horses in this time and getting rid of the anxiety and guilt about doing so has been so helpful to my confidence in my own abilities.

 

[ihatework]

It is relevant. People should know that getting off is a perfectly acceptable option if they are in trouble and feel unsafe, and they shouldn’t feel guilty about it. I’ve only got off mine out hacking twice in 9 years but knowing that I could has helped massively. I’ve got off a couple of other horses in this time and getting rid of the anxiety and guilt about doing so has been so helpful to my confidence in my own abilities.

I completely agree.

But it wasn’t a relevant comment in direct quotation of my response.

If you are having to frequently get off hacking then there is something going wrong somewhere. If it’s once every now and again to stay safe that’s different. Im not saying don’t get off, I’m saying assess why you are having to get off a lot and try and do something about it, because long term that is the safer option.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I’ve no hope then with the new girl. I’m a stumpy 5’4 and creaky as you like. She’s a leggy 16.3. We‘d just have to make our way home on foot. Although I think I might investigate those stirrup extender thingies for emergencies, like popping off half way to have a pee out hunting ?

ETA or one of those she-wee things ?

She-wee with a hose attached and you're good to go... ? I was going to say "and you're golden" but then realised that perhaps wasn't the best phrase in the circumstances.

 

[poiuytrewq]

She-wee with a hose attached and you're good to go... ? I was going to say "and you're golden" but then realised that perhaps wasn't the best phrase in the circumstances.

??‍ that is all I have to say on that ?

 

[Rowreach]

I’ve no hope then with the new girl. I’m a stumpy 5’4 and creaky as you like. She’s a leggy 16.3. We‘d just have to make our way home on foot. Although I think I might investigate those stirrup extender thingies for emergencies, like popping off half way to have a pee out hunting ? ?

Those stirrup thingies are useless because you end up too low down to swing your right leg over the saddle (especially if you are a shorter-legged variety of person)

 

[poiuytrewq]

Those stirrup thingies are useless because you end up too low down to swing your right leg over the saddle (especially if you are a shorter-legged variety of person)

That’s a shame, on one hand I thought they looked quite handy, on the other I figured that may be the case!

 

[southerncomfort]

You see if you'd all stop buying enormous horses and become a pony squisher like us more sensible (shorter) people, their would be no problem getting back on!!

?

 

[Auslander]

You see if you'd all stop buying enormous horses and become a pony squisher like us more sensible (shorter) people, their would be no problem getting back on!!

?

But I have an enormous horse because I fit him. I'd be hung drawn and quartered if I rode anything smaller!

 

[Bernster]

She-wee with a hose attached and you're good to go... ? I was going to say "and you're golden" but then realised that perhaps wasn't the best phrase in the circumstances.

???

I did read some reviews of those stirrup extenders and they seemed to say the same thing. Damn shame. I will have to stay on board now !

 

[Cob Life]

I have one that I stay on at all costs as he’s much better behaved ridden than in hand, in hand There a possibility I’m not going to be able to keep hold of him but he rarely throws moves ridden that I struggle to sit to.

the other is very nervous ridden and more confident with me by her side so I’d always rather get off and give her that confidence