Hello from a granny

[Grannt1984]

Hello to everyone.
I am 71 and looking for advice on dismounting. I have found it more and more difficult to swing my leg over the horses back when dismounting. I usually end up sliding off very inelegantly. Fortunately, I have a very steady Highland pony. Any advice would be welcome. Thanks.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Hello! I did a search on the forum, and the suggestions I found was:

Do work without stirrups in trot, and canter, let your legs hang as straight down as possible, to help opening up your hips.
Use a higher mountingblock.
When you swing the leg over the back, try leaning more forward with your upperbody.
Instead of swinging the leg over the back, try swinging it forward.
Try getting off on the wrong side.
Try another type of saddle, perhaps a bareback saddle.

Other than that, it seems as if there is quite a few riders on here, who simply have decided that dismounting gracefully is no longer an option for them, and are happy as long as they still can dismount.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I taught me mare to stand at the mounting block for dismounting. If I have to get off on a hack, it's back to the inelegance, I'm afraid.

 

[HeyMich]

Who says you have to dismount elegantly?

I for sure don't!! Hahah!

 

[Grannt1984]

Thanks for all advice. I'll try the standing at the mounting block. Had a little success this morning using a western style dismount while having horse (bless her) facing a wall.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I hope you find something which works for you, and if it includes a new style of dismount, that your horse quickly gets used to it.

 

[Skib]

I too am in my 70s and began to ride in old age. I posted just a day or two ago about the dismount taught me at my second riding lesson.
It is in the thread Dismounting Western.
https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/dismounting-western.768973/#post-13872497

I am not expert at forums and assume I should not repeat the post - but I hope this link will show it.
Without the cavalry dismount I could never have ridden at all. So I hope it enables you to continue too.