Hips and Mounting Problems

jomax

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 June 2010
Messages
73
Location
Cheshire, UK
Visit site
I am 59 and for the last few years have not been able to ride as much as i previously did, due to a problem with my hips and groin, mounting is difficult as I struggle to get my leg over the saddle and need help to do so. I then need to just walk for a while, during which I slowly adjust myself to sit properly down in the saddle, depending on how i feel, pain wise, as to whether i able to trot, if ok, then i can enjoy the rest of my ride, getting off is difficult too, as i need to pull my dismount leg right up behind me and hold it there for a few minutes and repeat this a few times before my leg will come back over the saddle to dismount.
All this means that I cannot mount and dismount anymore without someone their to hold my mare for me, it's all very depressing as you can imagine.
I was wondering as most of my issues are in my right side, if I should start mounting from the opposite side, this may help the whole process.
Has anyone else suffered or is currently suffering with similar issues?
 

ROMANY 1959

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 July 2009
Messages
2,091
Location
Flintshire
Visit site
When I started riding after my weight loss, I got a high mounting block so I could just put my leg over and slide onto saddle.. and do reverse to get off.. luck that the horse would stand nice for me, I don’t ride much now as it was painful for a day or so after, but give it a go with a high mounting block
 

jumbyjack

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 December 2005
Messages
988
Visit site
As Romany said a high mounting block makes things so much easier. I could not have continued riding as long as I did without it.
 

Pearlsasinger

Up in the clouds
Joined
20 February 2009
Messages
44,733
Location
W. Yorks
Visit site
My OH built me a higher mounting block years ago and we also bought a plastic portable 4 step block after I broke my ankle. I get off on to the blocks, as well as mounting from one. I can't think of any reason for not mounting/dismounting on the right. You might need a helper the first few times, so that your horse understands what you want but it shouldn't be a problem, really.
 

DabDab

Ah mud, splendid
Joined
6 May 2013
Messages
12,572
Visit site
Yep, high mounting block, and it is definitely worth spending some time training your mare to be happy just standing next to the block for hours on end if required;). Also no problem with mounting from the wrong side. I knew a lady a while ago who was in her late 70s, had had two hip replacements and a fair bit of arthritis. Her horse was a (similarly dodery) 16.3hh and it used to take her about 10 mins to get on from a high block, but she would always manage alone and then they would potter together off up the road quite merrily.

You could also try sidesaddle :D
 

Myloubylou

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 February 2009
Messages
960
Visit site
I am temporarily having issues having damaged my back. I have to stretch before I mount to loosen off tight muscles & getting off plain hurts but my saint of a horse stands while I slither off. I am doing lots of pilates and glute isolation exercises to stretch & strengthen back, hips & legs. If you can mount the other side easier I’d do that, I can mount that way but not tried to dismount other way. Other off the wall suggestion is to try western as you can step into stirrup to dismount & use horn as well.
 

Shay

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 August 2008
Messages
7,345
Visit site
Not hip related but when I first came back to riding after breaking my back I had to mount and dismount by bringing my bent leg forward over the neck rather than backward over the rump becuase the brace didn't permit that backward movement. (And also from a very high mounting block..) I had a helper the first couple of times but once the horse understood what I was doing it was fine. I would never have been able to remount from the ground though. Actually - still can't...!
 

JanetGeorge

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 June 2001
Messages
7,006
Location
Shropshire/Worcs. borders
www.horseandhound.co.uk
I'm a lot older than you, jomax - and my right hip has stopped me riding completely. I can get on - from a big haylage bale - but can't get my knees far enough apart to actually sit DOWN in the saddle, even on my WB. And getting off is even harder. Waiting for a steroid jab to the right hip but no idea if it will help. I find getting off even harder.

I see no reason why you shouldn't mount from the right - although you might find it just as difficult even when you get used to it. I used to teach an adult rider who was a left leg amputee - he mounted from the right with no assistance. We DID have to get the horses used to it - which wasn't hard for an able bodied rider - but if you have a competent friend I would get them to help. Don't go straight to it - do leg-ups and lay-overs first as you do with a backer. Is it arthritis causing the difficulty? If so, you need to work on it from all angles. A good physio/osteo can help a lot. And if you haven't already done so, talk to your GP about a referral to the pain clinic. (They're slow to get to you in my area - but they DO have a clue.)
 

Cortez

Tough but Fair
Joined
17 January 2009
Messages
15,151
Location
Ireland
Visit site
Mounting from the right hand side is called the falconer's mount, because of holding the bird on the left fist (mounting from the left is traditional only because of wearing a sword on the left hip), there's no reason why you can't train the horse (and yourself - it's incredibly difficult to do if you're conditioned to do it from the left!) to do this.

I wonder if pilates or something similar would help you? (Aha! I see a cross post there on the same subject).
 

Red-1

I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Joined
7 February 2013
Messages
17,814
Location
Outstanding in my field!
Visit site
I have one of the 4 step mounting blocks too, it is a godsend. I also get off onto the mounting block.

In the driveway is a similar height one, and I dismount from the "wrong" side onto it because of where it is. Yes, the horse was somewhat surprised at first, if you have a bad back it would be worth having someone train it in so the horse is OK with it even if you are a bit wobbly.

When my back has been very bad I have also dismounted from swinging the leg forwards and over the front. Again, it may be worth having someone help by "proofing" the horse to it, although it will never be as safe as there is a time where you are off balance, leaning backwards, without access to the reins!
 

Celtic Fringe

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 April 2014
Messages
619
Visit site
No reason why you cannot mount from the 'wrong' side if that is more comfortable. As others have said a high mounting block will also help. Both my old cob, and my younger one are very happy for a rider to get on either side. Before I had to stop riding altogether due to hip arthritis I found it much easier to get on from the right. Strangely though I found it ok to dismount to the left. Most people found it very odd to watch but it worked for me and my horses. If your horse is skittish then get someone else to do it a few times first. Don't overthink it otherwise you will end up facing backwards or in a tangle! Good luck.
 

paddy555

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 December 2010
Messages
12,540
Visit site
it seems you need time to get on and off and get yourself sorted, whichever side you do it from. Depending on your facilities have you considered getting your mare to stand still by a high mounting block by the use of hay (or even a grassy bank or hedge) ? If you had access to a suitable corner or wall you could tie a net of hay quite low (to keep the head up or down as you wanted) and then teach the horse to stand eating the hay with the mounting block alongside. A bit of practise and you should be able to get her to wait at the block and carry on eating whilst you get on from whichever side you want and get settled in the saddle. You would then have time to do exercises to get comfortable in the saddle. For dismounting it isn't going to take her long to learn to get into position and to eat while you sort out getting off. Getting off with the leg over the front may work better in this position as the horse won't care if she has food and you are also going to land on the mounting block so there will not be a long drop to the ground. At least you would be independent of others this way.
 

imr

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 February 2009
Messages
931
Visit site
The 4 step plastic blocks always feel very wobbly to me plus the top step is very narrow! I have no physical mounting issues but an annoying horse that reverses which has resulted in mental mounting issues if there is no one to hold horse (yes I know this is ridiculous). The solution is a combination of positioning horse so cannot reverse and a super high block. Its from these guys and I cannot recommend it enough - they have a huge range including different heights and widths of top step and even grab rails. Excellent customer service too and costs reasonable when compares to the plastic ones. https://www.mounting-steps.co.uk/
 

pansymouse

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 May 2012
Messages
2,736
Location
Amesbury, Wiltshire
Visit site
I had a bespoke mounting block made - I can just step over my mare and land in the saddle as light as a feather - much more comfortable for both of us. I always dismount keeping my nearside foot in the stirrup and only removing it when my offside leg is in line with it and then slowly sliding down the saddle to the ground. I damaged both legs in a pile drive fall and they will not hold me up reliably if stressed.
 

Merrymoles

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 January 2010
Messages
5,180
Location
Up t'dale
Visit site
My horse was a pain in the ar*e to mount at all when I first bought him. Hours and hours and hours of work went into getting him to stand and now he is pretty good - 98% of the time. However, right from the beginning he was better to mount from the right-hand side and just occasionally, if he's having an off day, I still do it, rather than faffing about representing him to the block. It is strange at first but you soon get used to it and it is a useful skill to have.

I've always been able to dismount either side through having had to dismount on the road in the past and wanting to keep myself between whatever horse and the traffic. I recently had to do this at a canter on the road (don't ask) and it was great as I landed on the tarmac between him and the traffic and not on the very rough verge where I might have lost my footing. I did give myself a whacking bruise on the inside of my left knee which I obviously caught on the cantle but we were both fine other than that.

Something else which might be useful is that our yard mounting block is an old set of steps for a static caravan - think three steps up, a long platform and then three steps down the other side. It means any horse can be mounted without using the stirrup if necessary and it is very stable.

A friend, who has arthritis, always dismounts on to the mounting block, while another uses a wall. I think as long as you get your horse accustomed to whatever you are doing, all sorts of things can work for different individuals.
 
Top