mounting/dismounting and height of horse, for more mature riders

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dorito

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I'm currently riding out with a local lady who has her own horses. The mare I ride is lovely but for one thing - she's about 16.3 and I have never been into big horses, 14.2 ish is so much more 'me'.

My biggest bugbears are the mounting and dismounting. Both seem to be a huge struggle and I am wondering if there's something wrong with me (apart from being 2 stone heavier and 20 years older than when I used to have my own horse and ride regularly)?

Are there any other 11 stone 50-somethings out there, struggling to mount a 16.3, standing on a bucket (that's me on the bucket BTW not the mare!). Then when I get off I have to really throw my weight forward and usually scrape the mare's quarters with my foot as I can't clear her. She's very forgiving, luckily.

Am on the lookout for a 14-14.2hh of my own and am assuming that mounting/dismounting will be much easier - but will it, or is it me?
 
The thing to do is to keep your length, it is very easy to forget to hold yourself together lightly (especially 50+ with the weight of life on your shoulders :o:)). Focus on staying tall, lifted shoulders, tummy in, let your muscles support your structure and 'hup' - a bucket isn't the easiest thing to get up from at the best of times.

As for getting off, same thing, tall and light in the upper body, realy carry yourself and 'swing' hold yourself together land light as a feather :cool:
 
I'm 50 next month, 11 stone+ and have a 16.3 and a 17.1. I use a polyblock jump block to mount from at home and a plastic beer crate when I'm out in the lorry for the big boy - ramptraining is underway for him, big girl is easy to get on from ramp. I could probably get on from the ground if I had to. Why don't you get a set of plastic folding steps and take them with you to the yard to make getting on easier?

As for getting off, try taking your weight on your hands to lift yourself to make getting your leg over the back end easier. You see whilst you are still on the horse it makes no difference whether it's 16.3 or 13.3, you still have to lift your leg the same height to clear the bum as you get off, it's just the drop to the ground that's further(:
 
I'm 48 (but feel very much 50+ most days!) and about 11 stone. I have recently changed from a 15hh Arab/Welsh share horse, to an 18.2hh warmblood share!

The 15 hander I could mount from a small block or one of those stand-on grooming box thingies. Dismounting was OK too, although on some days I did feel my hips were very stiff and I skimmed over his back as I got off. Like yours, OP, he was very understanding.

And as Dee O'dorant says, the leg action needed to dismount is the same whatever their height!

The 18.2 is the biggest horse I have ever ridden and, of course more than a foot taller than the Arab. Luckily there is a very big mounting block at his yard and I have not had any problems getting on.

Dismounting is taking a bit of getting used to - he is wider than the Arab so I am still feeling it in my hips as I get used to him. Plus there is the psychological aspect of 'Blimey, it's a long way down!' I always make sure I dismount on to a soft surface (I really only ride him in the school at the moment and that is soft rubber.) and flex my knees as I land so I am not jarring anything.

If I ever hacked him out and had to get off for some reason I have no earthly idea how I would get back on if there wasn't something very high nearby to use!

Thank you for your tips, RebelRebel. Those sort of mental images really work for me.
 
I also found it difficult - both my horses are a smidgeon under 17 hands and I am 5'3". I usually mount from one of those plastic stool thingies that toddlers hop on to reach the loo.

Three things helped me get around the "leg over" - having a good helper who gives a generous leg-up, and if mounting unassisted being very sure that whatever I am standing on is super-stable. Also moving as quickly as possible once your foot is in the stirrup gives one a bit of impulsion.

In addition, you have to not give a hoot about whether your mount/dismount is elegant or not :D

It gets easier (or so I keep telling myself!) So long as the blighters keep still, of course. But the dismount seems to become a longer drop, with each succeeding year. I try to dismount where the ground slopes to my advantage:o
 
i don't think it's got anything to do with your age or weight.
for the sake of the horse's back, ANYONE who can't vault on, who needs to use a stirrup, should step across from a high-enough mounting block.
(I read about a study done of horse cadavers and every single one showed muscle damage down the right side of the saddle area, not down the left - so, from the saddle being pulled across as someone gets on from the ground.)
re: dismounting - if the horse is quiet, go back to the mounting block and use that. that's what i do for very babyish horses who might be frightened by me jumping off, and when my dodgy knee felt extra-dodgy! is the cantle of the saddle extra high, is that why you're catching it as you swing your leg up? i can't really picture it, sorry, maybe leg swings are something you could practice on terra firma!
 
dorito. what height are you? As if you're particularly short it's not that surprising that you find these horses a stretch!
Isn't there something more substantial and higher than a bucket to mount from? It's far kinder for the horses' backs and saddles as well as for you to mount with more ease.
As for dismounting, as Red said, soft surfaces are always more forgiving on the ankle/knee joints.
 
Thanks for all the replies folks.
I'm 5 ft 5 so not that short.
The lady does hold the stirrup at the other side as I get on, so hopefully not doing too much damage to the horse's back. Frankly, at the time, I am more worried about the cramping/strain to my leg muscles as I mount. I would FAR prefer for both my and the horse's sake to use a proper mounting block but I'm afraid it's a white tub (looks like it once held feed supplements) or the ground.
Lady is from a racing/pony club background so no weakness is tolerated!

I do dismount on soft ground and try to get the mare on ground with a bit of a slope,with head higher than quarters as it were. Do think the saddle (small but very heavy) is highish in the cantle but lady just laughs at me when I say so! As I say, no weakness tolerated.

Just typing this it occurs to me it's my right leg I have to lift over when dismounting and my right hip that is sometimes a bit stiff/sore, so maybe I need some exercises to loosen me up. No way I'm going to learn to dismount on the other side.
 
I'm 43 and around the 11 stone mark :rolleyes: and my boy is a 16.3 shire x when getting on I always use a tall mounting block to save his back and my dignity :D if I ever have to get off hacking he is very good and will stand by a bank, tree stump etc. If I absolutely had to I could get on from the ground, but it wouldn't do him much good and it would be more of a scramble up :rolleyes:

Getting off, I've never had trouble swinging my leg over the saddle / horses back, it is the bit between there and the ground that does me! I try to swing my leg over quite quickly (the momentum really helps), but then slow myself and sort of slide to the ground trying not to fall over backwards :D

It does get easier as you get used to it though.
 
You're 50+ and get on a 16.3 using only a bucket?! :eek:

I'm 55 and I don't get on my 14.2 from the ground. :o I know I could if I absolutely had to, but it's a big effort and not fair on Mollie. Last time I did it I somehow bent my little finger the wrong way and it's permenantly damaged:o:rolleyes:.

I use steps at the yard, otherwise a trough, a fence or gate. I don't like buckets. Buckets wobble. :o
 
kerilli said:
i don't think it's got anything to do with your age or weight.
for the sake of the horse's back, ANYONE who can't vault on, who needs to use a stirrup, should step across from a high-enough mounting block.
(I read about a study done of horse cadavers and every single one showed muscle damage down the right side of the saddle area, not down the left - so, from the saddle being pulled across as someone gets on from the ground.)
re: dismounting - if the horse is quiet, go back to the mounting block and use that. that's what i do for very babyish horses who might be frightened by me jumping off, and when my dodgy knee felt extra-dodgy! is the cantle of the saddle extra high, is that why you're catching it as you swing your leg up? i can't really picture it, sorry, maybe leg swings are something you could practice on terra firma!
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Or remember the Pony Club instruction of "spring lightly" which is so often forgotten as people haul themselves on from blocks that aren't at stirrup height, and the other one, make sure you use alternate sides. It's not that long ago that for riding and road safety you had to demonstrate mounting from either side. Certainly 8 years ago it was a requirement!
 
I can get on easily from the ground if I really have to (I don't like doing it, but I like knowing that I can) but getting off is entirely a different matter...and I'm only 22!
I don't even know why! I can't spring off like my friends, I really have to lower myself gently or I just fall in a heap on the floor. Goodness knows what I'll be like at 50-60+!
 
I'm like you, 50+, 11 stone, starting to sieze up! I have small horses (14.2, 15, 15.1), but I havn't got on from the ground in YEARS, always use a mounting block/tub/bucket/ramp/stump/bank. Had to get on from the ground last year (also small, around 15h), and nearly wrenched the poor things withers off; NOT elegant, nor comfortable for horsey. Getting off is starting to be problematic too - all downhill from here!
 
Another 50+ 11 stone ish here. Getting on 16.3 no problem - I use a wall or steps. Bug****d if I have to get off out on a hack - gates aren't too bad if your boots aren't muddy! Swinging leg over to get off fine - dropping down is not fun so usually try and slowly slide down - poor horse - or leap and look like a 70s disco diva.
 
Shall we bravely stretch the topic to the unthinkable (for some of us :o)

How about mounting again after an involuntary dismount?! All well and good in the arena etc, but out hacking?

Not sure whether this was right or wrong, but I was taught at an early age, hacking alone in the countryside, to carry an Hermes scarf. Notoriously strong (if you haven't fainted from the shock of the prices these days), you can loop and knot into your stirrup to give yourself a step up when you have had an unplanned disembarkation in the middle of nowhere. It involves right foot in scarf loop of "ladder", then left foot in stirrup per normal.

Also handy for injuries - have made a sling for someone who broke a collar-bone on an outride, and used as a tourniquet.

I should probably carry two at a time - one to fashion a sling for my broken arm/whatever, and the other for remounting purposes.:D
 
Why anyone would want a horse they cannot easily get on from the ground is a bit of a mystery to me. Blocks are great, but if you need to get off away from home, you should be able to get back on at least. It's not an age thing either, lots of short arses want massive horses.
 
Pale Rider said:
Why anyone would want a horse they cannot easily get on from the ground is a bit of a mystery to me. Blocks are great, but if you need to get off away from home, you should be able to get back on at least. It's not an age thing either, lots of short arses want massive horses.
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Maybe because they wouldn't be able to achieve what they want to with a smaller horse?? Would rule out lots and lots of professional riders in that case.

OP its an age thang..sadly, increasingly I'm finding it difficult to swing my leg back to dismount especially after a hard schooling session where my pelvis aches. My knee hurts when i hit the ground to so i have to land on theother one.We all need a joint supplement!!
 
OP I'm younger, taller and have a shorter horse and I'm having cold sweats at the mere thought of getting on from a bucket! If you can do it without the aid of a grappling hook then respect is due!

Luckily for me and my lack of springyness I keep my horse at a yard that used to be an RDA centre so can use the disabled mounting block to get on avoiding undignified scrambling!
 
I don't envy you a high horse and would prefer something smaller myself. That being said, I'm 48 and I can't mount my 16hh from the ground. If I have to get off on a hack, then I'm on foot till I find a gate, fence or suitable mounting block. That's just the way it is. Although 5'6 I've got short legs.

I also have a slightly dodgy hip and I learned a couple of years ago to mount from the wrong side. Try it, it's really not difficult, but find a good mounting block to practice on rather than the aforementioned bucket. It'll save your hip in the long term; they're not cheap or painless to fix. I also spent a long time teaching the horse to stand still when he's told - it helps that he's a bit lazy.

Good luck with the horse hunting, I believe small ponies are underrated as suitable mounts for any adult. How I'd love to have a 13.2.
 
Ancient Hacker said:
In addition, you have to not give a hoot about whether your mount/dismount is elegant or not :D
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Ha ha... Very true... :D

Gorgeous George said:
I try to swing my leg over quite quickly (the momentum really helps), but then slow myself and sort of slide to the ground trying not to fall over backwards :D
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That hurts...don't ask me how I know... :rolleyes: :D

Pale Rider said:
Why anyone would want a horse they cannot easily get on from the ground is a bit of a mystery to me. Blocks are great, but if you need to get off away from home, you should be able to get back on at least. It's not an age thing either, lots of short arses want massive horses.
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Er, in my experience at least, it most definitely can be an age thing... At 5' 7" with a 34" inside leg, a 14h isn't exactly a fab height for me... I like something around the 15.2 ish mark and I use a mounting block - 30yrs ago I could grab some mane and throw myself easily from the floor onto a 16.2 or more bareback... My flexibility is better than most youngsters - but balance, ease of movement, muscular strength and general 'bounce factor' can't help but decrease as you age...
 
I bust my ankle (at the wrong side of 50) and I now cannot dismount in smart approved Pony Club fashion:)
What helps me is to swing my leg over the horse so that I am lying over the saddle like you'd do with a youngster you're backing, then slither graciously or not-so-graciously to the ground.
 
I don't think it's an age/ weight problem I think it's flexibility. I'm 5"11 and just under 11 stone and I can't get on anything without a mounting block. My flexibility is something I'm working on but until I can hop on with fannying around and without feeling like I'm hurting or causing to the steed then I'm going to get a leg up or use a block.
 
Hmmm, sympathies to all with dodgy body parts - me too. I have noticed my horses are getting smaller. At age 40, I rode a 16.2 Irish X Tb built like a big brick thing. At age 50, a 15 hh Appy. Now my youngster coming through for when I'm 60 - a 14.2 QH. At this rate of progress I will be on a Fallabella by the time I'm 75.
 
I'm 49 (and a half :D), and I was 11 stone at Christmas (bit less now and working on it, my aim is to be fit and 50). I'm 5'5".

My horse is 17hh. I did not set out to acquire a baby dinosaur, I went shopping for a 15.2hh or slightly less, but I made the mystical connection :o with a gangly 4 year old 16.2hh Irish horse, who then grew like Topsy.

I have had a good 5 years to teach him to facilitate my clambering on board in as many ways as he can. He will stand in ditches, beside walls, banks, gates, fences, stones, stumps... He will tolerate standing below me on a hill while I let the stirrup down as far as it will go (but I value his longevity and to save his back I avoid doing this as best I can).

I have had a few disasters with buckets and flimsy wooden stools, so look for more solid options ;)

If I were you, I would not so much search for a smaller share horse, but a more sympathetic share horse owner :D
 
HeatherAnn said:
I don't think it's an age/ weight problem I think it's flexibility. I'm 5"11 and just under 11 stone and I can't get on anything without a mounting block. My flexibility is something I'm working on but until I can hop on with fannying around and without feeling like I'm hurting or causing to the steed then I'm going to get a leg up or use a block.
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Unfortunately flexibility does decrease as you get older or heavier..but agree it can be improved. X
 
HeatherAnn said:
I don't think it's an age/ weight problem I think it's flexibility. I'm 5"11 and just under 11 stone and I can't get on anything without a mounting block. My flexibility is something I'm working on but until I can hop on with fannying around and without feeling like I'm hurting or causing to the steed then I'm going to get a leg up or use a block.
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I dunno... Flexibility is hugely important but I'm ultra flexible and 46 I *think*... Get a tad forgetful these days... :D I can still (just about) do the splits, touch nose to knees with straight legs etc... Just don't ask me to get back up... :D The last few years I broke an ankle falling off a ramp and then the other ankle and an elbow when a foot disappeared down a pot hole... Everything that's soft tissue bends to the point where the bones break instead... I'm still rubbish at mounting anything from the floor if it's over 15h... Muscle strength, less fitness, a tad more weight, decreased balance and a lot less 'bounce up' ability... I use a mounting block as opposed to a scruffy scramble and I doubt I'd clamber onto a 16h+ without one... I'm nearly as flexible as I was in my youth - but nothing else works at anywhere near the same level... Bah humbug... :)
 
I'm not a mature rider (20!) but I struggle with nerve damage in my legs, which means I can't mount from the ground and struggle from low mounting blocks.

It is doable for me if I drop my stirrup to the last hole and prey :o but our new yard has a huge concrete block which means I can just slide on, if she stands still long enough!

Oh, forgot to mention, mare is 15hh Irish Cob. Like a barrel which I think makes it harder!
 
@xxMozlarxx I should have mentioned that age obviously can affect your flexibility but my point was I'm not even 20 and suffer the same problems :P

@ladydragon - I'm actually gobsmacked haha. I can't even touch my toes and I'm less than half your age. Putting me to shame!!
 
I am definitely south of 50, but I have very unflexible hips.

I found visiting the osteopath to be a massive help. I go every 3 weeks (to get other things sorted too!) and I can now drop my leg over the horse and feel rhythm!

Also only ride in johds- jeans and heavy materials will impare your movement.

My friend broke her leg in 4 or 5 places and now to get off she swings her leg over the neck and 'sits' sideways on the saddle and slips down slowly that way!
 
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