fredflop
Well-Known Member
I will reiterate again…please never ever ever trap your horse to mount.
I was lucky I didn’t break my back, and every other bone in my body.
I was lucky I didn’t break my back, and every other bone in my body.
3OldPonies
Well-Known Member
Just wanted to add to my previous post to clarify after all the 'don't trap your horse to mount' comments. While I do put K between the fence and block to stop excessive bum swinging he is in no way trapped and can move in every direction
khalswitz
Well-Known Member
Ditto when I have done it. It just discourages them swinging wide.
Trapping a horse who isn’t happy is a terrible idea, regardless of if it’s in a stable, in a pen in a field, in a horsebox, whatever. I’ve seen panicked horses come out the top of a horsebox or through whatever fencing or stabling you give them, and that’s before you put a rider into the equation.
But there’s a massive difference between discouraging a swinging bum by putting a horse in a 5-6ft channel between a fence and a block, where they have plenty of room to go forward and can step sideways but just can’t go perpendicular to you, and penning a horse in on four sides.
It’s why I also took every step of the mounting process very slowly to gain confidence and calmness, to avoid a panicking unhappy horse.
Where’s My Cow
Member
Another vote for treats. Mine is a typical ex-racer who wants to keep moving and doesn’t like to stand still. But he has gotten better with treat training and will now turn his head expectantly for his reward once I’m on.
Another weird trick that seems to work with him is “pretending” to tie him up to to a post where he does usually get tied, then putting a portable mini step ladder next to him and getting on, ensuring there is open space on the other side for exiting. He seems to think he’s tied up so he doesn’t move, bless him.
Another weird trick that seems to work with him is “pretending” to tie him up to to a post where he does usually get tied, then putting a portable mini step ladder next to him and getting on, ensuring there is open space on the other side for exiting. He seems to think he’s tied up so he doesn’t move, bless him.
Compasses
Active Member
As others said, I don’t trap him and he can move, just stops the bum swinging out or going back excessively, he can literally just walk forward. I also never panic him and am working hard on making it a positive experience, but he isn’t at all panicked or worried. He’s not being penned in at all
blodwyn1
Well-Known Member
This block has solved my problems, it is longer so there is more space to get her to settle, if I have someone to hold her I can now get my left foot on the top and grab the hand rail and pull myself off her! Success! To mount I am over her so just have to lower down. I now only need one person to help me on and off. It is securely staked to the ground and is stable and Bramble is very good.
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Skib
Well-Known Member
What is this mounting block and what are the measurements?
I am looking to buy a mountng block that will enable me to continue hacking a 15.2 horse.
The present mounting block at the yard is Martello - very stable, and is long like yours but it is only 534 cm high
I am over 80 and find mounting is more frightening than actually riding
blodwyn1
Well-Known Member
It was made by Leon Cox who is based in Norfolk he makes and delivers them in east anglia. This one is 89cm tall and I also had the second step made wide enough to mount and dismount from. He is on Facebook. Really nice guy.
blodwyn1
Well-Known Member
Just to add my husband built the hand rail and staked it to the ground to make sure its stable and can't be knocked by the horse. Also it's strong enough to take my weight if I stagger against the rail.
Burnerbee
Well-Known Member
….can’t resist quoting from ‘Horsemen All’ a 1937 book by Geoffrey (husband of Dorothy) Brooke, the quintessential horseman….”If a pony is always made to stand perfectly still when you mount and dismount, and he will soon learn to do this if he is given a piece of sugar each time you dismount, then he will do the same when you fall off”…
sbloom
Well-Known Member
I think it should be law that we all mount, whenever possible, from a block high enough that we don't necessarily have to use the stirrup, would save a lot of horses and riders backs, and one less think to potentially twist your saddle (they can twist more easily than many realise).
Dave's Mam
Well-Known Member
The only problem with not using your stirrup is that if your horse spooks at the point where your behind is going down, you aren't going with him or her.
I was stepping on off a high block and at the point of lowing myself, Dave spooked & I ended up sat behind my saddle & quite rightly deposited, because that's not where you sit, thank you very much.
sbloom
Well-Known Member
Note the word "necessarily". We mostly used to give and receive leg ups which aren't that different, the horse can spook, or it can spook when you have one foot in the stirrup and end up in a serious mess...no easy solution to that one apart from training, and prayer beyond that!
Skib
Well-Known Member
I have mounted both from a conventional mounting block and from a high mounting block on level with the stirrup. I feel much safer when I mount with my weight in the left stirrup as I am already with the horse. It is just my old age and knowing someone who fell when mounting that has made conventional mounting feel risky.
I am postponing all decisions until the weather cools and I can drive over to a yard some way away, to measure up a block I know well.
I am postponing all decisions until the weather cools and I can drive over to a yard some way away, to measure up a block I know well.
ILuvCowparsely
Well-Known Member
I had this with my mare, we went round and round every time she moved till she got bored and stood.
khalswitz
Well-Known Member
I completely agree. As a heavier rider, I hate putting all my weight in one stirrup to mount - I try to always mount high enough that, much as my foot goes into the stirrup, my weight can all go into my hand just at the back of the pommel as I mount. If I was lighter and fitter, I’d go back to mounting how the jockeys do - jump on from the block, no stirrups. Better for the back and the saddle.
Occasionally if you have to remount out hacking you don’t have a choice but for daily riding, high block any day.
sbloom
Well-Known Member
Try putting your right hand to the other side of the saddle, making a fist with thumb at the top, holding the stirrup leather, is the ultimate way to balance the saddle but placing the flat of your hand onto the skirt/flap interface will also help more than placing it on top, we want to transfer as much weight as possible (within reason!) across to the other side as soon as possible.
Being able to mount from either side, and doing so regularly, is a really good idea for us, horse and saddle.
And, clearly, you don't do this, but you should never hold to the rear of the saddle, most twisted saddle trees have the cantle pulled to the left from mounting.
khalswitz
Well-Known Member
I didn’t describe very well what I do, obviously! I put my here:
So the meaty bit of my palm is in the middle just behind the pommel and fingers down the far side for balance.
But placing it right into the skirt at the side of the pommel is a good idea. Not sure I’d manage to hold the stirrup leather and keep all my weight on my arm though!
I used to mount both sides and always taught my breakers to be mounted on both sides. Unfortunately, a bad fall back in the early 2010’s has left me with nerve damage all down my right side of my lower back, pelvis and hip, and whilst I’m not in a wheelchair anymore that leg is a bit crap. Don’t think I could mount that side now - I certainly never wear spurs anymore as I don’t have enough control over that lower leg these days.