Mounting when hacking?

[Serenity087]

It's something that does bug me, so many people need horses held at mounting blocks etc. and then go for a hack.
If you needed to get off and then re-mount, it'd be impossible!

Not a dig at people who physically can't mount from the floor, or have a horse who cannot be mounted from the floor for reasons other than behaviour, but how many of you (truthfully!) can't remount whilst hacking?

I know a few people I've hacked out with would never have been able to get back on without assistance, I've always been proud of the fact I could with all of mine!

Am I alone in thinking its dangerous to not be able to remount? I used to go for two - three hour hacks and would have been gone a lot longer had I needed to walk home, which just isn't safe for a young lady hacking out on her own!

 

[bexandspooky]

I just need to find a little bank of verge or something to give me a little boost!! Can always find one of those somewhere!

At a push i can get on from the ground, it's just not very elegant!!

 

[katie_southwest]

I cant physically reach as Im quite short but I can get on if I found something to stand on( a big rock or curb or something) I dont need someone to hold my horse for me or anything. I try not to have to get off!

 

[Parkranger]

I didn't think I could until I had to recently......!

 

[CheziBrown]

No I personally cannot mount from the floor. I'm 5ft 2" and my horse is 16.1hh. When i'm stood on the floor, my stirrup is pretty much near my chest so not I can't get my foot up that high and then hoist myself up on my horse (pulling his back over in the process). Whilst it may "bug" you, if I have to get off whilst out on a hack or fall off i've so far never had trouble finding something to stand on to get back on.

 

[Ottinmeg]

i always use the mounting block, but yes i can mount from the ground if i have to.

 

[merlinsquest]

I always use a block at the yard, mainly to save his back and my muscles!!!!

But when out hacking I am perfectly able to remount, and have to if any gates we come across open away from us...... one inch of a gap and through we go, space or not!!!!!

 

[moodymare1987]

I always get on my horse from the wall as he is so big I would not like to do any damage to saddle or his back from the constant tugging.
But I can get on him from the ground and have done many a times, the only time I cant physically get on from the ground it when I have my show boots on as I cant move at all in them.

 

[MizElz]

I agree that it is dangerous not to be able to mount your horse when hacking, however more often than not there are ways and means of being able to get back in the saddle, whether that be from a log, fence, gate or grassy bank. (or by doing the old fashioned thing and letting your nearside stirrup right down!

)
As Ellie is only 15.2, I can easily get on from the floor, but I try my best not to as mounting from the floor is not good for a horse's back; I will always try to find a way of giving myself a boost if I can!

 

[Irishcobs]

I can mount from the ground if I need to but rarely do. I can normally find something to stand on, be that a verge, big stone etc.
I had to get off the 17hander at work the other day on a hack as someone had tied a gate shut and I couldn't undo it from horse back. I wasn't impressed as it was a bridleway and it was 3 metres away from a very busy bypass ( I have to cross the bypass). Luckily 17hander is very safe and stood perfectly for me to climb on the gate and get on and stood while I sorted myself out. I would not of done it on anything else of fear of ending up on the bypass.

 

[paintsplat05]

I never remount from the floor on hacks as the horse I hack out can be spooky and on several occassions has refused to stand still, leaving me crashing round madly to get back on! I usually find a low fence, wall or tree stump instead.

 

[Asimmons]

It is much the best thing for the horse's back to use a mounting block..when out hacking, improvisation is essential ( especially in my case when I hunted a 17.3hh and i'm 5ft 5ins..try doing gate duty on that!) so a verge or a log or a bank or a water trough or anything at all which spares the horse a wopping great tug on his near side...or, the inconvenience of a jockey hopping alongside him trying to haul him/herself up!
If you can leap up athletically, well lucky old (young?) you! Some of us are feeling our age a little more!!

 

[Natch]

I'm not the most elegant and don't like to mount without something to stand on, but at a push its amazing what you find the ability to do when needs must!

Incidently why is it such a big deal if you have to walk back? People have to do that if the horse goes lame when out? I sometimes dismount and lead back if a) I need the exercise or b) horse is very tired. Mind you I don't need to do much roadwork at all, so I guess maybe the objections are to do with traffic?

 

[sidesaddlegirl]

I rarely use a mounting block unless I'm going aside but then again, I'm 5'9" and ride a 14.1 but I have mounted everything from 14.1 to 17.3 without a block anyways.
When I'm out hacking sidesaddle, there are certain routes I can't go as it would require me to dismount. One hack takes me through a very low train bridge tunnel which if you lean far enough forward astride, is passable but impossible side saddle (even if you get off, the tunnel will be scraping the pommels of the saddle as it sits higher off the horse's back).
There are mounting blocks on at each opening of the tunnel though for those that need to get off and get on again though due to the lowness of the tunnel.

 

[Gorgeous George]

I always use the mounting block to save G's back, saddle and my dignity! Every now and again I get on in the school without to make sure I still can, but if I need to get on out hacking I find a log or bank and George will stand for me. If I couldn't I would just walk back.

 

[vicm2509]

I can mount from the floor, and think that really if you are hacking out alone then you should be able to mount from the floor.

I do tend to use a chair or get a leg up when at home though to save his back, I think it is much kinder, especially as mine is 16.3 so I do hop about a bit before getting up when I mount from the floor.

 

[Leary]

Just wondered why its dangerous not to be able to mount whilst hacking. At the end of the day if you can't find a bank etc, just walk home leading the horse, whats the danger in that?

 

[SecretSquirrell379]

I use a block to get on at the yard but I can, very unelegantly, get on from the floor.....I've never thought about letting the stirrup down

I normally try and find a bank or raised area to give me a little boost though.

 

[zozo]

mum who like walking are a big help for remounting to!! i have to get off to cross a bridge! and mum always walks with me if im hacking on my own as my youngster still gets excited and want stand still for me to get back on with out help!!

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Echo everyone elses comments on this one. I always use a mounting block to save my horses back, however I am fully capable of mounting from the ground if necessary! Not entirely sure why it would be dangerous not to be able to re-mount, would just possibly mean a LONG walk for the rider.

 

[nicelittle]

I always use a mounting block, for all the above mentioned reasons, but I can and have re-mounted on hacks, either using a bank or log, or once from the floor onto an 18.2hh chap after making an emergency phone call ar a call box! A kind lady saw me and stopped, but by the time she was out of her car, I was back on anyway!

 

[JM07]

can mount from the floor on both mine.

 

[Chex]

I haven't mounted from the ground in years lol. His saddle would slip, and I often ride bareback and I can't vault that well

. I had to get off to help a sheep that was stuck on its back the other day, and ended up walking right back across the field to get back on at the gate, good exercise for me I guess

 

[YorksG]

If the OP is talking about not mounting from the ground, can't see her problem, if she is talking about horses that won't stand still then I can see her point. It is not necessary and can and should be instilled in all horses to stand still while being mounted. We managed to teach a 17hh ShirexClydesdale to do it (she had not got a clue when we got her) and if you can do that you can teach anything tp do it.

 

[Booboos]

I used to have a boyfriend who vaulted on everything including his 18.1hh showjumper. He loved being asked at shows 'how do you get on that horse?' as he would just jump off and vault back on again - show-off!

 

[Daphnelia]

I can vault on

xxx

 

[Vicki1986]

ive got a 13.1 so if i couldnt get on from the ground i'd be very worried about myself !! !!
i wouldnt have a horse i couldnt get on form the floor (which is anything over 15hands as im 5ft2 and not particularly long legged) i just don't think its safe. there isnt always something to stand on / horses arent always polite enough to stand next to things for you to clamber onto.

 

[AmyMay]

I can get on my horse from the floor - but it's a struggle if I'm honest. I always look for something to stand on.

However, at 18hh my friends horse is not something anyone can get on from the floor.............

 

[Solstar]

i always use a mounting block to save my horses back. I can get on Red (15hh) from the ground, but struggle to get on Solo (16.2hh) because my left ankle is a bit weak and it hurts when i try!

if you look hard enough theres always a fence, a gate, a log, or a bank to help you.
Alternatively, i make my friend get off to do whatever needs doing!

 

[inkratlet]

Quite honestly since I've been riding again I haven't tried. I used to be able to get on anything from the ground as the Dutch stud I rode at didn't have a mounting block in the school, and as kids we got used to getting on our ponies from the ground. When I naturally progressed to riding the studs KWPNs it was just habit to get on from the ground.

I would use a mounting block (or some sort of natural one) if there was one available in preference, but if I couldn't I would try and most likely fail to get on from the ground. I've had a few years break from riding, and put on weight and am gymming madly to gain my muscle and flexibility back. I'd just have to walk home, which is at least safer than when he dumped me and ran home on his own - thankfully it was all off-road and he was wearing his hi-vis.