substitute mounting blocks

[Shooting Star]

Following on from the thread where an ebay member is trying to flog 3 old stones for an extortionate amount as a vintage mounting block it got me thinking of some of the things that I've used in the absense of a normal mounting block.

A grass roller (bit slippery on the top), middle rung of a post & rail fence (tricky to get onto) and many flimsy buckets spring to mind

So what in desperation have you used as a substitute mounting block?

 

[Dirty_D]

i've used the side of a ditch, you put your horse in the ditch then hey presto!

Car bonnets are always handy although more a leap of faith than a mount!

 

[teamsarazara]

An old milk crate, regularly.. bit wobbly and bouncy lol! The old strong plastic triangle troughs you used to get, their really sturdy although don't think you can buy them now! A grass verge, oh and at shows the lorry ramp

 

[welshcobmad]

We have old chopped tree stumps put both sides of our top gate at our yard put there purposefully for us to use lol

 

[Jesstickle]

The fence - although like you say, not easy

The lorry ramp - quite good really

The hitch of the muck trailer

I've broken a lot of buckets standing on them too

 

[teamsarazara]

oh and a round barrel tipped on its side, you have to do it quick or you go flying though lol!

 

[Abbeygale]

Climbing up the hedge outside our gates... There weren't holes for my feet to go in before, but there are now

 

[mon]

Water drum, Walls, logs, plastic jump blocks.

 

[Supertrooper]

I use a picnic table, it's the only way of getting on the beast as he's so big xx

 

[muddygreymare]

Used to use milk crates alot. Hate getting on using fences but have had to a few times. Got on from a wall a few times, used jump blocks and tree stumps. I usually get on from the floor though or have a leg up but I bought my own mounting block too haha

 

[Bettyboo222]

I have used another smaller pony before !!!

 

[dollymix]

I find ditched very useful too

I have also used:
bales of shavings
wheel gardes/mud flaps on the old style Ifor Williams trailers (awful design fault on the new style!! - the old one was an fab mounting block)
fallen trees
the big bales of straw (great for getting on my 16.3)
gates
milk crates
stacked wooden pallets,
tow hitch of trailers

I could go on and on! I always try to find something to use as a mounting block, even on my smaller welshie as mounting from the ground does awful things to horses' backs and your saddle. I can be pretty ingenius t finding make-do mounting blocks!!! especially out hacking!

 

[fidleyspromise]

All I need is an extra bit of height as cant get on from ground so:
- a bench.
- a tree stump
- the fence - horse has been taught to sidle up to it and is brilliant with this
- a water trough - bit wobbly though
- a stone
- a ditch
- car bonnet and also the tow bar

 

[Batgirl]

Waht was fab at my old yard (and I am dying to get another one) was a beer barrel, nice and weighty and we had a full size and a half size so it was a proper 2 step!

All manner of things out hacking, what ever is a bit higher off the ground so little 5'5 me can get on 17hh him!

I have used a sheep before (pet sheep on the yard) was nearly very messy!

 

[palomino_pony]

Jump block, picnic table - at a dressage comp!!, old stone water trough, plastic garden chair, trailer ramp, 3 milk crates, purpose built mounting block which is VERY wobbly!

 

[LeannePip]

many of the above! park benches when making jumps in the park out of dustbins and sticks but thats a whole other thread . . .

pile of set concrete out side the old yard, lorry ramp, buckets, swing bolts on stable doors, patio furnature, grass verges, tree stumpsgates/fencing my 3/4yo is very good at that as always used to get on from the fence in the school

i can pretty much use anything to get on - hate having leg ups as i always seem to go flying and its not very graceful so im a blame that on the people giving me the leg ups and i use the excuse that i never get on from the floor because its bad for their back/saddles ect but really its because im so un flexible even at only 18 i cant acctually get on from the floor with out loosing every shred of dignity!

 

[Ellies_mum2]

We have a mounting block but I don't feel its high enough for me to get on my 15hh mare so I use an old beer barrel mostly. Have also used a plastic garden chair as well as a breeze block wall

 

[Fools Motto]

A water container
Side of a hill
Side of a water Trough - could get wet if you lose your balance first!
And most of the above!!

 

[biggingerpony]

My grooming box is also a mounting block!! Its so useful!! But out on hacks I normally get on from the ground

 

[Cashew]

I used to help a permit holder out a few years ago and she had 2 tyres (smooth) with the metal wheel still inside stacked on top of each other in the middle of the yard. It was great cos even if horse moved you could turn in circle without having to get down and start again, plus no edges. Now I use a chair and when I go to events I use my kit box the type you pull along (not the most sturdy but serves a dual purpose).

 

[mystiandsunny]

plastic garden chair

 

[Miss-rose]

Someone made me a wooden mounting block which is ace but we also have a couple of beer barrels which as someone else said are great. We also feed large round bales of hay which I climb up to mount from sometimes

 

[PennyJ]

Front bumper of a Land Rover Defender is about the right height...

 

[fjordhorsefan]

I got a two step stool thing from Ikea a couple of years ago - covered the steps in non-slip stuff and varnished the wood, and it's still going now! It fits in the 4x4 so it goes everywhere with me so that I can get on at shows! I have also used those barrel plant pots, benches, picnic tables, ditches, and the stones that people put house names on at the end of their drives.

 

[Dubsie]

We have caravan steps in the front garden which are great for mounting. However to date I've not taken the pony out solo because we need to shut the front gate and daughter is far better at mounting from theground...however I MUST ask neighbour if she'd mind me using her wall, it looks just the right height and very solid!