I am in my late 60s, haven’t ridden in a few years ( had to retire my horse and didn’t get another for awhile) and now find that what used to be easy is pretty hard: mounting and dismounting. I am mostly a trail rider and sometimes must do it from the ground. Any physical therapists or yoga ( etc) instructors out there who can tell me what exercises I need to do for what muscles to get this ability back? I don’t have any injuries, I am not overweight,it’s just the ravages of the aging process!
what’s the actual issue? Getting your leg into the stirrup, standing onto the stirrup, swinging your leg over?
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Yeah, what’s the part that’s giving you trouble? A lot of the mounting process once the foot is in the stirrup is core strength and stability, so that may be a place to start!
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Core strengthening exercises are great. One other exercise I have had luck with, if you have a short horse anyways, is using a 3 stair mounting block to practice on. I put my foot on the top step and step up (use a rope tied to something if you are afraid you will lose your balance). I practiced a few times a day for a few days and could mount the 14.2 guy from the ground.
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For many years I could not mount from the ground. Now I can (but my horse is only 15 hh). What changed for me was over all strength training, cardio daily for 30 min, and liftin weights 4x each week. Nothing crazy heavy, just regular workout. I am 70+.
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Can get my foot in the stirrup ok but find I don’t have enough strength to go up high enough to swing my leg over . Getting off, it’s hard to moderate the motion enough so my knees don’t give way. Essentially, loss of strength.
I can get my leg in the stirrup but no longer have enough power to sustain upward momentum. From the ground, when I would have to do that on a trail ride. Also, getting off, it’s harder to control my descent so my knees don’t crumble.
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Get thee to a gym.
Or watch some YouTube videos on lunges and squats to get started.
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Yeah, you will need to figure out a strength training regiment.
I am pretty much in the same boat. Years of neglect of physical training I tend to do my best rollipolly impression when I end up on the floor.
Squats etc for the win.
And don’t forget you upper body strength.
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Given you are in your late 60’s, I’d start with full body strength training. If you have a Planet Fitness nearby, they might be a good place to start. They have a full body circuit training area with machines that you go through that alternates between strength and cardio for 30 mins.
Here’s a short video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfPKIxp2JuQ
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What, if anything, do you do now for activity? That will guide where you go next. It’s one thing to bxe starting from “I do nothing all day except life’s basics”, it’s another to be walking 4 miles a day but not much more
A good place to start is to work on stairs you have at home, even if it’s just a few. Step and down with the same leg 10 times, switch legs, repeat 3-5 times a day. It’s low height, but repetitive motion, will start strengthening those mounting muscles fairly quickly. Once that’s pretty easy, then carefully do the same thing with 2 steps for a bigger lift (foot on the 2nd step, not the first). Hand rails are your friend for balance at this point
You can also practice bouncing up on to the stair, mimicking the mounting process
Bodyweight squats are always a winner. Use a chair behind you to catch you if you need, you can go low enough to just touch your butt then back up
Forward and backward lunges, making 100% sure your knees stay tracking in line with your toes, don’t let them fall in our our, very important.
A tall mounting block is also your friend 
You can also drop your stirrup several holes so you have less distance to go.
Core work is critical to all of life, and I know it can be hard to know where to start. If all you did was work on how long you can hold a plank position, you’ll be getting stronger quickly
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I agree with the work on the stairs. But as I passed the 70 mark, I realized some things are just not going to happen. I doubt that I could get on my 15 hand guy from the ground (Im 5’3"). I always need something to stand on. I do know somebody who has a mounting aid that she carried when trail riding. It is something like this: EZ Mount Stirrup Extender- Western Saddle Stirrups I’m not sure if this is the way you are supposed to use it, but she puts her right foot in, pulls up, then puts he left foot in the stirrup so she can swing her right leg over.
I did find that I have altered my mounting technique. Especially when I moved to a deeper seated dressage saddle. I used to just swing my right leg over. Now with stiffer body, longer stirrups and deeper seat, I think of pushing my knee over the seat and bend my knee a lot more.
For dismounting, I hold onto the pommel or grab strap util I am firmly on the ground. And I can do that without scraping along the saddle! 
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One of the best easy exercises you can do is to stand up/sit down regularly with multiple reps. Even if you just get in the habit of every time you get up, you do it twice. Low seats, in particular, may better simulate what you are experiencing while mounting.
You’re probably eligible for PT if you ask for a referral from primary care and you may find that a couple of sessions is valuable for increasing your total strength and mobility.
Would encourage the use of an extender if you feel you must be able to mount from the ground. IME, you’ll better be able to push off with less bend in your knee.
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I do a 40 minute gentle yoga practice once or twice a week, go for walks 2 or 3 times a week, have even erratically done some slow running here or there, so I am not completely out of shape. But my core area and general strength is not the best anymore. Thanks for the suggestions.
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Good suggestions, thanks
