I was thinking of the NATRC rides, as well, where horsemanship and the horse’s manners count. I’d think the judges would be more impressed by a horse that allowed you to use natural terrain–where you can’t follow the horse around with the mounting block, they have to cooperate–than they would someone who just heaved themself up from the low side, just because that’s where their horse would stand.
My horse is only 14.3 and I’m still young enough to be spry 
but I try to avoid mounting from the ground whenever possible. No need to put extra stress on the horse’s back! He would NOT stand still to be mounted when I got him, so that was one of the first things he learned, which led to learning to be mounted from any object available. He’s sidled up to just about anything for me to get on.
Oh, and another good thing to work on is using unstable objects for mounting, because out on trail a rotten log might be the only thing around, and you don’t want your horse to panic if you push off from an object and it collapses underneath you
I prefer not to mount from the ground. I can reach my 15.2 guy, but too much strain. I find a rock, log or put him in a small ditch, even a few inches helps!
But I have been practicing though, because I am joining a group where it is required. It is a sweep rider organization, and you need to be able to get on/off right there, in case of a situation. Mounting from the off side from the ground is NOT a pretty sight. I’m getting better though! I will not be doing this as an ongoing event, but it is good to know that it can be done.
[QUOTE=Kitt;6924198]
Mounting from the ground is something you should be able to do (within reason) if necessary, but as a matter of course, you’re better off using a mounting block, fence rail, wall, rock, stump, truck bumper, log, hillock, or whatever. Mounting from the ground is tough on your horse’s back, your flocking (if you have an English saddle) and your saddle tree.[/QUOTE]
They make stirrups that you can lower down to make mounting easier if physically( like arthritis) you can’t do it. If someone is just out of shape there really is no excuse and you should be able to get into the saddle w/o something to climb on. If you have to scratch, claw and hang off your horse( pulling the saddle sideways) before you can get on it’s back then I personally think the person should invest in a work out routine or get a horse more suited for their size , because mounting like that more than likely will cause back problems and may not be good on your saddle either. If you are able to spring up from the ground and smoothly into the saddle ( as can only be done by actually doing it as a part of everyday riding) you are not going to hurt your horse or saddle. Someday you may not have something to climb onto, or your horse may not be cooperative to stand and if you and your horse part company unexpectedly, then you are in trouble.
I was taught this method as well, but we’ve learned through complicated imagining that this really torqued a horse’s back, especially if you aren’t a real lightweight.
If you can’t mount from the ground lightly (like we did when we were kids or if you are still skinny w/long legs), then it’s actually better for the horse to mount from an object.
ALL the horses who I think I will be riding are taught to sidepass up to anything I point them at: rocks, barrels,pick-up truck tailgates, picnic tables, holding walls. I once even used a CAT – or it was some sort of huge yellow machine they had parked in the woods for logging. I’d been looking for a place to dismount and …uh…take a “Nature” break:lol:, but hadn’t found a likely place to get back up.
I put my little mare right up again those big metal plates they use to cover the wheels (sorry I’m so bad on my heavy machinery lingo).
You teach them this from both sides and that they stand till you say “go.” I’m too old to play pony express.
Now I am due for THR #2 and are less limber than ever. I am thinking seriously of teaching my next saddle horse to “bow” to let me get on…:winkgrin:
So don’t feel bad. It’s not so important how you get on, but how you STAY on!:winkgrin:
[QUOTE=candyappy;6925551]
They make stirrups that you can lower down to make mounting easier if physically( like arthritis) you can’t do it. If someone is just out of shape there really is no excuse and you should be able to get into the saddle w/o something to climb on. If you have to scratch, claw and hang off your horse( pulling the saddle sideways) before you can get on it’s back then I personally think the person should invest in a work out routine or get a horse more suited for their size , because mounting like that more than likely will cause back problems and may not be good on your saddle either. If you are able to spring up from the ground and smoothly into the saddle ( as can only be done by actually doing it as a part of everyday riding) you are not going to hurt your horse or saddle. Someday you may not have something to climb onto, or your horse may not be cooperative to stand and if you and your horse part company unexpectedly, then you are in trouble.[/QUOTE]
I sense you are not yet real old. Wait till you have arthritis in all your hips & knees.
However I DO agree that the better shape you are in, the more limber you are, the better rider you are going to be. But for many people “riding” really just consists of sitting on a walking or slow jogging horse while exploring Nature. They are just another weight the horse has to carry. I don’t really call what they do “riding”.
There are PLENTY of people who ride at this level or only slightly above. I don’t think the horses are treated badly or abused, but I would not say the riders OR horses are trained to any special degree of horsemanship. Pretty much forward, stop, left & right. Go where I point you.
I’ve seen plenty of “poker rides” that are perfect examples. As long as the horses aren’t being abused (and most of these aren’t, 'cause they are only ridden maybe 12 times or less per year), I can’t honestly bust these people for their marked lack of “true horsemanship.”
Some people take lessons in ballroom dancing but not everyone wants to explore it that deeply; some just like to get out there and shake it around…
Same with “riding”.
However, after reading about the OP’s reason for asking, I really urge her to train her horse SOLIDLY to be mounted from all kinds of objects. The EZ mount thing is not only not good for the horse’s back, it is something you have to take on and off (or not? seems like it would be sort of dangerous to leave on…).
Imagine doing that while you horse dances around trying to catch up with the others? Better to just teach it to stay put while you hop on, get their reward (which WILL help them stay put) and go on.
Buck Brannaman teaches you how to train you horse to do this, and I’m sure other horse trainers do as well.
Candyappy, I do see where you’re coming from - and even at 47 with RA, I’m more fit than the average, but definitely not thrilled with learning something that I won’t use very often. The horses ARE my workout (I have 6 at home but ride one almost daily now, conditioning for endurance) - if my life depended on it, I’m pretty sure I could get back on my horse, from the ground. But as others have pointed out, it’s not good for the horse, or saddle. What a relief!
I bought the EZ stirrup to stick in my bag for the odd emergency, but we’ve worked on it today - mounting from odd-ball objects and who knew? my mare doesn’t have a problem with much at all - she’s so awesome :). I’m going to be trying mounted archery from the same horse this summer…she’s pretty unflappable!
Glad to hear your horse cooperates! My other suggestion would be to train her to (or make sure she’s ok with) you pushing and pulling on her as you mount. It’s great if you can find a level surface to use, but I know I often find myself on something that I’m sort of balancing on. It’s great if I can line my horse up, grab a handful or mane, and use his neck as support to climb up before I can hop on.
For some horses this is a very strange sensation at first, but they usually all accept it once they know the drill.
Glad to hear your horse cooperates! My other suggestion would be to train her to (or make sure she’s ok with) you pushing and pulling on her as you mount. It’s great if you can find a level surface to use, but I know I often find myself on something that I’m sort of balancing on. It’s great if I can line my horse up, grab a handful or mane, and use his neck as support to climb up before I can hop on.
For some horses this is a very strange sensation at first, but they usually all accept it once they know the drill.
[QUOTE=katarine;6924469]
Required of you by whom??[/QUOTE]
Competitve trail will require dismounts and sometimes offside dismounts remounts… the reasoning is that you may at times get yourself into a position on a trail that mandates an offside dismount/remount
This makes me remember that dropping the stirrup was the only way we could get my mom back on when she came off in deep snow. Leaving the narrow trail we kept open to find something to stand on wasn’t possible. We used to trail ride all winter- always an adventure.
ETA, yes I had to do an offside dismount once. Steep downhill, trying to go around a mass of deep slippery mud where there was a spring, my horse pushed into some trees/large shrubs and getting off was best option. I could barely manage even an off-side dismount as branches were trapping my leg.
Well see what you guys are teaching me :). Today I’ll practice off-side and see how much she’ll tolerate with me pulling on her.
[QUOTE=clanter;6925922]
Competitve trail will require dismounts and sometimes offside dismounts remounts… the reasoning is that you may at times get yourself into a position on a trail that mandates an offside dismount/remount[/QUOTE]
We have to be careful when we use the term “competitive trail.”
There are a bunch of sanctioning organizations for “Competitive Trail Rides” all with different rules, most of them regional and NATRC being national.
The only one, to my knowledge (and by all means, please pipe up if YOUR regional CTR organization does), that may require judged mounts, is NATRC.
Please don’t think you are limited from competing in our sport if you have difficulty, for whatever reason, mounting from the ground.
I can get on from the ground if I am REALLY ticked off (e.g. after an unplanned dismount that left me embarrassed but unhurt), even onto my 16+H endurance horse, but I assure you, I rarely do, and I’ve been competing in AERC Endurance and ECTRA CTRs for well over a decade on a variety of steeds.
You can do it too!
–Patti
My horse figured out mounting from strange objects very quickly, as in if he didnt get near it I’d have to walk (riding bareback). Suits him, he is nobody’s fool. Me on the other hand…
I never laughed so hard on one trip watching friend mount from a log. Bounce, bounce, up, up, scramble,scramble, and tip, tip and all the way over and down on the ground on the other side. Horse had serious what’s up with these chicks? look on his face.
My horse figured out mounting from strange objects very quickly, as in if he didnt get near it I’d have to walk (riding bareback). Suits him, he is nobody’s fool. Me on the other hand…
I never laughed so hard on one trip watching friend mount from a log. Bounce, bounce, up, up, scramble,scramble, and tip, tip and all the way over and down on the ground on the other side. Horse had serious what’s up with these chicks? look on his face.
Instead of lining your horse up parallel with a log, make them step their front end over the log and stop there. Makes it very easy to step into the saddle, then ask them to move on and bring their hind legs over.
I no longer ride horses larger than 15 hands
I could mount my old guy from the ground at 16.3 because his wither was good enough to keep the saddle in place and I had taught him to stand until He got his mint (thankyouverymuch), which allowed me to take a step back before hiking my left foot up that high, and then hopping in (facing his tail) as part of my two hops before swinging over. We only did this to teach him, and then as an emergency measure.
My new guy has zero in terms of withers and it is almost impossible to get on even with a mounting aid, without a little saddle slippage. Luckily, he’s a whole lot shorter and I use whatever I can find. The no move without a mint is quite helpful in his case too!
[QUOTE=patti;6924189]
Oh good heavens, I don’t mount from the ground either.
Bumpers, guardrails, tree stumps, big rocks, a nice hill, putting my horse in the ditch, fallen tree, tailgates, buckets, you name it, my horse will stand next to it and I’ll mount from it.
I tell people that for me, seeing a nice rock or tree stump on a ride brings out a Pavlov-like response in me – makes me have to pe since I have a handy mounting block right there to get back on.
What!?? TMI?[/QUOTE]
this is me too~ My horse is 16.3 .. plus we've all learned of late its not good to mount from the ground anyway.
He & I are a P-break team here too :)[QUOTE=patti;6926417]
We have to be careful when we use the term “competitive trail.”
There are a bunch of sanctioning organizations for “Competitive Trail Rides” all with different rules, most of them regional and NATRC being national.
–Patti[/QUOTE]
yes NATRC …they will allow use of natural objects… rocks or whatever
Patti, you bring up another question for me regarding the endurance ride…so, where does one “go” when nature calls? This never occurred to me either!! Dear god what else am I forgetting to ask about.
