Tall horse - Step ladder?

[sallymouse]

This is perhaps a daft question, but...
I have only ever ridden smaller cob types around 14.2 at the riding schools I go to.

I am intrigued how to mount gracefully large horses, also if for some reason you must dismount whilst hacking how do you get back on? I am not built like a 9 stone gymnast and vaulting isn't really an option!:)

[Teehee]

It usually helps to lower the stirrup strap... then when you're up... readjust it... :)

[carthorse]

At home I always use a mounting block or my Ikea steps.

Out hacking my best tip is don't get off! If I absolutely MUST get off then I need a gate or high bank to get back on, dropping my stirrup isn't enough as I then can't swing my leg far enough up & over :o . In my defence although Jim is only 16.2 he's a very big 16.2 (low withers) & wide so I have to reach across as well as up! Also catching him on the bum while mounting or scrabbling around while mounting is likely to have me back on the floor . . . .

[horseygirl123]

I cant mount without a mounting block or bank, I'm not as supple as I used to be (I blame it on having kids ;) ) I once had to get off while on a hack cos the horse wouldnt stand still while I opened the gate and well, it was about 10 minutes before I found any kind of bank to stand on to mount, the poor horse kept looking at me to say " you gonna walk all the way with me or are you getting on " :D

[rubysmum]

having a 17 hh hoss makes me very focused on NEVER getting off on a hack cos i kno i cant get back on - in extremis i did once make her stand in a ditch but its not dignified or clever - i hack in a very horsey area & have made a note in my head of the houses on my roots that prob have mounting blocks.
When i went to try hossout had to use garden furniture toscramble on whilst the woman selling her vaulted on from the ground - very shaming lol

[svenja]

I have a 16hh mare who is basically all legs (an akhal teke- think equine grayhound). Manage to struggle up most days, but came to grief when wearing my new sticky-bum breeches....:D Alas, no mounting block at my yard....

[capalldubh]

Graceful - are you kidding? :D

I'm like you - used to ride a 15hh cob - no problem, could hop up and down when needed. Then I went and bought a 16.2 giraffe... I am in the process of teaching him to stand quietly beside walls etc. - so far he has been an absolute star. The problem for me is worse at present because we have no saddle that fits, so I am riding on a bareback pad (i.e. no stirrups). So when I'm tottering on top of the wall, I need to know he'll stand like a rock :)

I will just make sure when hacking that I never dismount unless there's a handy wall or log nearby :D

[Teehee]

Now that I think of it, I once rode a horse that was trained to stand with his front legs forward & the back ones back, that way he was lower to get on... but I have no idea how you could train them to do that though... :confused: Although... a couple of those 17 hh... it would be nice if they got on their knees... it would make life sooo much easier !!! :cool: hehehe

[shoniedaspony]

you worry about big horses...i knew a lady who fell off her 12hh welsh bareback on a hack, and had to get on using a log because she couldnt do it from the ground!...thing is she moved off the log to get on just as he wondered off to a more exciting patch of grass...and ended up on her arse on the floor

was most amusing.

after falling regularly off a 16.2 i swore to either never ride a horse i couldnt get back on from the ground, at least without any more then a slight gradient of terrain to help me, or to go where i knew there were fences/logs to climb back on with!

[sallymouse]

Gotta be honest that really made me smile, as a child I had an amazing ability to slither to the floor!
Must admit graceful escapes me most of the time but just wanted to make sure there wasn't some big horse (or any horse) mounting secret I was missing out on.

[popdog]

I usually make my horse stand in a ditch or up against a tree stump or something. I'm 5ft 2 and have a 16hh horse who is a complete angel and understands why I am pushing him into a ditch :o

If all else fails you could always buy one of these...if anyone has tried one I'd be interested to hear their opinion ;)

http://www.robinsons-uk.com/products/Productdetail.asp?ProductCode=31926

[eml]

I must admit I have done a survey of how far I would have to walk on regular hacks to a place I could mount....far better to stay on top!!!!!:o

Lovely loan horse (17.3) just needs to learn to kneel down so I can get on!

[PaintedQH]

I'm in the process of teaching my big boy to bow. When I get that accomplished I will put my foot in the stirrup and then give him the cue to stand up, as I go up with him. Maybe....I hope.

[walterthepony]

I can get onto tall horses from the ground, but lately I've been riding ponies so I'm out of practice. Of course, my age might make it a bit easier for me! :p
I'm 16

[x.fat-pony.x]

Getting on......ugh.
I only just managed to get on a 13.1hh, and that was with the stirrup leathers waaaay down! :rolleyes:
Now I'm going to try a 15.2hh....got leg-up the other day, but when his owners not around....well, i'm gonna have to learn aren't I??!! :p

[carthorse]

x.fat-pony.x don't even think about learning to get on that 15.2 - buy some steps! You can aways use the excuse that it's far better for the horse's back & does less damage to the saddle ;)

[x.fat-pony.x]

x.fat-pony.x don't even think about learning to get on that 15.2 - buy some steps! You can aways use the excuse that it's far better for the horse's back & does less damage to the saddle ;)

:D hehe thanks! But.....where can I get some safe steps?!?!?!

[carthorse]

If you've got an Ikea near you then go there. I got some for, I think, £10 that are plain unfinished wood. I put wood preserver on them & they make a great portable mounting block - stable, light & tall enough to let me get on my 16.2 easily.

[CrisO]

I can get on from the ground on my 16:3 share but it's certainly not graceful - more an undignified struggle with much swearing and grunting. Someone recently tied up the gate to the school so when I got there had to dismount. The problem I find with that height is if the gate is tied to have to lean right down in a very precarious position to untie it.
He then decided the jumping block I was going to use to give me that extra foot, was a horse eating monster that he couldn't possibly stand still next to. So had to get on from the ground but avoid it if I can. Next day allowed extra time to get him used to the block and it was no longer threatening.