OK,, have to ride treed but problems getting off and on

[ShariN]

I now know that the treed flex panel saddle is much more comfortable for me to ride in. I guess broken back and other bits, I now need to go back to treed. Never thought to see the day.
Rode my usual 8 to 10 minutes but it was enough to tell me what I needed to know.

OK......the problem...
Is even more ticky to get in and out of a treed saddle and will need to figure out a better way. The traditional way,,even using a mounting
block AKA Chair for now..because the straw bales are to far away for me at this point and am not using stirrups to get on and off,,which at this point I can't do yet anyway..ie using the stirrups to get on and off...just will not work.

So I guess it will be back to treed saddles if I want to ride.

Getting off bareback was not as much of a problem. The Treed saddle I have has a cantle though..not high..about 3"s. I take my feet out of the sitrrups..and then run into problems.
Short of a crane of some sort...any ideas?

[Silvia]

Could you swing your leg over the front and step down on to the block? Get someone to hold your horse's head down if you try. :)

[Julz]

ShariN - You've read my story, but I didnt say how I managed on and off....Getting on is ok.... Getting off... well... on most of the horses I ride I keep my left foot in the stirrup, right one out as normal... then just stand up in the left stirrup, leaning forward as normal, and lift my left leg over the cantle, when my leg is over, I lean on the saddle, free my left foot and slide down.... On Seamus, I don't seem able to do this, and just keep my right foot in the stirrup, then put my left leg over his neck, and slide down the "wrong side" either way you do it, the more you do it the easier it will get and you'll also get your own way of doing it....

[ShariN]

I will try the getting off via the front.

My left knee/leg will not hold my weight alone...so couldn't trust it to hold me while getting off or on.
And she is so round the saddle moves around a bit.

Thank you for the ideas. Sounds like it will just take time and practices to figure out what might work the best.:D

[Julz]

Perhaps you could try getting off the "wrong" side, but the "normal" way?

dont know what's "normal" anymore!!

Your saddle slips? Have you tried a limpet pad? they are great things!!!!

[Lucyad]

I have limited arm strength and mobility due to recovering broken shoulder and get off by swinging my leg over the front, sitting sideways on the saddle, then slipping down from there, often onto a block (or treestump) as my horse is very high up!

Safer, IMO, than leaving one foot in the stirrup.

[Julz]

I only leave my foot in the stirrup until both legs are the same side, then take foot out, and slide down...

I also IMO dont think it a good idea to dismount onto a mounting block/chair as sometimes you can get a bit dizzy when landing on something that is higher than the ground, and has no sides, so I always dismount to the ground, regardless of the size of the horse... but ofcourse it's entirely upto you and what you feel safe with!

[8-legged-pony]

Tbh I think you're just going to have to try lots of different ways and see which one works for you. It sounds like it might be best to bring your right leg over the front of the saddle, then slide down onto a block, or your chair. That way you're not going to be hitting the ground with any force, and dont' need to worry about your left leg taking too much weight. I wouldn't leave one foot in the stirrup, as if your horse does decide to move off you may end up rather unbalanced and with a lot of weight on your left leg.

Good luck with experimenting, hope you find a way that's suited to you :)

[stormy's mum]

do u have access to a mounting ramp this way you could lean on the saddle and just slide on with some one on horses other side and head of course

[ShariN]

I do not have a ramp and doubt I would get hubby to build one any time soon.

Do have the bales of straw..that work well. But at this point.. doubt I would be able to lift my leg that high..and I know I would not be able to step up onto it at this point.

Haven't ridden since that last time...maybe sometime this week.. I will try one of the methods.:D