Dismounting

[Laetitia]

Having my mare off work these last few weeks haven't done any riding. So leapt at the opportunity to go for a ride on a retired police horse no less. He's massive and a complete darling and has one pace - a solid walk or trot. Wonderful confidence giver. Had a lovely ride and on reaching home found I couldn't dismount. Had sort of got stuck in the saddle and it's a long way done. After several pathetic attempts eventually managed to scrape my leg over his back and slide down to end up under his tummy. Bless him, he just stood there with a very long suffering expression on his face. Hopefully do better next time - unfit or what? L

[laura jeanne]

Once after a 2 hour fast-paced trail ride, I leaned forward to swing my back leg over the horse's butt to get off and just pitched forward and pretty much fell off. I was sooooooooo embarrassed!! I was so tired and I think I just got dizzy for a minute.

[Skib]

Laetitia
Lucky you to ride a police horse.
One suggestion. Its harder for me to get off it we've been walking a lot and the day is damp and cold. A really nice Irish groom who knew a lot of things told me to stand up in my stirrups two or three times, to losen up my hips before dismounting.
I started riding late in life. At my second lesson I couldnt get my leg clear over the saddle to dismount. So fell sideways down the side of my horse and fell on the ground like you did. The next week I saw an expert rider in his eighties have a similar problem dismounting, stagger but manage not to fall over.
So I guess its more common than one might think. My teacher said that for old or disabled riders (and me) it was safer to use another way: to have someone hold my horse always and then get my leg over the saddle with my left foot in the stirrup, put my hand in the centre of the saddle and jump out of the stirrup and down to the ground. If my first teacher hadnt let me do that and shown me how, I would never have learned to ride.
Getting off is my big riding problem. Not helped by having broken my ankle - walking not riding. So if you come up with solutions please let us know what you do.