Too stiff to dismount!

I end up nearly always dragging me leg over Storm's back and she ends up with a muddy boot scuff on her rear !!! oh dear. I have absolutely no excuse - apart from the fact that I'm just not bendy enough! I am a little overweight (don't know if that has anything to do with it). OH says I am just too stiff! I do ride as much as I can and I am always doing chores on the yard, plus I do a lot of walking - so I can't be that unfit - just not as bendy as some folk. Well, my legs are short too (OH is quite acrobatic on horse-back lucky thing!!!)
 
Before I started riding lessons in October, I had a pony ride, couple of times round the sand school at walk, to see what I made of it.

When I came to dismount I couldn't do it at first. I felt quite embarrassed as I couldn't swing my leg far enough backwards to clear the pony's rump. The handler started to offer assistance, but I thought then I could really get in a mess.

Now I have started lessons again, I do a few exercises each evening when I stand on my left leg and pivot, in a right leg swinging back and leaning forward fashion. It certainly paid off because at last week's lesson, on the second attempt I dismounted successfully. I'm 44 by the way.
 
Another Undignified Dismount

This very same thing happened to me almost a year ago on my new mare of only 3 months. I went to ride at the club when a small dressage show was on. A dressage rider's horse bolted in the warm up ring to jump a huge jump-projecting her far. Ambulance and firetruck present. My mare was bug eyed by the excitement. I decide to dismount and walk home, call it a day.Well I get my right fat thigh caught over the cantle when dismounting. I'm lying sideways along her flank, trying to hike myself up,no strength, then think what the heck, just fall. Mare standing very quietly. so I roll off onto soft ground.Too many come running because a rider has already left for the hospital and everyone' sense of another accident ready to happen. I'm inundated with "Are you all right? What happened? Your horse must have spooked big time" I said that's it, my horse spooked big time, and we walked home briskly with eyes to the ground, totally embarressed..luckily mare didn't refute my lie.:p
Now I do that military dismount, keep left foot in stirrup, throw r. le over than jump down on soft turf if I can find it.
 
The landing jars me!!

So I have spent considerable time and expenditure on polos, training my horse to dock at the mounting block. Bliss!!!
 
petsywetsy said:
The landing jars me!!

So I have spent considerable time and expenditure on polos, training my horse to dock at the mounting block. Bliss!!!
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<LOL> I have my mare Dyfra trained like that. She will even look for a block or some such so I can get off.... "Automatic disembarking finding system".:D
 
petsywetsy said:
The landing jars me!!

So I have spent considerable time and expenditure on polos, training my horse to dock at the mounting block. Bliss!!!
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I'm careful to bend my knees when I land - that helps a lot. Especially if I hold on to the saddle and mane to slow the descent. I'm a bit worried about dismounting onto a block: even if it's a solid one, there's the danger of landing too near the edge and slipping off and getting hurt ...
 
If the problem is stiffness rather than a specific physical issue you could consider cod liver oil, glucosopamine or omega fish oils - also lots of people find pilates useful for general bendyness or maybe do some geneal stretches & bends before you start riding in the same way that you would at the gym
 
Yes I've experienced this too. I've been taking rosehip capsules for the last 2 months because of pains in my hands, and general stiff and achy all over and it does seem to work. I also find that being cold makes me stiff and achy. I'm now trying to do some exercises to help.

If you get really bad, and as long as you're horse won't panic, try putting your leg over the pommel and sliding off (as if you were side saddle).

Also depending on your age it could be hormone related.

DebO
 
DebO said:
Also depending on your age it could be hormone related.

DebO
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Yes, I am at 'that age' with hormones from hell, maybe that explains it, I am getting frustrated because the more riding I do the stiffer I seem to be getting, did manage to get off this time, although I was in pain for most of my ride.
 
Hi again

You could get a blood test done to see what your hormones are like. I know that most GPs don't seem to care about ladies noticing changes, or they tend to stick to oestrogen only.

A couple of years ago I used to get out of bed really stiff, cleaning the house plays havoc and other activities. I ended up going to a private woman GP and got some hormones oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone and I noticed the difference quite quickly and felt a lot better for it. Unfortunately I didn't carry on due to the expense as she wanted an annual check up and being private I had to pay of course.

DebO
 
I have the same problem, I'm 67. I'm afraid to do the military dismount, I have bad knees and ankles too and I don't think I could stand the shock of landing, and I doubt the horses would stand still for that cause they're not used to it. I keep wondering if a chiropractor would help. The last two times it's like I have no energy in my right leg, I get halfway off and my leg just goes limp against the horse's rump, and I'm stuck. Both times I had to get someone to lift my right leg over the horse's rump; how embarassing! I've tried stretching before getting on, it helps slightly. Good to know so many others have the same problem.
 
Goldi said:
I don't think I could stand the shock of landing,
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You cant get off a horse without landing. Unless you dismount onto the mounting block which I have always been scared to do.

I do the so called military or Granny dismount. The YM holds my share mare and the off side stirrup. I have a leather grab strap at the front of the saddle and she suggested that I hold onto that as I finally drop to the ground. I normally dismount onto tarmac and yes you need to let your feet "give" as you land. The current assistant YM is nervous of dismounting me and takes me up into the sand school where the landing is softer. But I tumbled over on landing last week. A soft surface is not necessarilly easier to balance on when one lands. I wear a bp and helmet so am also somewhat protected.

Dont do anything unsafe but I do keep my left leg fit by regularly standing up on a kitchen chair, something I need to do to reach higher shelves in our kitchen where we keep the bread flour. OH holds the chair, I put my left foot on the seat as if mounting and press upwards.
So far all of this has worked.

Long ago I was taught by an old Irish groom that it helped one to dismount, particularly in cold weather, if one stood up in the stirrups and sat down again a couple of times. He told me that people did this after hunting. This is similar to rising trot, so I also try to do some rising trot as we approach home.
 
Hello @Goldi, nice to see you on the forum. Just to let you know that you may not get as many responses to this very old thread as you would if you started a new one. But kudos to you for using the search function!
 
Dizzy Woo said:
:eek: How embarrasing, I started riding the begining of this year after a break of over 30 years, I have my own gorgeous Haffy called Daisy that I try to go out on a hack about 4 or 5 times per week and have been schooling once a week..... well, I must be getting old cos today I just couldn't get off her! My leg just wouldn't swing over and got caught on her bum, she put her head down to have a much and I nearly went over the front. Just managed to wiggle back into the saddle, had to dismount with one foot in the stirrup so my right leg could swing over - really embarrasing. I must be seizing up. :rolleyes:..has anyone else experienced this??
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Hi, My name is Dave, I'm 69 years old (5'11" - 215 lbs) in fairly good shape.
Lately I have noticed it's getting harder to mount and dismount my quarter horse even using a riding block. My right leg gets caught on the cantle (western saddle) and I have to have help lifting it over my horse while leaving my left foot in the stirrup.
Eight months ago, I didn't have any issues, but now my right leg is getting stiffer and becoming a problem.

Recently, when I went to dismount, my right leg got caught on the cantle. I started to slide to my left along with the saddle. Before I could grab some mane or before my riding partners could get to me, I fell backwards and landed flat on my back hitting hard. I ended up under the horse tied up next to mine. Nothing broken, just 😳...

Thank God for my helmet! I saw stars and my sunglasses broke. The carbon fiber helmet took the brunt of my fall and didn't even crack or scuff. I was more worried about my horse than me... Even with my riding partners assisting me lately, I've had a couple more close calls.

I usually ride 2-3 hours weekly with my seniors group who are all in their 70s. I'm not ready to give up riding yet, but I need to work on my right leg issue.
Does anyone have any stretching excercises / yoga suggestions to help with my right leg? Maybe something during the week... and immediately prior to riding to help strengthen/loosen up my right leg?
Any suggestions would be most welcome!
Thanks!
DaveM
teknobabbl@gmail.com
 
I am 67 i get off by taking right foot out, stand on one iron, get leg over and take left foot out and slither down slowly holding the saddle and reins, not elegant but it works. It stops the concussion on my knees which hurt. I have very wide foam padded western stirrups so foot comes out easily
 
I too dismount using the left stirrup. You ask about exercises. I have not looked on line and I dont want to suggest anything that might cause you injury or accident.
However, I do have what call the left foot on kitchen chair exercise. This helps me mount the horse with no problem. We store our bags of bread making flour in plastic boxes on top of a high cupboard. Our coffee beans are also stored on another top shelf. To reach both I need to stand on a kitchen chair. I found that practising, placing my left foot on the chair and pushing up to stand on the chair with a hand on the cupboard and OH there to steady the chair or support me if needed, worked very well, It strengthened my left leg.
I also began to go up stairs very slowly, but taking two steps at a time and really pushing up.

Back to dismounting. I too once toppled over backwards when dismounting this way but I wear a helmet and body protector. I was not hurt. It taught me that I must hang onto the saddle when dismounting and I now use a grab strap when out hacking, so there is something at the front of the saddle to hold onto.,I usually dismount onto tarmac but we have a busy yard with a lot of moving vehicles and although the mare does not worry, I do. So I sometimes ask to go into the sand school to dismount.
It is easier to dismount from a UK General Purpose saddle than a Western saddle. This has been on my mind lately as I am older than you and would quite like to ride Western again before I need to stop riding for good.

It takes time and attention from the yard staff to help me lift the saddle onto the horse, and to get me on and off the horse. But once I am in the saddle I ride off alone and am no trouble to anyone.

In the UK we have the NHS on line which provides suggestions for exercises and OH and I used to do Joe Wicks on line exercises for the elderly as well. But as an ancient rider, my advice is never to over achieve or stress your body. OH and I were never athletic at school. So we have no sports injuries and we have always been walkers.
 
What about getting on and off the other side?
Perhaps some exercises before you mount.
Is the horse tacked up for you or are you doing anything with them? I have already done some bending, stretching and walking just sorting mine and doing chores. That possibly warms up muscles. If you are just arriving and getting on, then your body isnt warmed up.
 
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If I am stiff after many hours in the saddle I find getting the blood flowing before I get off is key, feet out of stirrups, circle toes, bending the knee and lifting it into a shorter riding position a few times for 5-10 seconds each time and standing in the stirrups for a minute or two all seem to help.
 
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Jessey said:
standing in the stirrups for a minute or two all seem to help.
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Standing up and down in the stirrups always helps especially in cold weather. But I also try to trot a little as we approach the yard gate. I know one shouldnt trot a horse up to the yard gate heading home but these days I usually ask Ella for a bit of trot very near the gate. One has a fair idea of what is safe on a horse that one has known a long time.
 
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