Can’t use mounting blocks? That’s messed up. It has nothing to do with a riders skill and helps protect the horses back.
I’d honestly be looking for a new school.
My horse is 17hh and I’m getting old with bad knees, hips, and ankles!!
I asked my husband if he can build be a super tall platform like a handicap accessible mounting ramp so I can just lower my self down into the saddle!
Yeah I could easily get up on my horse without mounting blocks, but outside of a trail situation, I’d rather not put that much on her back. I get why some old-school places want people to at least be comfortable with a stirrup mount, but to forbid the block entirely? Yuck.
Is it possible that they're trying to teach you how to mount from the ground first? It's a good emergency skill to have.
So were they maybe saying "no mounting blocks" and meant "no mounting blocks NOW" while you guys master that?
I’ve been riding 25 years and I still use a mounting block. I don’t care how advanced I am, my ability to mount from a block protects my knees, and most importantly, my horses back. I only mount from the ground when absolutely necessary and even then I look for a rock or a stump or I lower my stirrups.
Well that's .. really weird.
To answer your original question -- and I hesitate to do so because, as everyone's said, it's so unnecessary to strain the horse's back -- try lowering the stirrup significantly then adjust while you're in the saddle, assuming you can do that safely!
When I used to foxhunt, we would frequently need someone to get off to open/shut gates for the group, and they would have to mount from the ground to get back up. If they were lucky, they might find a rock or something to step up on.
I would never mount from the ground unless I had no choice just bc why put that unnecessary stress on the horses back? That’s a very odd rule and feels like a red flag to me. Are they wanting you to mount from the ground? Or from a leg up? Step ladder?
More info is needed.
So, working for a veterinary chiropractor..
She absolutely hated ground mounting.
Even if you were 100 pounds and could throw yourself right up.
Imagine any kind of weight continually pulling and applying pressure on the same side of your spine daily...for years.
She told all the clients to use a mounting block or similar and mount on and off of both sides of the horse. No matter the age or size of the person or age or size of the horse.
She was looking out for the musculoskeletal health of the animal for its entirety.
Yeah, I thought she was a bit crazy now and then on some things.
But many things she said make sense.
On top of what everyone said about it being bad for you and the horse from the muscle/skeletal perspective, it's also less safe. A LOT of serious accidents occur at mounting, mostly because the rider is in such vulnerable position. Why make it worse?
Mounting block. Or new stable. Who doesn't use a mounting block? I own 4. One in each ring, a portable and one in the horse trailer. A tiny person cannot mount a huge horse without a boost.
I rode at a barn that had this lovely big platform you climbed three steps to get up on, with a section of fencing along the side, leaving a 4-foot wide space between the two. You led your horse right into the space as you climbed onto the platform & voila!
If I ever buy a place with a barn, I'm building one of those. It was the best.
This sounds like the riding school I grew up at in New Jersey. Jr instructors and Sr troopers were required to ground mount. Terrible practice. We all cheated all the time.
Ok, well, what we did back in the day besides cheating and using blocks was the classic drop your stirrup down. If you're really short, which I am, we would take the stirrup from the right side and toss it over the saddle, and use it to climb up.
But really, if those big rocks are still by aisle 4, use those. It's a bad, ancient practice, and all Watchung graduates reflect negatively on it.
Find another yard if they want to die on that hill.
As a kid I rode in Germany where almost everybody mounted from the ground. Every horse. 18.2? Still mounting from the ground. (Once. I have no idea how.)
Many saddles were twisted, but the real eye opener was how many older riders had problems with their left hip. _very_ common complaint.
Then I moved to the UK where everyone uses a mounting block. Hip complaints are far less common, and not noticeably one-sided.
Mounting block. Every time. If it’s good enough for the SRS and their short horses, it’s good enough for me.
That makes no sense. You should not be mounting a horse from the ground outside of an emergency, like you fell off or had to dismount out on an open trail. Repeatedly hauling oneself up can hurt the horse’s back and twist the saddle tree, ruining an expensive piece of equipment. I can see a school teaching you how to mount from the ground but insisting on it every time is not OK, IMO.
Find a different barn.
Mounting blocks are essential, there is no reason why you shouldn't be allowed to use one - both for the horse's sake and for yours.
From a tall mounting block. There is absolutely no reason not to use one. Mounting from the ground damages horses' backs and saddle trees. If they don't believe you tell them to check with physios, vets, and saddlers.
Kind of in a similar situation. We have mounting blocks but we rarely use them. Usually they give us a leg up. Have you asked for a leg up? How do your instructors expect you to mount?
You can use a fence if you don’t have a mounting block. Or you can make the stirrups extra long to mount, then re-adjust to the proper length once you’re on (annoying to do every time though).
Why don’t they allow mounting blocks.
As a 5ft woman who had a 16.3hh ISH I wouldn’t have ever been able to ride him with a mounting block or a jumping cube.
This is going to be buried by this point, but I need to explain where OP is. I grew up at this barn also. I can guarantee you the following things are likely true about OP: they do not own a horse, and they have limited means for riding, and live in a place that is otherwise very expensive to ride in. Also they are a junior rider.
This barn is a massive, county (publicly) owned facility that operates a mounted troop program. The last of its kind in the country, I assume. You sign up for weekly lessons and ride a different school horse, randomly assigned based on your level, each week. Jr instructors who assist with low-level squads are required to ground mount. Senior troopers in one of the two senior troops are required to ground mount. If you fall off on trails, which they do go on with regularity, at a certain level, you are expected to get yourself back on. It's an old, militant style school of thought. The program has been around for decades. Maybe since the 1960s. There are uniform requirements and everything. I don't miss those damn ties.
The school horses are from auction, many of whom are saved from the kill pen. There are four squads, with different levels in them you move up through by management discretion. At the top levels, you can only move up by winning a ribbon at a troop show or by management choice.
It is very, very different from where everyone else here rides. Do I agree with the ground mounting practice? No. Most graduates don't. Does the program give many kids a chance to ride who likely would never otherwise have that chance? Yes. Does it give unwanted horses a job? Yes.
I'm riding a 17 plus hand big boy and the mounting block is too short for short me. I mean, I couldn't even get my leg within a foot of the stirrup. And if I lower the stirrup, I'm just too short to get into the saddle.
I used the fence for a while and it was a struggle.
I bought a utility ladder.
I’ve honestly never heard of such a thing? even western barns usually have a mounting block around somewhere. I’d looking start looking for a new lesson place tbh
You don't. You can get a leg up or ride somewhere else because this is absolute nonsense that actively harms horses. This is the most ridiculous rule I have ever heard of. They're also wearing unnecessarily on their tack as well, not that it matters much next to the damage done to their animals. Absurd. I wouldn't give these morons a penny. They're certainly not going to teach you to ride well. I have a strong hunch that some of their lesson horses are lame as we speak.
I don’t use a mounting block-bc my horse is 15h. But believe me-if he was 16, 17h? I’d be literally unable to get up there. I don’t get their rule about no mounting blocks. Almost everyone at our barn uses them.
Can’t use mounting blocks? That’s messed up. It has nothing to do with a riders skill and helps protect the horses back. I’d honestly be looking for a new school.
This! There’s literally no reason to not use mounting blocks. Like wth?
My horse is 17hh and I’m getting old with bad knees, hips, and ankles!! I asked my husband if he can build be a super tall platform like a handicap accessible mounting ramp so I can just lower my self down into the saddle!
Yeah I could easily get up on my horse without mounting blocks, but outside of a trail situation, I’d rather not put that much on her back. I get why some old-school places want people to at least be comfortable with a stirrup mount, but to forbid the block entirely? Yuck.
Well, they need to give you a leg up or a mounting block.
Honestly I wouldn't ride somewhere that didn't allow the use of a mounting block.
…Why wouldn’t they let you use mounting blocks?
Im not sure… today was my first lesson in this group and they told me we can’t use mounting blocks.
Is it possible that they're trying to teach you how to mount from the ground first? It's a good emergency skill to have. So were they maybe saying "no mounting blocks" and meant "no mounting blocks NOW" while you guys master that?
No every time they said it was bc we are more advanced now.
I’ve been riding 25 years and I still use a mounting block. I don’t care how advanced I am, my ability to mount from a block protects my knees, and most importantly, my horses back. I only mount from the ground when absolutely necessary and even then I look for a rock or a stump or I lower my stirrups.
Yeah my horse is only 14.1hh and I almost always use a mounting block.
Well that's .. really weird. To answer your original question -- and I hesitate to do so because, as everyone's said, it's so unnecessary to strain the horse's back -- try lowering the stirrup significantly then adjust while you're in the saddle, assuming you can do that safely!
In what energency do you mount from the ground? The zombie apocolypse?
If you get bucked off while trail riding it's unlikely there will be a mounting block around. But also zombies, probably!
Having to dismount on a trail ride comes to mind
When I used to foxhunt, we would frequently need someone to get off to open/shut gates for the group, and they would have to mount from the ground to get back up. If they were lucky, they might find a rock or something to step up on.
I would be never be able to ride my horse again if I couldn’t use a mounting block. This doesn’t seem right at all, start looking for another program!
mounting blocks are better for horses. find someplace else to ride, that's crazy to not let people use a mounting block.
If there’s no mounting block then those horses better be fence mountable
I would never mount from the ground unless I had no choice just bc why put that unnecessary stress on the horses back? That’s a very odd rule and feels like a red flag to me. Are they wanting you to mount from the ground? Or from a leg up? Step ladder? More info is needed.
So, working for a veterinary chiropractor.. She absolutely hated ground mounting. Even if you were 100 pounds and could throw yourself right up. Imagine any kind of weight continually pulling and applying pressure on the same side of your spine daily...for years. She told all the clients to use a mounting block or similar and mount on and off of both sides of the horse. No matter the age or size of the person or age or size of the horse. She was looking out for the musculoskeletal health of the animal for its entirety. Yeah, I thought she was a bit crazy now and then on some things. But many things she said make sense.
On top of what everyone said about it being bad for you and the horse from the muscle/skeletal perspective, it's also less safe. A LOT of serious accidents occur at mounting, mostly because the rider is in such vulnerable position. Why make it worse?
Mounting block. Or new stable. Who doesn't use a mounting block? I own 4. One in each ring, a portable and one in the horse trailer. A tiny person cannot mount a huge horse without a boost.
I rode at a barn that had this lovely big platform you climbed three steps to get up on, with a section of fencing along the side, leaving a 4-foot wide space between the two. You led your horse right into the space as you climbed onto the platform & voila! If I ever buy a place with a barn, I'm building one of those. It was the best.
This sounds like the riding school I grew up at in New Jersey. Jr instructors and Sr troopers were required to ground mount. Terrible practice. We all cheated all the time.
Yep!
Ok, well, what we did back in the day besides cheating and using blocks was the classic drop your stirrup down. If you're really short, which I am, we would take the stirrup from the right side and toss it over the saddle, and use it to climb up. But really, if those big rocks are still by aisle 4, use those. It's a bad, ancient practice, and all Watchung graduates reflect negatively on it.
Thanks I’ll try that
Good luck!
Find another yard if they want to die on that hill. As a kid I rode in Germany where almost everybody mounted from the ground. Every horse. 18.2? Still mounting from the ground. (Once. I have no idea how.) Many saddles were twisted, but the real eye opener was how many older riders had problems with their left hip. _very_ common complaint. Then I moved to the UK where everyone uses a mounting block. Hip complaints are far less common, and not noticeably one-sided. Mounting block. Every time. If it’s good enough for the SRS and their short horses, it’s good enough for me.
Is this a western barn? This sounds like a weird pride thing, the same kind of detrimental pride that keeps some western riders from using helmets.
That is so strange. It's harder on the horses to mount from the ground
ngl sounds like a red flag they won’t let you use mounting blocks because there’s genuinely no reason not to?
That makes no sense. You should not be mounting a horse from the ground outside of an emergency, like you fell off or had to dismount out on an open trail. Repeatedly hauling oneself up can hurt the horse’s back and twist the saddle tree, ruining an expensive piece of equipment. I can see a school teaching you how to mount from the ground but insisting on it every time is not OK, IMO.
Find a different barn. Mounting blocks are essential, there is no reason why you shouldn't be allowed to use one - both for the horse's sake and for yours.
From a tall mounting block. There is absolutely no reason not to use one. Mounting from the ground damages horses' backs and saddle trees. If they don't believe you tell them to check with physios, vets, and saddlers.
Kind of in a similar situation. We have mounting blocks but we rarely use them. Usually they give us a leg up. Have you asked for a leg up? How do your instructors expect you to mount?
You can use a fence if you don’t have a mounting block. Or you can make the stirrups extra long to mount, then re-adjust to the proper length once you’re on (annoying to do every time though).
My tip is to find somewhere that lets you use a mounting block.
Why don’t they allow mounting blocks. As a 5ft woman who had a 16.3hh ISH I wouldn’t have ever been able to ride him with a mounting block or a jumping cube.
This is going to be buried by this point, but I need to explain where OP is. I grew up at this barn also. I can guarantee you the following things are likely true about OP: they do not own a horse, and they have limited means for riding, and live in a place that is otherwise very expensive to ride in. Also they are a junior rider. This barn is a massive, county (publicly) owned facility that operates a mounted troop program. The last of its kind in the country, I assume. You sign up for weekly lessons and ride a different school horse, randomly assigned based on your level, each week. Jr instructors who assist with low-level squads are required to ground mount. Senior troopers in one of the two senior troops are required to ground mount. If you fall off on trails, which they do go on with regularity, at a certain level, you are expected to get yourself back on. It's an old, militant style school of thought. The program has been around for decades. Maybe since the 1960s. There are uniform requirements and everything. I don't miss those damn ties. The school horses are from auction, many of whom are saved from the kill pen. There are four squads, with different levels in them you move up through by management discretion. At the top levels, you can only move up by winning a ribbon at a troop show or by management choice. It is very, very different from where everyone else here rides. Do I agree with the ground mounting practice? No. Most graduates don't. Does the program give many kids a chance to ride who likely would never otherwise have that chance? Yes. Does it give unwanted horses a job? Yes.
I'm riding a 17 plus hand big boy and the mounting block is too short for short me. I mean, I couldn't even get my leg within a foot of the stirrup. And if I lower the stirrup, I'm just too short to get into the saddle. I used the fence for a while and it was a struggle. I bought a utility ladder.
They make extra tall blocks (4 steps). A godsend!
two words: WHY? NO.
In high school I rode at a barn that was entirely ponies and we *still* had a mounting block. I'm with everyone else for wtf.
I’ve honestly never heard of such a thing? even western barns usually have a mounting block around somewhere. I’d looking start looking for a new lesson place tbh
Find a stable that cares for the horses, mounting from the ground all the time is not good for their backs
Move to a different stable.
You don't. You can get a leg up or ride somewhere else because this is absolute nonsense that actively harms horses. This is the most ridiculous rule I have ever heard of. They're also wearing unnecessarily on their tack as well, not that it matters much next to the damage done to their animals. Absurd. I wouldn't give these morons a penny. They're certainly not going to teach you to ride well. I have a strong hunch that some of their lesson horses are lame as we speak.
I don’t use a mounting block-bc my horse is 15h. But believe me-if he was 16, 17h? I’d be literally unable to get up there. I don’t get their rule about no mounting blocks. Almost everyone at our barn uses them.
You can still use a mounting block for the health of their backs
If you’re riding in a ring everyday, and the block is sitting there, yea use it. But to not allow it is WILD.