Ease Mounting Pressures on Your Horse

What seems like mounting aversion may be driven purely by pain, so a medical checkup is definitely called for to look for a source, which can be a lameness originating in a hock or injuries inflicted by heedless mounting practices. Rare medical conditions also can cause bizarre mounting misbehavior, Houpt notes: "A horse who consistently falls down when being mounted could have narcolepsy," she explains. "Pressure on his back actually triggers the horse's collapse into REM [rapid eye movement] sleep. Some drugs can help this condition." In addition, incoordination at mounting can be one of the first signs of developing equine protozoal myelitis or neurological conditions commonly termed "wobbles."

Mounting block

Mounting Made Easier
The Mounting Block: For the rider, a mounting block eliminates the stress of having to stretch for the stirrup and strain to pull up on a tall horse. For the horse, being mounted from a block, rock or rise of ground considerably reduces the amount of saddle torquing his back has to endure. If you have a quiet, reliable mount, you can slip your right leg across the saddle from the block and avoid the near stirrup altogether. Any movement on the horse's part, however, could leave you sitting on the ground, so it's safer to use the near stirrup even when mounting from a block. The mounting block needs to be sturdy, set on level ground and located in a roomy, uncluttered area. For those who generally ride alone and don't have the advantage of an assistant, it's certainly worth the effort to build or buy a block, as it can be a big improvement in ease and convenience over ground mounting.

Assisted Mounting: According to Harman's pressure tests, a well-executed "leg up" is the least stressful technique for the horse. In it, the rider descends straight down and lands lightly with his weight evenly distributed, and the saddle is not wrenched against the spine and musculature. Coordinating the actions of the rider and person giving the assistance takes practice, but with the timing mastered, it's a quick, simple procedure. An assistant can reduce saddle torque by grasping the stirrup leather on the off side with his left hand while gripping the bridle cheekpiece with his right hand to steady and still the horse as the rider mounts.

Solo Ground Mounting: Putting physics to work for you rather than against you will take a lot of the torment out of ground mounting. Standing close to your horse facing his rear puts you in the most advantageous position to spring, pivot and land lightly. When mounting a tall horse, lengthen the stirrup leather until your foot can reach the stirrup without straining and swing into the saddle from there; once on board, return the stirrup to its regular length. Out on the trail, a fence or fallen log can elevate your center of gravity and lower the energy cost of mounting. And even placing your horse in a slight depression can give you enough of a lift to make your ground mount graceful. And speaking of graceful, if you're very athletic and coordinated and you get your horse used to it, you can just vault into the saddle with a flawless spring and gentle landing, bypassing the torquing stirrup pressure altogether.

Assisted mounting

As the prelude to your ride, mounting lasts but a second or two, yet it sets the tone of your ensuing interactions with your horse. When mounting problems do occur, take them as a signal to search for the root causes in your own technique or in the horse's condition. It's worth the effort to guard your horse's comfort and your own safety during the brief mounting process. After all, a ride that begins in harmony is off to the best possible start.

This article originally appeared in the August 1995 issue of EQUUS magazine.