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  Discussion on Mounting Bareback
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Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Saturday, Aug 14, 2004 - 4:21 pm:

I'd like some tips on how to vault on to a bareback horse. The way I mount now is by using a mounting block on the near side, placing my left hand just below (to the right of) the withers, my right hand on the back just before the rise of the butt and lightly jumping up on to my stomach and swinging my right leg over. That works okay, but I'd like to be more agile and supple mounting from the ground in the event I have to dismount on the trail and don't have a mounting block/object available. My horses are 5.1 and 5.2 and I'm 5'4" so I think it's doable.

I read some good tips at https://forums.horsecity.com/cgi-bin/bb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=009694.

Any comments on the pros, cons and tips on how to make it most comfortable for the horse? Without a pommel horse how does one practice?
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Saturday, Aug 14, 2004 - 5:25 pm:

A good long mane to steady yourself by the hands as you jump was something I remember from pony vaulting days. Jockeys usually just jump up from the side hard enough to be lying well over the horse before attempting a second-stage "leg over" movement rather than the more dramatic one-jump vault.

A nice quiet draught horse to practice on would be useful...

Happy vaulting, I really think you should post us some action pictures!

Imogen
Member:
Kthorse

Posted on Saturday, Aug 14, 2004 - 8:37 pm:

Wow, I give you a lot of credit for even wanting to do this. I could jump, lay then swing my leg over any horse when I was in my teens. Now I am not so agile. I use the biggest tree stump or rock I can find, Good luck with your quest.
Katrina
Member:
Jerre

Posted on Saturday, Aug 14, 2004 - 10:14 pm:

I've just started working on this also. To my chagrin, I found that with a high block, I could belly-over, but couldn't swing my leg up! I finally put the block on TOP of a wall jump and got high enough to just step on. I guess some stretches and high kicks are in order. Once I was on, I practiced lying on my belly with my feet on her rump, and even then, it was hard to get my 50-something hips to be flexible enough. I may have to teach her to lie down.
Member:
Sandbox

Posted on Saturday, Aug 14, 2004 - 10:16 pm:

Laura - Let me second Katrina's wow!! I can't get over the part of your post where you "lightly" jump up on your stomach and swing a leg over. I like to ride bareback ocassionally but there is no way I could jump up on my boy - oh, I give it the old teenage try but nope my 40 year old muscles just refuse to cooperate and I have to resort to the picnic table.

What kind of competitive riding do you do?? Just curious.... Sandy
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Sunday, Aug 15, 2004 - 1:34 am:

Sandy,
Well, I'd call "competitive riding" getting on these guys after they haven't been ridden for two weeks! It's also called "rodeo." Otherwise, we just do recreational trail riding around our area, on the neighborhood streets and in the washes.

Seriously, I could only do it with a mounting block, one of those green, plastic, two-step jobbies. It took some practice inspired by a trainer here in Tucson, Mark Deveraux, who very elegantly and deliberately jumped up from the ground to his stomach then a leg over without a mounting block (Mark is about 6'). The first couple times I can promise ya I was squirming and wriggling around to get that right leg over. After another three or four times it got easier.

Bennie spooked one day and ran off with me when I was on just a bareback pad. It was a classic booger and bolt with me up there, "Whoa, Bennie! WHOOOOAAAAA, Bennie, whoa.....!" We were on a cement road with dirt shoulders so it wasn't a good spot to try to bail off or to try a one-hand stop where he'd probably lose his footing in a panic. I stuck pretty good and jumped off after he finally came to a stop, spun around and contemplated bolting again. It was then I decided it would be good to know how to vault on from the ground because, without a mounting block, I was basically on foot and had to lead him back home. He was way too spooky to even try getting him near a killer rock or tree stump to get back on. Jerre's right. It'll take some suppling and stretching but the tricky part is the upper body strength and the rhythm, "And a one and a two and a three...HUP!" just like Geronimo and you're up and riding before he skitters out from under you.

I thought maybe some folks may have some good techniques to train both horse and rider and to make it a little smoother than "And a one and a two and a three...ooomph...whoa...ow...oh, that'll leave a mark.."
Member:
Ajudson1

Posted on Sunday, Aug 15, 2004 - 9:15 am:

It's been over 20 yrs since I jumped on a horse bareback. I love having a mounting block, which of course I tell everyone is there for my little girl to use.

The very first horse I ever rode was bombproof, and I never used a saddle, couldn't be talked into using one for anything. I was 11, she was younger than me, of unknown breeding. Had a nice wide back, and a very thick neck and mane. If I couldn't jump on her, I'd just let her graze and crawl up her neck and shimmy on down to her back.

Later, I progressed to leap frogging on her from her rump!!! (DO NOT TRY THAT)

We used to ride 3 girls on her at a time, the shortest one getting on first,then the next tallest, with the tallest one having to jump on her somehow!!!

I don't know of any advice to train the horse for you to practice jumping on, my horses are still leary of the mounting block!!

Guess the secret to mounting bareback is to have a really, really short horse, and very, very agile rider.

Let us know how you progess.
Member:
Ryle

Posted on Sunday, Aug 15, 2004 - 10:08 am:

I wouldn't say the secret is short horse and agile rider. I'm 5'1" and in my younger days I could jump on a 16 hand horse bareback. I'm a bit out of shape and out of practice after spending the last 4 years either pregnant or raising very small children and not riding much, but I'm working my way back to it.

Learning to do it is going to take a calm horse who's willing to stand still while you try, though. :-)

Start from your mouting block and practice laying over and swinging your leg up and around. This will help you limber up. Once you are comfortable doing it that way and it's fairly easy, then get a slightly shorter block to stand on and use that until that becomes fairly easy too and then go to a shorter block or the ground.

Once you can jump up and lay over from the ground easily, you might want to try to "swing up"--grab mane in your left hand, with your left foot next to your horse's shoulder, turn slightly away from him and swing your right foot back towards his head and then reverse the motion so that it's a long swing up over his back, push off with your left foot and get your right foot over his back. The momentum helps get you up off the ground enough to get you up on their back...though the first several times you might not end up square on their back. But usually after doing it a while the muscles get built up and you can get all the way up.

It's just a matter of taking the time to limber up and build up leg muscles, so do it in stages. That will be less stressful on your horse.

Good luck and remember, you aren't the only one trying to get back to it!

Cindy D.
Member:
Dres

Posted on Sunday, Aug 15, 2004 - 10:39 am:

i think most of us when young were more flexible and daring.. me and my barn buddies would run up from behind the horse do a jump / plant our hands on the rump and leap frog onto the back of the poor horse.. of course we were much lighter then too.. our horses stood perfect for our fun talents.. the other fun mount was to put the horse under the eve of the barn.. climb up on top and DrOp down again on the poor horses back.. ~! a DrOp mount..

fun times as kids.. now .. well,,,, i need a mounting block and sometimes i have to use my hands to help fit / lift my leg to the iron to get on..

oh well being 50 has other advantages.. 10% discounts at Denny's..
Member:
Sefiroth

Posted on Sunday, Aug 15, 2004 - 11:03 am:

A friend of mine showed me how she did it once. She was all of 5'3" and could get on my 17hh horse. She did sort of as Cynthia suggested. Stood at or just infront of the horse's shoulder, twisted both hands in his mane. She'd take 2-3 running steps forward. Leap up, pulling a bit on the mane, hook her right elbow over his withers (this she said was key) and pull herself the rest of the way up and over. I, not being nearly as agile couldn't even manage it on my 14.2hh. I'll take a mounting block/stump/rock/fence/etc any day I guess. Or ride with someone with a saddle who can hop down and give you a leg up if neccessary!
Member:
Shagya

Posted on Sunday, Aug 15, 2004 - 2:31 pm:

There is a series of photos with instructions in Gawani Pony Boy's book "Horse, Follow Closely".

On p.82 there is an exercise called "Getting On". He basically stands on the left side of the horse, swings his leg back for momentum, pivots on the other leg and uses his left arm for support a bit. The momentum carries him over and he ends up sitting on the horse.

This is just a brief description. His is a lot better and more-detailed. The pictures are also worth a thousand words :-)
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Sunday, Aug 15, 2004 - 2:51 pm:

Thanks all, for the good tips and encouragement. I'll check out those photos, Marc, and try the other techniques over time.

I'll report back either from the comfort of my home PC or from a laptop in the hospital.
Member:
Sandbox

Posted on Sunday, Aug 15, 2004 - 9:44 pm:

Laura - thanks for explaining *competitve riding*. That's my favorite class as well! I think I'll continue to try bareback mounting but my boy isn't crazy about my elbow digging in his back as I wiggle and grunt. I have better luck with a small advantage such as him being on the down side of the slope.

I did try to teach him to *park*. It was suppose to work like this - encourage him to stretch out his front legs a little at a time until he's able to *park* out on the front. This would have brought his front end closer to the ground and easier to get on. Unfortunately, he could never figure how to stretch out BOTH front legs at the same time so now he knows a new trick ~ bowing.

Member:
Goolsby

Posted on Monday, Aug 16, 2004 - 9:10 am:

Laura
Thanks for starting this thread, I have enjoyed reading the posts. My son and I were talking about this subject yesterday during our ride. He was telling me about his friend that mounts bareback as cynthia and others described. These days i have to use a stump or bank to mount with a saddle and that is with my horse parked out. I will have to lose weight and get im much better shape before I attempt to mount bareback from the ground, but all this talk has inspired me.
Colleen
Member:
Cowgrl

Posted on Monday, Aug 16, 2004 - 10:32 am:

Get on bareback from the ground?! Hahahahahahaha. Never could do it and I'm 5'4". The only time was with a shetland pony about 30 years ago.
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Monday, Aug 16, 2004 - 9:48 pm:

Colleen,
You might enjoy the Horsecity.com site I listed in my first message above. Copy the URL from http up to the period (I don't know why all of it didn't turn blue and underline) and paste it into your browser box. With the HorseCity group it appeared bareback mounting was "just another day at the office" as Donny Gay would say.

There were many posts, all very matter-of-fact about how they successfully performed this little trick which inspired me to seek out input from you all...um...shall I say "more sophisticated sources" on Horseadvice.
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Monday, Aug 16, 2004 - 10:01 pm:

Oh yeah. And one more thing...

Holly, you're ON girlfriend.

If a 5'4" Cowgirl like you couldn't do it, it's now up to this 5'4" Yankee Southwestern transplant to give it her best shot! The challenge has been called and answered. The double-dog dare has been uttered. Bwooooohahahahahahaha!

I'm gettin' out my Pilates tapes and dumb bells. I'm doin' my situps and stretches. I'm goin' to CostCo for family-sized Ibuprofen. I'm gonna start workin' out...ah...tomorrow. I'll report back, boy howdy, you can bet on it!!
Member:
Christos

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004 - 11:43 am:

Hi, all,
Cynthia and Sharon are right, it does not take a young, agile and tall person to do this, neither does it take a short horse or years of practice.
I believe anybody can jump on a 16hh horse, given a few days of practice.
It does take believing you can do it, however, and a very tolerant horse. One that would be considered dead, apart from standing and breathing, is ideal. You see, it will take some smashes against the horse's side until you get the hang of it.
The whole idea is, initially, to pass just your lower leg on the other side, so you're kind of hooked on the horse's back with a bent knee. That's fairly easy if you grab the horse's neck just in front of the withers with your left hand while you take a couple of steps to pick up momentum.
I would not suggest grabbing the mane for this, it is unnecessary and may pull a handfull off.
Once you manage to get your leg hooked over the horse's back it is fairly easy to pull yourself in place.
Hooking your leg over and then pulling yourself in place will gradually exercise your left arm to pull better, your right leg to stretch better and your left leg to jump better, all you need to do it in one fluid movement.
You may help by pulling with your right arm as well, but I think it'd make your starting position very difficult, and it may compromise your future stunt training
Here's a cheat too: if you find it too difficult in the beginning, use a long sturdy stick, some 7-8 ft will do. Put it next to the horse's left shoulder, grab as high as you can reach with your left or both hands and throw that right leg of yours over the horse's back. This is how ancient cavalry men started their training before saddles and stirrups were invented.

Best of progress,
Christos
Member:
Jerre

Posted on Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 - 7:04 am:

H'mmmm. I went out and tried this last night. Well, I half-way tried it, not wanting to kickbox by horse to death. I can get my TOE just about up to the point of her hip. I'm 6 feet, my mare is 16.1 and big-bodied. I have short legs and, shall we say, a larger than it should be "counterbalance."?

Christos, I may be the exception to your rule!
Member:
Dtranch

Posted on Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 - 8:19 am:

I am 6'2, 225 pounds and 52 years old. I ride bareback a lot and the easiest way for me to mount is placing left hand on withers ... right hand near center of back standing square to the horses back. I hop up to where my belly is on the horses back, and then swing my right leg over ... that is after I catch my breath. If you time the hop with a push up with the arms, it does not require a lot of upper body strength. Practice makes perfect.
DT
Member:
Christos

Posted on Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 - 11:03 am:

Well, Jerre, it does take a few days of practice.
"Just" getting the horse accustomed to it is, in my opinion, a fair achievement for the first day.
And getting your toe to the point of the hip the first day means you can surely gain those few last inches with a little bit of practice.
I do not think there is any exception to my "rule", Jerre. I think it is just a point of wanting to practice for it or not.
If you're not having fun with the idea of taking a couple of spills, collecting a couple of bruises and possibly straining a muscle in the process of mastering something pretty useless, then, there is, of course, absolutely no reason to torture yourself in such a way.
By the way, I agree with Dennis, his method is easier and, I believe, safer, should the horse misbehave.
I'd suggest, however, that you be careful if you try the belly first method with a saddle on. The pommel is too hard for your ribcage (or, at least, mine ). As stupid as it may sound, it took me several months to realise that the persistent (for a few days) pain in my ribs was directly connected to my smashing into the saddle belly first a couple of times.

All the best,
Christos
Member:
Cowgrl

Posted on Thursday, Aug 19, 2004 - 11:28 am:

I think I'll stick to the stump.
Member:
Thomboy

Posted on Thursday, Feb 3, 2005 - 12:33 pm:

Okay, you guys have helped me convince my husband that I am completely nuts! At the age of 35 with a bad ankle, knee and hip (distributed throughout both lower extremities)I had my husband build me an adjustable "mounting dumby" for perfecting the bareback mount. He used a 50 gallon drum welded onto posts in the ground and made the height adjustable so I can perfect the technique on a short "horse" and then move up. Just wanted to thank you for your inspiration! You guys have convinced me that I can learn to do this again!!!
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Thursday, Feb 3, 2005 - 8:51 pm:

Oh, man, am I jealous! What a great idea! I tried vaulting on to the top pipe of the horse's stalls and... it didn't work. I have a lot of catching up to do. It's not about me learning it "again," it's about learning it... Thanks for the update, Melissa.
Member:
lilly

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 - 8:03 pm:

Hey everyone! How about a progress report. I too am interested in learning how to mount from the ground. I am 5'7" and my horse is a little over 15 Hands. I REALLY want to learn how to do this. Did I mention that I will turn 36 this year? My horse is an 11 year old mare, Belgian/QH cross. She is very wide and a dream to ride bareback. I rode her bareback for the first time on Sunday. The best part is that she was SO well behaved. I used a mounting block to get on. My first attempt ended with me sitting on the ground. The second attempt was successful after lots of wriggling around. Isabella held very still for me - I was very proud of her. But her back was so comfortable that I want to do a lot more bareback riding (I usually ride in a dressage saddle). I just want to look cool mounting her.
Member:
green007

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 - 8:31 pm:

Hi Ann,

I have 3 things to say about this (and I am being hypocritical because I am not fit enough to do it myself):

1) Do a TON of situps, pilates, crunches, whatever it takes to get those core muscles as tight as a drum because thats the only way you are going to be able to mount from the ground, or bareback, or even from a mounting block without looking bad.

2) Mounting well means doing a pushup, not a pullup. Having those core muscles and some spring in your bounce, bounce, bounce when you step up is the key.

3) Don't forget how much horses hate it when you land with a great big THUMP on their back. Its not just vaulting up that makes you graceful, its how you position yourself when you get there. The landing is just as important as the takeoff and flight. Spring up with your right leg, push up with your strong arms and core muscles, then land softly and gently on your knees followed by sinking ever more softly into the saddle. Even jockeys do this soft sinking after a leg up, as do top hunter jumper riders. They land on their knees and sink softly onto the horse's back. Horses love this, and they will tell you when you aren't doing it right because they will pin their ears back and won't stand still.

I confess, I am the worst at mounting these days due to my desk job and lack of hours at the gym. I have little spring in my vault, I pull the saddle sideways no matter how much mane I grab, I land heavier than I should. But, for what its worth, I know exactly what I am supposed to do even if I can't do it at the moment.

OK, I've inspired even myself now. Off to pop in the pilates DVD.
Member:
green007

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 - 8:34 pm:

PS - I know I mentioned regular mounting, but all these rules apply equally to bareback mounting! The equivalent of pulling the saddle over when you are mounting bareback is simply not being able to mount bareback at all!

Double PS - avoid Show Sheen at all costs! It is the enemy of bareback mounting.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 - 8:45 pm:

Huh?! At 64 I'm just happy to be able to mount with a mounting block! I figure in another 5 yrs. I'll have to dig a hole to stand the horse in so I can get on!
Member:
dres

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 - 9:12 pm:

I am embarrassed to say.. I tried to teach my grand daughter how to swing up on her pony.. to MY SURPRIZE I could not do it.. What happened to me.. ??? Sara my horses are all 17 hhs + tall.. I am thankful there ARE mounting blocks.. and told my husband recently.. Soon i will be riding a POA or something even closer to the ground..

On the first day God created horses, on the second day he painted them with spots..
Member:
36541

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 - 9:39 pm:

Let's not forget the study Equus published years ago, this was before e-zines, where they measured the stress on a horse's spine caused by mounting from the ground. They had some hard data on the ill effects caused by the one-sided weight scrabbling around and pulling on the vertebral column. I don't recall the year, except that it was the year I conveniently lost my guilt about using a mounting block!!:-)
Member:
153337

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 - 10:09 pm:

I've loved bareback as a kid on a pony and can still swing up rather quickly on my 15.3 arabian who is built more like a large quarter horse. After riding around my 5 acre property to do miscellaneous tasks, I was tired after remounting bareback for the 6th time. So I walked my gelding over a cut tree and jumped up then swung my leg over.

If you do practice, just try a few times per day as you will wear yourself out. I'm 42 years old and my youngest is 3, I am also only 5'4".

Good luck
Amber
Member:
muffi

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 - 10:19 pm:

mine is 16.3 and I always use a mounting block - for me and the horse. I have a two step that is still a stretch for me and a very nice 3 PLUS step my sweet heart husband built for me. I love it. I just walk over on my horse that way.
I ride Bare back and often with a Bareback pad. When I lived in AZ it was hot and sweaty to ride with out it so I bought it to keep from having the look of i Peed my Pants when I got off after a 30 minute ride with out one. I love the feel though of bareback - no better way to learn to ride and I understand it helps the horse too to develop muscle along his spine as well!
But I always use a fence or my wonder 3 Plus step.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 10, 2007 - 10:46 pm:

I've found that the older I get, the shorter I like my horses! I'm 5'3".

I love to ride bareback; but I do have to use a mounting block, step, rock or something to get on. I mean, why did God make all those tree stumps and rocks if he meant for us to swing up onto our horses? And, I do believe that if you weigh more than a small 12 yr. old, it's hard on the horse's back to be pulling sideways on it, even when using a saddle.
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