# how to regain confidence mounting after fall....



## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Wow Dee'. What an ordeal. I understand though. I was thrown during a mount up last January and hit a rock. Compression fracture in my spine, which has healed very well, but still left me a little jittery about mounting up. If your horse will stand still at a mounting block try just putting your foot in the stirrup and step up without actually swinging over, then step down again. Maybe doing this a few times successfully will help you.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Bad emotional memories need to be replaced with good emotional memories. Lots of them.

If the horse is behaving well when mounted, you might try getting someone to hold her while you mount & dismount. Mounts & dismounts aren't huge fun for a horse, so you might give her a reward of some sort after each one. 10/day until it bores you (and her) out of your skulls. What bores you cannot frighten you - but it is hard to go too slowly with horses.

Think about your mounting technique. Until you toss your leg over, you ought to be able to safely dismount anything the horse does. Once you commit to tossing your leg over, you want everything to go quickly and set you up to ride out anything that happens.

This is a thread about western riding, but it may give you food for thought about how you mount as well:

http://www.horseforum.com/western-riding/mounting-using-horn-47065/

Speaking of western riding...if you can borrow a western saddle, it might be different enough for you to feel comfortable again. Then you can work back into an English saddle. I almost always use an Aussie-style saddle myself, so I'm not really in either camp. Rode my English saddle today, and it felt so weird that I think I'm going to put it up for sale.

Be glad it comes during mounts. My mare decided in Mar 2011 that DISMOUNTS were terrifying. Don't know why, but it really sucks to be on a horse who bolts every time she feels you starting to dismount! After 2 hours, I tied the reins to the horn and jumped off while she struggled to get straight enough to bolt forward. That took a LOT of retraining and help from a pro...


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## DeeSmith (Dec 8, 2010)

bsms said:


> If the horse is behaving well when mounted, you might try getting someone to hold her while you mount & dismount. Mounts & dismounts aren't huge fun for a horse, so you might give her a reward of some sort after each one. 10/day until it bores you (and her) out of your skulls. What bores you cannot frighten you - but it is hard to go too slowly with horses.
> 
> Think about your mounting technique. Until you toss your leg over, you ought to be able to safely dismount anything the horse does. Once you commit to tossing your leg over, you want everything to go quickly and set you up to ride out anything that happens.
> 
> ...


Hi there, i don't mount of the ground.... being that i'm to short to put my foot up in the stirrup on my lovely tall horse (she was 15.1h when i bought her a year ago and now she's almost 16.2h...) and due to her old back injuries i don't fancy putting her spine out of line again! so i either have a mounting block or a leg up..

I've never used a western saddle so wouldn't know how to put it on... and it would have to fit maisie due to her back problems and i'm not sure about how you fit a western lol!


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## DeeSmith (Dec 8, 2010)

Blue said:


> Wow Dee'. What an ordeal. I understand though. I was thrown during a mount up last January and hit a rock. Compression fracture in my spine, which has healed very well, but still left me a little jittery about mounting up. If your horse will stand still at a mounting block try just putting your foot in the stirrup and step up without actually swinging over, then step down again. Maybe doing this a few times successfully will help you.



Hi, I've tried this for a while now and as soon as it come to put my leg over and sit up i just freeze up and panic and have to get down.... I've been given leg ups which seem to help because i don't have a choice in the matter.... but it's all a bit worrying as i don't want to panic my horses by getting scared....

 it's frustrating cause i'd love to ride her and finally start doing shows and go hacking ect...!!


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## Camigurl (Aug 14, 2011)

Have you ridden other horses since the accident? Maybe riding a different horse will help. Try to get your confidence back on a well-trained, reliable horse you KNOW (as well as you can with horses anyway) won't be stupid before you tackle your TB.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

DeeSmith said:


> I really want to get back on my horse who I love dearly, I'm not scared of riding its only mounting... Can any give any ideas on how I can get my confidence up? I'm fine with other horses...


Sorry can't help, because this is where I am at as well, so ((((hugs))) because I understand, and apart from the advice I was given for having a large glass of what you fancy, or going to Boots and picking up some Bachs Rescue Remedy, I have nothing.

Hoping that someone will wave a magic wand for us and make it all better


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Don't we have a "Magic Wand Emoticon"?


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

checks....nope

but will this do


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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

Unless you're under 5 foot or using a track saddle, you should still be able to mount from the ground - but you can use a sturdy little stool if you must. I would do this on good soft ground, like in a sand arena - it will make you feel less nervous about any accidents.

I would:

1. Drop the stirrup down as long as I can (although I never go to the last hole, only the second last, as it leaves more to tuck and is therefore more secure)
2. Using a tight left rein held at the base of the withers or at the pommel, bring her head around til she's looking at you - a lot harder for her to rear or run like this, and she'll only be able to turn around you, so you'll not have any trouble getting your foot in the stirrup
3. Put my left food in the stirrup, as normal
4. Spring up, but not throw my leg over, just stand on one side and lean over the saddle slightly (be ready to bail if things get dangerous)
5. Count to 5
6. Get back to ground
7. Repeat 3 times - but after about 3 goes, take a break and do something non-stressful with her like work on her leading manners, then go back and see if she'll allow you to mount nice and quietly, and if you have less nerves.

Once she's worked out that mounting doesn't equal pain (assuming that all physical issues have been sorted and saddle fit is good) and in fact mounting doesn't even necessarily equal work, she should stop giving you problems, and meanwhile you'll stop associating mounting with pain (i.e. being thrown) and you'll be able to regain your nerves safely. It's a lot easier to bail if you're only on one side BUT only bail if things really get dangerous, not at the first sign of irritation/stress from your horse, or it'll reinforce her understanding that she can get out of work by playing up during mounting.

Worked with my boy - he never reared but he worked out that spinning and scooting made my life a whole lot harder. And I felt a lot more in control when the only place he could go was around me in a tight circle. Now mounting is one thing he does perfectly (he's a bag of trouble in other areas still) - halts, lets me mount from anything, waits til I've adjusted stirrups and girth and only when I ask does he move off.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

EvilHorseOfDoom said:


> Unless you're under 5 foot or using a track saddle, you should still be able to mount from the ground - but you can use a sturdy little stool if you must. I would do this on good soft ground, like in a sand arena - it will make you feel less nervous about any accidents.
> 
> .


Or you have a bad knee
Or you are older
Or you have a round horse
Or you own a HUGE horse

Or maybe you just have more respect for your horses back and your saddle than others.

Sorry rant over, you don't HAVE to mount from the ground, I personally don't believe you should routinely mount from the ground.


Going to cool down now


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## EvilHorseOfDoom (Jun 17, 2012)

Golden Horse said:


> Or you have a bad knee
> Or you are older
> Or you have a round horse
> Or you own a HUGE horse
> ...


I have rheumatoid arthritis in my knees, a 16.1hh horse and I'm 5'1 and I can do it. But I wasn't trying to be disrespectful - and I said she could use a stool if she preferred but frankly I think it's a lot safer to mount without assistance in this case as if you fall back the last thing you want is a solid edge ramming into your back...

I don't mount from the ground unless I have no other choice - and I'm not saying this is the way the OP should mount from now on - just that they should get the horse and themselves to start associating mounting with positive and non-scary/painful experiences. I also said this is what I would do, not what everyone must do. Sheesh!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

It sounds like this mare is very young. I wonder how much training she has had under saddle. Maybe nothing more than what you've put on? Is she off the track? They don't use mounting blocks at the track, so horse may not be used to it. Or, rather than it being a comfort issue, it has something to do with when you put your leg over, you go from the hrose's left eye to her right eye, and in a position (over her back) where she cannot see you much at all, but enough movement to make her frightened.

I would suggest usig some desensitizing techiniques to get her ok with things moving over her back, from one eye to the other. Have you ever done such types of ground work with her?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Golden Horse said:


> Or you have a bad knee
> Or you are older
> Or you have a round horse
> Or you own a HUGE horse
> ...


 
glad you said it,Golden, 'cause I was thinking the same thing.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

It's not just that they don't have mounting blocks at the track, it's that the horses are NEVER, EVER mounted from a standstill. 

When mounting a recently off the track TB, one of the very worst things you can do is have the horse held still while mounting. Most will panic and rear and/or bolt forward if you attempt it. 

By your own description, this horse has had previous back and saddle issues - standing still for being mounted will be a challenge for her; and being held/restrained while be mounted will be a big, big challenge. 

So my recommendation would be for you to have someone work with this horse for 30 - 60 days just on mounting isssues. I mount from a high mounting block , being old, fat and crippled, but I still allow my horses to move forward while being mounted, which is a hangover from my race horse days. 

If you absolutely, positively must have her held for mounting, have someone who has worked with racehorses, or who at the very least, won't stand directly in front on her or "lock up" and freeze when holding her.


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