# Bucked off the mounting block!



## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

I had a little incident yesterday that I've never had happen before so I just thought I would share. I got bucked off the mounting block! Well, let me explain.......

I was out trail riding in a different saddle than I normally use yesterday and I felt like one of my stirrups was too long. So I got off to fix it. Then looked for a stump to remount. Lots of stumps to choose from and I thought I chose a good one. But I climb up, go to put my foot in the stirrup, the stump wobbles and rolls right out from under me! I actually landed on the stump and rolled down it on my left side. I am all bruised on my left thigh and even a spot on my back. It looks worse than when I've come off a horse! 

My horse was a saint! I have long trail reins and I made a good attempt to hang onto them as I fell down. I realized if the horse freaked I would have to let her go so I wouldn't get dragged. She only side stepped a little and just stood there. What a good girl! She was like "Stupid human tricks, I've seen that one before!" So I was very, very proud of her. She's a rather sensitive horse and I pretty much expected she would bolt as I crashed down. But the good girl didn't. :Angel:

Anyone else ever get bucked off the mounting block? That was the first time for me! I've had them wobble and I've had a misstep or two, but this is the first time a make-shift mounting block (natural tree stump) has rolled right out from under me. :redface:


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Those crazy, unpredictable mounting blocks! I hope you showed it who's boss!


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

I usually give those "natures little mounting helpers" a good bounce or two to assess for stability. I once tried to mount from a fallen tree trunk, and when I got on and gave it a bit of a bounce (as you'd when testing a trampoline, say), it snapped in two. Mother Nature is tricky that way...


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Yep, have had a loose stump tip over under me and was fortunately able to hop off without going down. This winter have had a few snow-bank mounting incidents where I climbed to the top of a bank that looked solid, and as I did a little hop to push off towards the saddle, fell _into _the bank since it wasn't as solid as I thought it was and it sucked me in!

Was trail riding once with a friend who got bucked off a metal pipe she was trying to use to mount. It was a series of really unfortunate events...a large deer charged out of a corn field we were riding around, which caused our horses to shy away (though they were actually really great in terms of how mild their reaction was). When her mare sidestepped fast, my friend's glasses got knocked off, so she dismounted to get them, no big deal. We were in the middle of a corn field, so not much in the way of nature's mounting blocks available- but there was a metal pipe sticking out of the ground that looked tall enough. She got her mare all lined up and balanced herself on top of the pipe- when she went to push off the pipe, it rattled pretty loudly, and _that _spooked her mare, who bolted off for home (yes, the same mare who was fine with a buck charging her out of nowhere!







) When her horse suddenly disappeared out from under her while she was half mounted, half on the pipe, she took a tumble. I still feel bad to this day, I left her there with the wind knocked out of her to try to get her horse, since there was a road crossing between us and home. Of course I didn't catch up with her horse, who was running like the wind...so I should have stayed with my friend and walked her home to be sure she was ok. Which she was. All ended up fine for both of them but it was scary in the moment!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Acadianartist said:


> Those crazy, unpredictable mounting blocks! I hope you showed it who's boss!


A disrespectful mounting block needs some round pen work!

I've had some rocks shift suddenly under me - acting disrespectful and poorly trained. Fortunately, my horses take such moments as another example of human strangeness. I've taken to mounting as best I can from level ground. May sound odd, but I've found the way my jeans fit on my thighs (too tight) are a big hindrance. If I hitch my jeans up on my thigh first, I'm good for another couple inches of mounting height. And Bandit, bless his pea-pickin' heart, seems to figure the steadier he stands, the sooner it all gets over!


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

I had a friend who got bucked off the braiding stool so I will give you the same advice I gave her, you should spend a few minutes lunging said stump/stool before attempting to mount.

I have used some pretty wobbly logs, stones, stumps and I try stand on them and rock them a bit ( holding on to the stirrup leather to keep my balance) to see how stable they are and if I can actually use them to mount. My mare is pretty used to me doing this and jumping on and off so she doesn't get upset when I flail around just something else she has to put up with during the mounting procedure. I find taking hold of the stirrup leather when climbing on something dicy keeps me from loosing my balance and falling.

Sorry you got so bruised up.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I use the water trough for a mounting block when getting on bareback and if it isn't at least half full it will tip over and soak my legs and feet. It's happened more than once since I seem to be too stupid to learn from my mistakes. Being careful and only putting both feet on one side at the last moment you need to in order to heave yourself onto the horse does not change the outcome! LOL


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

You should have stopped right then and there and done some ground work with that stump. Make it move! and move! Don't let it get away with such disrespectful behavior.


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

Whew! Glad your horse was a saint!  

I have actually had that happen. I've used logs and stuff out on the trails, but luckily I haven't ever fallen off them or slipped.
BUT at my previous private barn, there was a tree stump we could use instead of a mounting block (the people that owned it said the past renters always used it). :lol: I was like, OK...the first try, I slipped off of it. My horse just looked at me like 'uh, you okay?' LOL, I tried a second time & it was just so wobbly, I decided to get a leg-up from my friend. 

But sometimes, you've gotta do what you've gotta do, like on a trail!


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

I've nearly got EATEN by a mounting block. It was midsummer and right out in the beams. I put my foot on without checking, got up and SANK! The plastic was super melted and got lobbed (thrown away) after.


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

I'm actually dying with laughter at some of the comments here haha!


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

tinyliny said:


> You should have stopped right then and there and done some ground work with that stump. Make it move! and move! Don't let it get away with such disrespectful behavior.


 @tinyliny I think that was the actual problem, the badly behaved stump did move


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## SteadyOn (Mar 5, 2017)

I once got bucked off because there was NO mounting block. Instead, my mother gave me the worst leg up of all time, and I wound up landing HARD right behind the saddle, on a horse who could not take a joke.

Does it count as falling off if your butt never made it into the saddle? :think:


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

trailhorserider said:


> She was like "Stupid human tricks, I've seen that one before!" So I was very, very proud of her. She's a rather sensitive horse and I pretty much expected she would bolt as I crashed down. But the good girl didn't. :Angel:
> 
> Anyone else ever get bucked off the mounting block? That was the first time for me! I've had them wobble and I've had a misstep or two, but this is the first time a make-shift mounting block (natural tree stump) has rolled right out from under me. :redface:



I launched myself up and over too far last weekend... fell off the other side of Trigger's saddle, headfirst, left boot still in the stirrup, toes pointed to the sky, flat on my back. Does that count?


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I tried to put my horse in a ditch to mount. It was so wet, that the horse started to sink. I tried several spots and the horse kept sinking. I guess I should have considered that my good luck; less far to climb. Instead, I walked to the barn and used the proper block.


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## ChasingDreams (Nov 14, 2017)

Well, once I was out trail riding with my cousin and we got off to walk the horses down a particularly busy road with limited visibility. When we got past and were ready to re-mount, I graciously accepted her offer for a leg-up.

Well, she must have underestimated her own strength and my weight (I think I was 14-15 and a twig) and literally threw me over the dang horse!

I flipped right over his back and landed on the other side, which startled him and caused him to step back onto my thigh accidentally. I had a bruise bigger than my face  


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

One of the most dramatic mounts I remember seeing, was when I was visiting at home and my younger sister was starting a young colt that had been allowed to get away with stuff and was badly behaved.\ 

We went out to the stable and she brought him out, no one else in the arena and she put her foot in the stirrup and this guy just took off bucking, she casually swung up and he bucked around for a while and then settled down. After the ride I said that was some bucking. 
She said to me" it didn't feel like much but maybe that's why when others are in the arena and she comes in the BO calls out "ok everybody into the centre"

she got him over it and he turned to be a real "steady Eddy" for his new owners.

It takes a lot to unseat Sis. She was just a teenager at the time, things change as we get older.


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I've been putting miles on a young gelding. When I bred the mare, I was hoping for 15.2H horse. Well he is 16H now.

I've noticed he really tries hard to give me two eyes. I guess all that ground work we did before the saddle. But that doesn't help as I try to get up on his side. He keeps moving away to face me and give me two eyes

So I've had to give him some lessons. He learned really quick. 15 minutes or so and apple cut in 8 pieces for a treat. 

I hold my right arm up and kiss to him and he quickly swings his hind end around and siddles right into mountain position. Now if I just make sure I'm standing on a ( Log, Rock, Stump, high spot of dirt) he moves right into position for me to mount from. This is great for out on the trail

Any of you who are challenged with mounting, Should teach this to your horse. It was a 15 minute lesson the first day and a 5 minute refresher the second and he has it down.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Bribery does work wonders!


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## Oreos Girl (May 24, 2011)

Yes, bribery is a wonderful thing. Last night I wasn't sure if it was going to rain while feeding so I took the blue monster (Maid of the Mist poncho) down with me and figured I would work with it since neither horse likes it. I got all kinds of snorts and moving back until I held out the treat in my hand. Then the first one was tentative but once I was out of treats, they are trying to mug me in the blue poncho for more treats.


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