# mounting bareback?



## equitate (Dec 14, 2012)

My mom taught my horses to kneel for me when I was a kid. But you can also 'walk up' their front legs, or easier get them to put their necks down, lean over it, get them to put their necks back up.

And then there are people who can jump up/on....looking for a pix...but its not easy.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I can't swing on a bareback horse. If they have on a saddle, then I can swing on. My max height on that is about 15.2 hands or so.

When I mount bareback, I usually try to find a rock, or a ditch, or something to give me a little advantage. I could mount my 16.1 hand horse bareback if I could find something to help.

The key to mounting bareback is make sure you are jumping straight UP. You don't want to try to jump onto the horse. Jump straight up, and then get your elbow (of the hand holding onto the mane) over, and then get your back leg knee over the back of the horse. This gives you something to "grab on" and pull yourself up. 

Whether you swing or jump, technique is the most important.


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

Wow, I am not sure I could do this anymore. When I was a kid I did it all the time and even vaulted from the back, over the butt and on. I just say practice I guess. Or maybe it was determination to ride, lol. Not sure. 

Now a days I would not be able to pull myself up to save my life (sad), funny how things change.................... ok ok, I just thought about it, and I may still be able to do it with practice (refresher) if my horses were not 16.3 and 17.2 hh. Or I would like to think so, lol. :wink:


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

And did I hear video?? I second, video!


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

I am 5'7'' and I have a 13.2 horse , Golley, and a 15.1 horse, Brisco. I have never used a mounting block or any other source. I just either jump from the ground and get on the horse, lying on my belly, then I just grab his mane so I don't fall and I get my leg up and over. It's a pretty funny process for me. On Brisco, I have to get a running start sometimes. So it's a good thing we have taught our horses to be calm with everything that happens and such!! haha! I will get a video as soon as I can. It snowed last night and I have school tomorrow, so I'm not exactly sure when I will be able to get it. lol.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Trampoline!


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

:rofl: ^^^^^^^^^^ Now we really need that video! Come on bunny, lets see it, lol.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

: ) A good way to mount and desensitize for flying objects all on one step!


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

:rofl: you are killing me here! I almost spit out my coffee!


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

There are many videos on YouTube about getting on bareback. I have three. I can't swing up but here's the first. I can't do all three in one post on my phone. 

How to get on a horse bareback - YouTube
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Here's the second. I can only do this with Lucy because she's short enough and I trust her to not do something bad. 
Mounting a horse from the rear - YouTube
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

Finally, this is our granddaughter trying to get on and me trying to show her how. 
Brianna and Chloe - YouTube
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

^^^ Did she finally get it?? I was rooting for her!!!


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## WesternRider (Jan 12, 2012)

LOL i cant even get on a horse from the ground with a saddle on! lol so to everyone how can get on bareback :O JEALOUS lol


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## usandpets (Jan 1, 2011)

nvr2many said:


> ^^^ Did she finally get it?? I was rooting for her!!!


Yes (with me letting her step in my hands to lift her up) 😳
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ilovepets (Oct 29, 2012)

i will have to watch the videos  i did watch one after i posted of how to swing up onto a horse, but they held onto the mane... and well.... appys dont have the thickest mane :lol:

i can jump straight onto them and then situate myself


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## Beling (Nov 3, 2009)

I'll tell you how I USED to do it. The trick is to get you heel onto the back.

You grab the withers or mane, and simply throw your leg up as high as you can, to the horse's back. If it goes OVER you're in even better position. Once it's there, you're on---you only have to pull your upper body up.

I'm short, but my upper body is light, so that probably helped.

But nowadays, my butt is too. . .mature, say. . .and my arms aren't strong enough to haul it up.:-(


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## Beling (Nov 3, 2009)

like this:




 
Just getting your heel on is enough when you do it alot.


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## iRide Ponies (Aug 10, 2012)

I'm afraid I did once jump off a trampoline onto a horse once. I was about eight, and it worked. The horse was ancient tho, and very quiet.


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## ilovepets (Oct 29, 2012)

Beling thanks for the video. i will have to try holding on the withers for that one because..... i might loos my grip on this mane


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## nvr2many (Jan 18, 2011)

Beling said:


> like this:
> how to vault bareback on your horse - YouTube
> 
> Just getting your heel on is enough when you do it alot.



Did you notice, half that horses mane is gone?? Hope it was not from mounting bareback, :shock:


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I used to ride with a gal who was a bit chunky who rode a chunky pony of not quite 14.2hh. She would watch me jump or swing up on my 15hh mare and decided she wanted to. Let the laughter begin.. er, it almost didn't stop until she gave up trying to swing up. She aligned the pony, I told her to try to jump clean over him but that it wouldn't happen but the mental picture might get her in the right position. She'd take a good run but her first leap was half hearted, the second much better. Her pony wasn't stupid and he knew exactly what to do to foil her attempts. As she was airborne he moved his body closer without moving his feet. OK, she'd be careful of this only this time he moved it away and her landing almost knocked the wind out of her. I was watching him but saying nothing. I couldn't as I was laughing too hard to talk. After numerous attempts the pony had won and was happy to line up with a mounting block. On one attempt he even sucked his belly up to raise the height of his back. Gotta give him credit.


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

nvr2many said:


> Did you notice, half that horses mane is gone?? Hope it was not from mounting bareback, :shock:


The rest is most likely on the other side. On Brisco, the parts closer to his whithers lie on the other side than the rest of the mane.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Maybe I'm just a pansy, but I've never tried mounting bareback without something to stand on. It seems like it would be very uncomfortable for the horse, even if I'm only 90 lbs! xD I always lead Diamond (the mount that I use on the farm, 13.2hh) to our round hay feeder or a stump and get on.


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

It's not uncomfortable - if you do it right. Obviously it would be if you always kicked him when you swing you leg over, but I don't think it hurts him or anything. It's also a good thing to do because the horse should be able to stand still while you do whatever.


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## DraftDreamer (Apr 15, 2013)

I'm not a very springy person, so I just lead my mare over to the fence, climb up, and on her back I go! I'm going to work of "neck mounting" or whatever you call it this summer.  It looks pretty neat!


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

I can mount bareback up to 16.2ish. But it resembles a spider monkey mounting a moose. It's far from gracefully.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## BarrelracingArabian (Mar 31, 2010)

I actually successfully did the one where you grab the mane and swing up on my trainers gelding that I want haha. We were laughing about it and I figured eh why not try worse that'll happen is I fall on my butt, he's only 14.1 though. However it was very far from graceful and I had to basically crawl up once my heel hooked lol.


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## Light (Mar 4, 2012)

I use a mounting block and have my left hand on the main for balance and take my right hand and help to push my right leg up high enough (my horse is tall and I am very short) up and over my horse's back and then pull myself on with the main and I am good to go. Couldn't do it from the ground without knocking my horse silly.


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## Beling (Nov 3, 2009)

I remember another way one of the girls mounted, but I never did it because you have to be barefoot.

She used to use the horse's knee as a stirrup, just stepped on the knee, clung with her toes, and mounted up.


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## Tessa7707 (Sep 17, 2012)

Here's how I do it, she's about 15hh, I'm about 5'6"


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## Fort fireman (Mar 5, 2011)

At the 3 min 10 sec part there is a guy that gets on like I used to all the time. Saddle or bareback. I'm 6'2" and never really had a problem with a horse up to 16 hands or maybe a bit more. Of ourse that was when I was 180 pounds and 10 pecent body fat. i have waved bye bye to that long ago so now i use sturrips. i can still swing on if I absoluely have to I just choose a more refined way now.:lol:

Oh and on the video go ahead and watch the whole thing. i wish I was half as handy with a rope as these guys . Thats my goal.


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## ilovepets (Oct 29, 2012)

mounting like that must take a lot of strength!! and the poor moo cows :O


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