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 Expert
Posts: 1631
   
Location: Somewhere around here | I am around 5'3" with boots on and I'll be looking at a 16.2 hand gelding. Besides a mounting block, any tips for a short girl looking at a large horse? |
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  Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | A parachute... 
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | I'm 5'6" and my horse is pretty much 17hh.......gotta hike up the pants just a bit and give a bit up a hopping headstart and pray you catch that stirrup with the first jump LMFAO |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Fence, trampoline?? I have big horses, I can't jump up in that stirrup and get in the saddle quick like I should so I carry a stool in my trailer, better than hanging on the saddle while I pull myself up and making them sore. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 425
Location: California | Tail gate...ooooor lots of stretching LOL
A lot of guys around here teach the horse to bring their feet really far forward (basically stretch out). This helps bring their back lower. Granted I don't know the long term affects of this... Probably not the best *flame suit* |
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Member
Posts: 35
| If you get him, learn to jump mount. When you do it right it's about the smoothest way of getting on a horse, even a tall one. I'm tall (5'10") but I've done it on veeeerrrrry tall horses(17++hands) and it works well. AND my short friends can jump on tall monsters this way to :) Stand with your back to his neck, between the shoulder and throat latch, have a hold of the saddle horn, step with your left foot, pivot and push off on the right foot and catch the stirrup with your left foot at the top of the jump. Sounds more complicated than it actually is lol. It's kinda like when you run up the stairs and jump over a step, same sort of feel? |
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 Firecracker Dog Lover
Posts: 3175
| There is no jumping up for this short person. I use a bucket or a mounting block and my horses learn to stand next to any inanimate object that helps me get on without wrenching on both our backs! LOL. |
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 Owner of a ratting catting machine
Posts: 2258
| Got you beat. I'm 5'2". If I can get my toe in the stirrup, I'm going up. Dad had no sympathy for little kids that whined cause they couldn't figure it out. He quit putting me on my horse when I was about 5.
Use your over and under for a handle, or loop the end of your split rein around the horn. Mount with your left hip against the horses left shoulder. Think jump and pull, hopping a few times is allowed if no one can see you. Standing your horse in a low spot is completely allowable, though merits teasing. Remember to tighten your cinch, as struggles can cause a wreck if you don't. |
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Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | All joking aside, I had hubby make me a mounting block that I use at home. When we are at a race I use my ramp to get on. I also taught my boy to stand next to a fence so I can use that to get on. |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I'm 5'2" and my HUS horse is just shy of 17 hands. Due to the english saddle and not much to grab, I have taught him to move up to just about anything for me to climb on. I do use a mounting block when I can. I don't believe in pulling yourself up, it can be awful hard on their back. |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11493
Location: 31 lengths farms | All I know is in hindsight I really should have taught my 13 year old mare to bow...would have come in handy now that I'm 51 and can no longer stick my toe in my ear to get on. I'm 5'8" but very short legged, my stirrup hangs just a tad higher than my belly button when standing next to her. I either park her feet down hill or have recently started using a little mini step ladder to get on her because it killed my hip to stretch it that far and figured it wAsn't any fun for her to have me maul her as I got on either. |
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | I can't believe one of you girls have not thought of inventing elevator cowboy bootsl |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: USA | I'm 5'1" on a good day and all mine are fender, stump, fence, bucket, stool... You name it they'll stand still next to it |
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Blessed 
Location: Here | Mounting blocks They truly do work great and are safe |
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Location: KS | I'm 5'3" and my 5 year old is 16.1 pushing 16.2. I have him broke to stand next to what ever in case I'm not by my mounting block. Tractor buckets, picnic tables, fenders, fences, whatever happens to be close. AND maybe keep an extra pair of jeans in the truck, lol! |
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 I Sell Dreams
Posts: 1654
Location: Freestone TX | Height is not the issue for me........age is. I'm not incredibly old, but my knee joints are shot. I found a device online that assists in mounting. It's an extra stirrup that hangs lower and is attached to your horn when you mount. You put your right foot in the lowered stirrup, which allows you to reach the real stirrup with your left. I plan on ordering one. When you are on, just throw it on the ground or roll it up and stash on back of saddle. |
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 Unknown Drip
Posts: 5624
Location: Back in MT BABY!!! | I hear ya! I'm 5'4 and have a 16 hander. Two words.....loose jeans! even if you have a mounting block! |
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 Did I miss the party?
Posts: 3864
| What type of tips are you looking for?
#1 mounting block
#2 don't fall off
I'm 5'1 with big horses and those are the best tips I got.
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Expert
Posts: 1255
| I'm 5 foot my horse is 16.3 . When I ride bareback I use the fender on trailer. |
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Veteran
Posts: 285
| I'm 5"1. My shorter horse I can get on but at home I cheat all the time and use a bucket. My tb puts up with my climbing on the fence to get on. I have even been in the arena and used a barrel. I'm glad I have gentle horses lol. At a show I cowgirl up and jump on but that's only cause I don't have a mounting block by the bathrooms ;) |
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