# We need a lift up !!



## 2468herdsrgr8 (Aug 30, 2009)

Good day everyone !!Hubby and i went for a trail ride locally this morning and we were talking and laughing  because if we ever had to get off our horses we would be walking looking for something to get back up on them a ...rock...stump ...because his horse is over 16 hh and he has short legs ...29 inseam ..and has hockey knees ..and me well I am tall ....36 inseam ..horse is 15.3 hh ..but my knees are worse ...I have torn ligaments in one ....we both need a stool to get up on  But I can get on with a push from Hubby on my BUTT and first I have to take some pain drugs ...ha ha ! Not a pretty picture ha ha ha !!! 
So my question is do you know of a gadget that you can take along on a trail ride that attaches to the saddle/stirrup?  thanks guys ...off to a party now ...for a 2 year old ...


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## Bronco Hollow (Aug 30, 2009)

Um,  there are two types I've heard about.  One is a stirrup that you can hang off your saddle, once mounted you carry in its own little carrying bag.  
They also make a drop stirrup of some sort that replaces your existing stirrup.  Supposedly you can click them back into place once mounted.  They claim to be safe.... but the idea kinda scares me.

But I don't remember what any of them are called  
I can ask some cyber friends if someone here doesn't know.

I have the same problem with Magic, I can mount but its terribly hard on either knee.  I usually can find a hole or something to stand on.  I hear your pain!


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## rebelshope (Aug 30, 2009)

I am a whole 5'4". My horse if half percheron and about 16.1 hh. I hear ya. If I ever had to get off I would cry. :/

There are things that you can get, but honestly if you can adjust your stirrup while mounted you can just lower your stirrup on the ground, mount and then raise it. Try that. . . at home first 

You may find that when you lower the stirrup low enough that you can get on, you can't really swing your leg over the saddle because you are too low. In that case you just need to find a stump or plan to never get off.


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## Bronco Hollow (Aug 30, 2009)

Well I'll probably get into trouble for saying this... but I have always tried to figure out how to pee off the side of my horse so I wouldn't have to dismount. lol


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## 2468herdsrgr8 (Aug 31, 2009)

You just made me pee my pants !!!!          
Spit my coffee out !!!          

Okay ...breath .....Okay  now I feel your pain also ...man you knee's must really hurt too...
I will pee before tacking up and then once we tack up and walk past the house I'll have someone hold my horse so i can run back inside and pee again ...

Oh your too funny .....I am going to ask my trainer ....ha ha ha !!! I am sure he'll turn red and then think I am off my rocker ....ha ha ha !!!


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## 2468herdsrgr8 (Aug 31, 2009)

rebelshope said:
			
		

> I am a whole 5'4". My horse if half percheron and about 16.1 hh. I hear ya. If I ever had to get off I would cry. :/
> 
> There are things that you can get, but honestly if you can adjust your stirrup while mounted you can just lower your stirrup on the ground, mount and then raise it. Try that. . . at home first
> 
> You may find that when you lower the stirrup low enough that you can get on, you can't really swing your leg over the saddle because you are too low. In that case you just need to find a stump or plan to never get off.


thanks Rebel ...I am going to check that out and see if its possible ...oh yes and I'll try it at home  first ...ha ha !!


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## big brown horse (Aug 31, 2009)

I have a big horse too...a big brown horse. 

I made my own lift up with a nylon rope and a piece of pvc pipe about 7 inches long.  I just strung the pvc pipe with the nylon rope tied it off into a stirrup, then at the other end of the rope, I tied a loop that fits over my saddle horn.  When I'm done it fits nicely into my little saddle pack that goes over the horn.  

I use my "wrong" foot with the fake stirrup and pull myself up.  This gets me high enough to put my "good" foot into the real saddle stirrup.


Bronco, you must be a boy!!


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## Bronco Hollow (Aug 31, 2009)

BBH... if I was a boy I would have the plumbing to do that off my horse lol


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## ducks4you (Aug 31, 2009)

bigbrownhorse DOES have a big, brown horse--I know 'cause I asked how tall!  I really like your solution.  Fortunately I can still get on my 16'3hh giant from the ground.  But my husband, who is 6 ft 5 in tall has a bad knee and needs a step up, too.  I knew someone who had a horse trained to go down on one leg to enable the rider to mount more easily.  Call around and see if any trainers in your area could train your horse to do this, too.  If your horse is fairly young and athletic, it shouldn't be hard on them to do this for you.


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## ducks4you (Aug 31, 2009)

BTW, for those of you reading this post who do NOT have a bad leg or a bum knee, but still have trouble mounting your horse, try this exercise I used to use for my riding students.  Find a wooden 3 or 4 rail fence.  Mount the fence numerous times daily.  If you mount the fence incorrectly, you will be pulling yourself up with your arms.  If you bend your leg like you are hugging your left knee, while keeping your hip right next to the fence, you'll train yourself to bounce up like a spring.  This gets you up standing in your stirrup quicker and stabilizes the mount.   When you see those cowboy movies with the cowpoke facing backwards and swinging over, they are usually tall athletic actors mounting short horses.  Very athletic individuals don't need help getting on a horse!  Use the horses' mane and NOT the pommel of the saddle when you mount.  (Go ahead and use the cantle.)


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## big brown horse (Aug 31, 2009)

Bronco Hollow said:
			
		

> BBH... if I was a boy I would have the plumbing to do that off my horse lol


Woops!!  Well GURL, when you find a way to do the impossible, please let me know!!   Maybe depends?  

(My big brown horse is got some draft in him...not sure what he was a product of after that, he was a rescue.  He stands about 16 hh, plus he is broad.)

Remember when you could just jump right up on their bareback backs?  Those were the days! :/

Thanks for the tip Ducks4you!!


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## 2468herdsrgr8 (Aug 31, 2009)

Oh my goodness ....Yes I can remember riding the tallest horse in the barn and thinking nothing of putting my foot in the stirrup ....now its pop to advil and walk him to the steps ...and remember getting off the horse was a leg over and jump off now its ..."i'm so sorry buddy but i have to hang from the saddle' and slide down on my stomach ...thank God my arms are okay ........which i know is not a good thing to do ..


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## 2468herdsrgr8 (Aug 31, 2009)

big brown horse said:
			
		

> I have a big horse too...a big brown horse.
> 
> I made my own lift up with a nylon rope and a piece of pvc pipe about 7 inches long.  I just strung the pvc pipe with the nylon rope tied it off into a stirrup, then at the other end of the rope, I tied a loop that fits over my saddle horn.  When I'm done it fits nicely into my little saddle pack that goes over the horn.
> 
> ...


Great idea I am going to tell hubby about this one ....


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## Bronco Hollow (Aug 31, 2009)

Ok. OK... lol  I also ride a 16 HH horse.  I am tall, but I still need to get my knee to my chin to get my foot in the stirrup, let alone swing up without bouncing all over the place... err thats not boobles that is bouncing either....*wink* [they may or may not need 'lifing' but that's another thread.....]   lol lol

Trust me, if I could have figured out how to do it... I would have.  I still think it can be done, may not be the best for the horses back hangin on the side, may splash a little too...  just a thought I have thats all....its a work in process...lol


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## big brown horse (Aug 31, 2009)

Bronco Hollow said:
			
		

> Ok. OK... lol  I also ride a 16 HH horse.  I am tall, but I still need to get my knee to my chin to get my foot in the stirrup, let alone swing up without bouncing all over the place... err thats not boobles that is bouncing either....*wink* [they may or may not need 'lifing' but that's another thread.....]   lol lol
> 
> Trust me, if I could have figured out how to do it... I would have.  I still think it can be done, may not be the best for the horses back hangin on the side, may splash a little too...  just a thought I have thats all....its a work in process...lol


 

She said "boobles"!!! You made my night!!!  I'm glad I'm not the only one with that...er, um, "issue"!

When I can, I mount from a "mount" to put less strain on his back...although I am a mosquito compared to him.  On the trail, I try to find a hill or something.  As a last resort I use the "ladder" as I call it.  He is pretty used to me leading him up against something to mount, so I have not needed the "ladder" since he was younger and naughty.  (He was a rescue with bad manners, but he is an angle now. )


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## ducks4you (Sep 1, 2009)

big brown horse said:
			
		

> ...  (He was a rescue with bad manners, but he is an *angle* now. )


He's _probably_ "a-cute."


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## big brown horse (Sep 1, 2009)

ducks4you said:
			
		

> big brown horse said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


  angel!!! sorry dumb typos!!  He is "a cute" horse though.


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## Bronco Hollow (Sep 1, 2009)

Magic was taught from the get go to stand stock still for mounting off anything.  I can usually find a hole, a rock, a hill....or a stump.....

One time out in the forest last year I had to get off to, ya know ~ [since I haven't figured out how to do that mounted]......
anyhow there was a very large old stump that had been cut long ago...perfect!  So I lead Magic up to the stump, climb on the stump, gather my reins.... and KA-BOOM! the center of the stump collapsed and I fell straight down...ended up standing inside the trunk.

Hubby said he didn't think I could have moved as fast as I did....I literally jumped out of that stump [didn't know what creepies where inside that old thing!]  Poor Magic just stood there through all that commotion looking at me like _now what mom?_

I think the only time I moved faster was when I was dismounted for the very same reason and looked over about 12 feet away was a cougar laying there under the low brush.  Unfortunately I have lots of stories about when I've been dismounted for that reason.


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## 2468herdsrgr8 (Sep 1, 2009)

A cougar ! I wouldnt have to find a spot to go ...if you know what i mean ....
Thats funny I would be moving fast for the creepy crawler things also....


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