Why a mounting block is indispensible…
As the years go by, we notice that moynting your horse gets more difficult. Our muscles become stiffer and shorter, which is not bad at all. Stretching exercises and yoga are certainly a great alternative to get on your horse more smoothly. Fortunately, there is also the safety step, with which we can disguise our stiffness, but let’s be clear! This mainly serves to protect the back of our four-legged friend. The calmer we get into the saddle, the better this is for the back of our horse.
What do you pay attention to when purchasing a mounting block?
Mounting blocks are available in different colors, sizes and materials. We prefer a mounting block made of plastic. In practice it appears that these are almost unbreakable and can carry a lot of weight (up to 260 kilos, depending on which mounting block you pick). Such a mounting block does not just break from a horse’s kick.
Make sure that the mounting block does not contain open steps, when purchasing, as you sometimes see with wooden steps. We may sketch the worst scenario here, but a horse could get caught in it. This can injure yourself or your horse and your horse will get unnecessary fear when getting on.
Why is mounting your horse with a mounting block better for the horse’s back?
You want to handle your horse’s back as carefully as possible. We pay a lot of attention to a fitting saddle and put all kinds of soothing aids to keep the pressure on the back as minimal as possible. Incorrect pressure distribution when getting on or landing on the horse’s back with too much force would actually nullify all this effort. In the worst case, a horse can experience physical or behavioral problems.
What if your horse finds the mounting block scary?
That can of course always happen. In such a case, ask if someone cacn offer a helping hand by holding your horse. You can also choose to step into the corner of your riding arena so that your horse is less able to step aside. If the mounting block is placed on the second track, you can simply ride past it and you will immediately have a obstacle training.
Summarized
Mounting your horse with a mounting block is essential because:
- There is less pressure on one side of the horse
- This is physically better for the rider
You can find all of our mounting blocks here.
Blog by Leane & FIRA