The swing up. *With Video!*

[Kitari]

After a bit of work, jumping, etc I finally did the full swing up on Red! Im glad I took the time to get her used to my odd movement, the first time went real smooth, as you can see, she didnt bat an eye.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGGrvhWKPa0

[*JumpIt*]

What a good solid horse.

I would be worried trying something new like that without a helmet or boots.

[Weighaton]

I am impressed. I can't see getting on that horse without a three step block, picnic table, stepladder, pickup truck bed.....etc.

It is nice to see he is well trained enough to stand still while mounting, or swinging up. Good job. That will probably come in very handy one day.

[naters]

Impressively good horses, both of them, and very cute. I jump like a sack of potatoes :(




One thought though, did I just see (around the middle of the video, during the second horse) the first horse walk by with the leadrope still attached to his/her halter, and dragging in between his legs? You may want to make sure to take the leadrope off, that could cause a disaster if he/she steps on it!

[altjaeger]

I'm impressed too. :) Do you think this would work with a saddled horse?

[starrysky]

I am impressed! I would make it about 2 inches off the ground!

[twofatponies]

That's so shockingly impressive! How on earth do you practice? Because I can just see trying and landing flat on my back or kick my poor horse in the gut on the way up. Do you practice on a fence or furniture first?

[stryder]

I'm also very impressed!

I could do that with a mini, or perhaps a Welsh, but that would be about it. No jump left in these old bones.

[GoodyTwo]

Impressed by the ability to launch on like that, but not by the common sense safety. I’d say the horses aren’t that impressed either. You see them both flinch downward when you land on them. I prefer a good old fashioned mounting block (or rock or hay bale or grassy knoll or whatever) to protect my horses’ back health.

[Chardavej]

I am impressed! I need this on the trail when I get off. I ride bareback (or with a pad I should say) and am always trying to find a way to mount (rock, tree, hill...).

I don't think this is something the OP would do with every mount, so it shouldn't hurt the horses back unless done constantly.

I would like to learn how you practiced??

[RougeEmpire]

Its been about a million years since I could pull that off on anything bigger than a small pony :lol:

You have some great skillz! But one day you will be middle aged and stuggling to get your butt up without a block or a stirrup, mmwwwwaaaaaahhhhhh!

[ReSomething]

Very smooth! The last time I did that was probably 1981. Nowadays I'm searching for every log, ditch, fence, upturned bucket or pile of boards or a mounting block, and I still drop my stirrups half the time. Good for you!

[Kitari]

Since this isnt a regular thing that goes on at my place, soring the back in no concern, Bareback rides happen maybe 4 times a month, occasionally more, but not often. Both horses graze with dangling leads, so panicking on the lead when stepped on isn't going to happen, or let me rephrase is a hell of alot less likely to happen than a horse who doesn't regularly graze on a line.

as far as practicing. I first learned it on Poco, (the bay in the video) she is 13.2 and let me tell you it took me several attempts to so much as scramble halfway up her side onto her back, longer to get somewhat clean, and now that video is a very smooth landing than first attempts when I first started learning it. Though I nave never tried with a saddle on, I tend to either ground mount or use a wooden stump to mount with a saddle. I just worry with a saddle I might hit the cantel or not make the full swing and wind up hanging off the saddle and freak them out, so I prefer to mount normally with a saddle.

[Kitari]

Oh I forgot to address the helmet thing! I never ride Poco with a helmet, but I always ride Red with one, since I do the swing up sans helmet it obviously was a concern with Red since I dont know how she will react etc, but I need to not worry about the helmet shifting or anything while I'm swinging up, which is why when I landed I stayed forwards so if she did spaz even slightly I could get off and get off quickly.

[SkipChange]

We vault on in Pony Club no problem, and you bet we're always wearing a helmet :D I really don't mean to get into a helmet debate though. I am very impressed! It's so nice to know you can get on without a mounting block if you need to, isn't it? I can vault on a 12h pony (with saddle) at trot, canter if i've been practicing. I managed to vault on a 15.1 QH once at a stand still, good thing she was a saint. Haven't got any video online of vaulting, but here's a terribly grainy photo
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30092656&l=97b5457af5&id=1293060230

[myvanya]

For actual vaulting it is better to go without a helmet. If you are just using the vaulting swing on to get on then it is one thing, but when actually vaulting it is entirely another. Also, when done correctly, the vaulting mounts of swing on and pop on shouldn't be hard on the horse's back. (I can't see the video but wanted to throw the vaulting perspective in there...)

[Woodland]

Very nice! Smooth and easy - very nice! :yes:

[mvp]

You PC safety-fetishists need to *prostrate yourselves* before the athletic redneck with the broke horse. (No offense, OP.)

If the horse is broke enough for this kind of jungle move, then she can also probably deal with a dangling lead rope.

I'm old and I hope I never get to the point that I don't enjoy trying those stupid horse tricks that all of us did when we were ten.

This one is pretty good. Thanks for posting.

[Sue from Auckland]

And from the off side, too. I'm VERY!!!!! impressed.

[SkipChange]

And from the off side, too. I'm VERY!!!!! impressed.

I didn't even notice that! Now I've gone from impressed to amazed!!! I was never any good at the off side, its much harder for me. Good job!

[Kitari]

Harder on the offside? Ha I cant do it on the proper side! Then again I rarely try so maybe I could, something worth trying anyway

mvp: if Red couldn't handle a dangling lead I'd be ashamed, she's been allowed to graze in our back yard on the line since she got here, at first there were some omg moments when she stepped on it, but once she figured it out she was good to go. She hasnt had a freak out from stepping on her own line since the 2nd time she was allowed to graze on a line almost a year ago. I was more worried about her reaction to the monkey move than to her possibly taking a step forwards on her line.

Now I can work towards her bridleless, now that its easier to get on her bareback without hunting for a stump or stool, as you can see Im short!

[jeano]

[QUOTE=Weighaton;4448543]I am impressed. I can't see getting on that horse without a three step block, picnic table, stepladder, pickup truck bed.....etc.

QUOTE]

...or in my case, add block and tackle, hoist and derrick, horse in a ditch and me on a bank. I have seen Endospink's and others swing up videos and am insanely jealous. For me its a big day when I can manage with horse in the ditch and me on the bank because technically I can brag that I mounted from the ground! Such a graceful move. I was in the pasture yesterday just fooling with the horses for a minute because I didnt have time to ride and thought VERY briefly about attempting a swingup--then realized my helmetless head would almost certainly be down at hooflevel in a nano second, gave them a peppermint and a pat and went on about my business.

Kitari, you look very stylish.

[Kitari]

Hey if your on the ground it counts right? When I learned on Poco I made sure I was on an incline with Poco's ass on the down slope. I am not ashamed!

I remember one time I was half way ok at the swing up, and Poco's mane was covered in baby oil (I cant remember why though) I went to swing up and my swinging ass hit the ground.

[twofatponies]

I didn't even notice that! Now I've gone from impressed to amazed!!! I was never any good at the off side, its much harder for me. Good job!

Neither! I can't even get on with a mounting block and a stirrup on the off side. :D

[chai]

I am impressed! My best friend and I both tried to learn that trick when we were teenagers. She did; I still had to do the jump up on the back and haul yourself over on my TB. Those days are looong gone for me so I think you have mastered a great circus trick, and your horses are very well mannered.

[FancyFree]

You PC safety-fetishists need to *prostrate yourselves* before the athletic redneck with the broke horse. (No offense, OP.)

If the horse is broke enough for this kind of jungle move, then she can also probably deal with a dangling lead rope.

I'm old and I hope I never get to the point that I don't enjoy trying those stupid horse tricks that all of us did when we were ten.

This one is pretty good. Thanks for posting.

I used to be able to do that when I was ten on a 17 hand horse! Swing up in shorts and flip flops no less.

My god it's a wonder that I'm alive today. :lol:

[Simkie]

And from the off side, too. I'm VERY!!!!! impressed.

Most right-handed people find swinging up from the off side easier, as you're doing most of the work with your right arm and you're more coordinated with the right arm.

I'm right handed, swing up from the off side, and absolutely cannot swing up from the near side.