Learning The Emergency Dismount
The object of riding is to stay on the horse and have fun. But horses will be horses and from time to time they will act up and do things that make all of us feel unsafe.
A buck and a rear in the round pen might not feel too dangerous, but the same buck and rear on a narrow mountain trail can be very frightening. When your horse gets scared and out of control in the arena it does not make you feel the same way as when your horse gets out of control on the side of the road with traffic coming towards you.
Sometimes when your horse starts to act up, the better part of valor is to get down, and it helps to know how to do an emergency dismount.
What is an Emergency Dismount?
An emergency dismount is a method of dismounting from your horse quickly and safely, with the emphasis on quick, which will help keep you safe.
Getting down from a moving horse can be tricky if you try to dismount using your stirrups, and the emergency dismount dispenses with using them. In effect you will be jumping down from your horse instead of stepping down from your horse.
Ideally, when you touch down, you will be facing forward, perhaps sideways, but certainly not to the rear which is very dangerous.
Deciding When to Use the Emergency Dismount
The emergency dismount should be performed anytime a rider is afraid for their safety on the back of their horse. The reasons for a rider to be afraid are too numerous to mention, and every rider’s threshold for what they feel is safe or dangerous is going to be different. Use your own judgment and don’t be afraid to dismount.
The best time to perform an emergency dismount is before things get too far out of control. All too often, when a horse acts up, a rider will try to “ride it out” and then it becomes too late to safely do an emergency dismount.
If you ride in the mountains on narrow trails, with downed trees nearby, the last thing you want to do is stay on until you get bucked off into a “deadfall” and get a broken branch through your abdomen or back. If you are riding your horse along the side of the road the last place you will want to be is on his back as he spins out into traffic.
A full blown runaway is perhaps the most dangerous time to try an emergency dismount. The laws of physics state that when something leaves a moving object it is momentarily traveling at the same speed as the object it just departed from. If your horse is running at 30 miles an hour when you decide to dismount, the only way you will stay on your feet is if you can actually run 30 miles an hour. Since you can not run that fast, expect to take a few steps, and then fall violently to the ground. You will get hurt, but it may be better than the alternative if the horse is heading towards a cliff.
In an emergency situation get down before it escalates out of control.
Two Methods for Performing an Emergency Dismount
Vaulting Off
The method I prefer is what I call the “vaulting method”. This method is similar to the method used when a gymnast dismounts from the “pommel horse” from a straddled position. It is easier than it looks and makes for a forward landing.
You start by kicking free of your stirrups. Next you place your hands on the horse’s withers or the pommel of your saddle, then lean forward and kick both legs back and up over the horse’s back, and drop off to the left side of the horse facing forward with the left rein in your left hand. Bend your knees as you land to absorb the shock of the landing.
Make sure that you kick high enough to clear the cantle of the saddle. Make sure when you lean forward that you do not get your shirt hung up over the saddle horn. By hanging onto the left rein you have a chance of having the horse slow to a stop by circling around you instead of over you. Naturally if you have to dismount on the right you would do the same thing to the right side ending up with the right rein in your right hand.
Pulling on the rein opposite of your dismount will pull the horse into or over you and you will probably be injured. If your horse acts up while hanging onto the rein you can let go at any time.
The advantage to the vault is that you will almost always end up facing directly forward. With this method there is almost no chance that you will end up facing backwards which could be disastrous. If your horse is really moving when you touch down you will need to let go of the rein and try to run. More than likely you will fall but at least you will be running forward and have a chance to break your fall with your hands. You might get bruised a bit but it is better than riding a runaway off of a cliff.
Sliding or Swinging Off
If you do not feel that you can kick your feet up over the horses back, then this method will also work. Start by kicking your feet free of the stirrups. Place your hands on the withers, or the pommel of the saddle lean forward and slide down the left side of your horse swinging your right leg up and over the back of the horse the same as you would do during a regular dismount. Make sure that you swing your leg high enough to clear the saddle. You will more than likely land with your body facing the side of the horse. As stated above you should have the left rein in your left hand.
The disadvantage to this method is that you must use caution not to twist too far as you swing your leg over the horse or you will end up facing backwards. If you are facing backwards and momentum dictates that you must take a few steps for balance or to stop the horse, you will be running backwards, and will likely trip and fall. When falling backwards you can not get your hands out in front of you to stop the fall and you are more likely to hit the back of your head very hard.
Cautions and Safe Practice
When you are first learning it is a good idea to use a bareback pad so that you do not get hung up on the saddle. I also encourage you to wear a helmet.
To learn to do an emergency dismount you should start with a calm horse. Have someone hold the horse still on a short lead line while you practice dismounting. If the horse won’t stand still then find a different horse.
Make sure that you kick your feet free of the stirrups.
When you lean forward to kick your feet up and over be careful that you do not get a shirt or jacket snagged on the horn of your saddle.
Make sure that you let go of the rein opposite the side you are dismounting from so that you don’t pull the horse into you.
Be sure to keep the rein in your hand and not let either arm get tangled in the loose rein as you dismount. Let go of the rein if needed.
Try to land on your feet and bend your knees as you land to absorb shock. And be ready to run forward if the horse was moving quickly.
Practice at the walk and the trot not just standing still. Be very careful if you try to do it at the canter, as some horse will get scared and buck.
Last Words
No matter how good a horse is trained something can happen that might make your horse spook or want to run away. I recall a group of saddle and pack horses that were quite well trained right up until the bees started buzzing and stinging them. I would rather perform an emergency dismount and get stung a few times than try to ride a wild bucking horse downhill while trying to get away from a swarm of bees.
When in doubt get down, and do it before things have gotten out of hand and you can’t get down.
A buck and a rear in the round pen might not feel too dangerous, but the same buck and rear on a narrow mountain trail can be very frightening. When your horse gets scared and out of control in the arena it does not make you feel the same way as when your horse gets out of control on the side of the road with traffic coming towards you.
Sometimes when your horse starts to act up, the better part of valor is to get down, and it helps to know how to do an emergency dismount.
What is an Emergency Dismount?
An emergency dismount is a method of dismounting from your horse quickly and safely, with the emphasis on quick, which will help keep you safe.
Getting down from a moving horse can be tricky if you try to dismount using your stirrups, and the emergency dismount dispenses with using them. In effect you will be jumping down from your horse instead of stepping down from your horse.
Ideally, when you touch down, you will be facing forward, perhaps sideways, but certainly not to the rear which is very dangerous.
Deciding When to Use the Emergency Dismount
The emergency dismount should be performed anytime a rider is afraid for their safety on the back of their horse. The reasons for a rider to be afraid are too numerous to mention, and every rider’s threshold for what they feel is safe or dangerous is going to be different. Use your own judgment and don’t be afraid to dismount.
The best time to perform an emergency dismount is before things get too far out of control. All too often, when a horse acts up, a rider will try to “ride it out” and then it becomes too late to safely do an emergency dismount.
If you ride in the mountains on narrow trails, with downed trees nearby, the last thing you want to do is stay on until you get bucked off into a “deadfall” and get a broken branch through your abdomen or back. If you are riding your horse along the side of the road the last place you will want to be is on his back as he spins out into traffic.
A full blown runaway is perhaps the most dangerous time to try an emergency dismount. The laws of physics state that when something leaves a moving object it is momentarily traveling at the same speed as the object it just departed from. If your horse is running at 30 miles an hour when you decide to dismount, the only way you will stay on your feet is if you can actually run 30 miles an hour. Since you can not run that fast, expect to take a few steps, and then fall violently to the ground. You will get hurt, but it may be better than the alternative if the horse is heading towards a cliff.
In an emergency situation get down before it escalates out of control.
Two Methods for Performing an Emergency Dismount
Vaulting Off
The method I prefer is what I call the “vaulting method”. This method is similar to the method used when a gymnast dismounts from the “pommel horse” from a straddled position. It is easier than it looks and makes for a forward landing.
You start by kicking free of your stirrups. Next you place your hands on the horse’s withers or the pommel of your saddle, then lean forward and kick both legs back and up over the horse’s back, and drop off to the left side of the horse facing forward with the left rein in your left hand. Bend your knees as you land to absorb the shock of the landing.
Make sure that you kick high enough to clear the cantle of the saddle. Make sure when you lean forward that you do not get your shirt hung up over the saddle horn. By hanging onto the left rein you have a chance of having the horse slow to a stop by circling around you instead of over you. Naturally if you have to dismount on the right you would do the same thing to the right side ending up with the right rein in your right hand.
Pulling on the rein opposite of your dismount will pull the horse into or over you and you will probably be injured. If your horse acts up while hanging onto the rein you can let go at any time.
The advantage to the vault is that you will almost always end up facing directly forward. With this method there is almost no chance that you will end up facing backwards which could be disastrous. If your horse is really moving when you touch down you will need to let go of the rein and try to run. More than likely you will fall but at least you will be running forward and have a chance to break your fall with your hands. You might get bruised a bit but it is better than riding a runaway off of a cliff.
Sliding or Swinging Off
If you do not feel that you can kick your feet up over the horses back, then this method will also work. Start by kicking your feet free of the stirrups. Place your hands on the withers, or the pommel of the saddle lean forward and slide down the left side of your horse swinging your right leg up and over the back of the horse the same as you would do during a regular dismount. Make sure that you swing your leg high enough to clear the saddle. You will more than likely land with your body facing the side of the horse. As stated above you should have the left rein in your left hand.
The disadvantage to this method is that you must use caution not to twist too far as you swing your leg over the horse or you will end up facing backwards. If you are facing backwards and momentum dictates that you must take a few steps for balance or to stop the horse, you will be running backwards, and will likely trip and fall. When falling backwards you can not get your hands out in front of you to stop the fall and you are more likely to hit the back of your head very hard.
Cautions and Safe Practice
When you are first learning it is a good idea to use a bareback pad so that you do not get hung up on the saddle. I also encourage you to wear a helmet.
To learn to do an emergency dismount you should start with a calm horse. Have someone hold the horse still on a short lead line while you practice dismounting. If the horse won’t stand still then find a different horse.
Make sure that you kick your feet free of the stirrups.
When you lean forward to kick your feet up and over be careful that you do not get a shirt or jacket snagged on the horn of your saddle.
Make sure that you let go of the rein opposite the side you are dismounting from so that you don’t pull the horse into you.
Be sure to keep the rein in your hand and not let either arm get tangled in the loose rein as you dismount. Let go of the rein if needed.
Try to land on your feet and bend your knees as you land to absorb shock. And be ready to run forward if the horse was moving quickly.
Practice at the walk and the trot not just standing still. Be very careful if you try to do it at the canter, as some horse will get scared and buck.
Last Words
No matter how good a horse is trained something can happen that might make your horse spook or want to run away. I recall a group of saddle and pack horses that were quite well trained right up until the bees started buzzing and stinging them. I would rather perform an emergency dismount and get stung a few times than try to ride a wild bucking horse downhill while trying to get away from a swarm of bees.
When in doubt get down, and do it before things have gotten out of hand and you can’t get down.