Conference noted::equitation

    Hi cathy,
    
    are you riding English or Western?  There are difference's
    
    LKP
    

    Emergency dismount as I was taught consists of kicking both feet
    free of the stirrups and using the withers as a fulcrum vault off
    of the horse. The main idea is to land on your feet!! Well clear
    of the horses path. I highly recommend starting from a standing
    position until you get the hang of jumping clear. Then just work
    your way up thru the different gaits.
    
    Happy Dismounts,
    Sandy
    

    re .1
    
    Oops - English.  Didn't know there would be a difference.
    
    Cathy

In case of an "emergency," an emergency dismount is not always your safest
alternative.  It should be your last resort after having already tried other
emergency recovery techniques.    If the rider has an emergency situation
where there is no time to use a recovery technique, (like heading for
a cliff), then definitely, dismount!  Or if the horse is hung up in mud, 
a jump, or caught somehow, then dismount.  If however, the rider believes 
there's a possibility to regain control (picture a runaway), then the
rider should first try regaining control either through circling the runaway
horse, or using a pulley rein.   Another scenerio might be that the horse
has taken you off into a bucking spree. It's not a good idea to try an
emergency dismount when the horses hooves are flying about in the air.
Instead, the rider should pull the horses head up and drive him forward.
Similarly for a rearing horse; again the rider should try to recover rather
than give up and risk the chance of being hurt in the dismount.  I believe
there's less danger for the rider who tries to correct the problem, then
there is for the rider who gives up and jumps off.

Melinda

    It would be my advise to not even think about emergency dismounts.
    If the situation where one would be necessary arises you will know
    it and probably find the fastest and safest method to do it.  They
    really are used only as a last resort.  I have been riding since
    I was 8 and only have done one dismount I would call an emergency.
    (I've done hundreds of others that were far from emergencies, just
    problem riding! 8^) )
    
    As a beginner you are bound for a few unplanned dismounts, so don't
    start worrying about planned dismounts.  
    
    Chris
    

    Actually I don't think learning about "emergency" dismounts is all
    that big a problem.

    Way back when I was teaching, our riders learned the "emergency"
    dismount as part of the process early on.  

    The perceived benefits were (and is) that practicing the dismount: 

       1. Exercise in timing and coordination.  We dismounted from both
          sides (this was before vaulting was popular).  Really helped
          develop confidence in their ability to control their bodies 
          under certain circumstances.  The riders thought this was FUN!

          Some went on to doing "pony express mounts".  This was a good
          start.

       2. Help the rider to learn that they can have some control in case 
          of a problem. This helped both mentally and physically.  The 
          timid rider could see that one could dismount from a moving 
          horse without injury.  (Helped those who saw a few too many Lone
          Ranger shows.)

       3. Helped me dismount safely a couple times when I was in the
          process of becoming "dismounted" on the backside of a jump or
          two.  I much prefer landing on my feet than on my head.

    Yes, we stressed that they will probably never use this.  And we
    discussed possible cases where this might be the right thing to do. We
    practiced other "emergency" measures, such as circling a galloping
    horse.  Practicing (gently) the pulley rein...  Again, these helped to
    increase confidence that the rider had some control.

    
    Mary Jo

    What's an "EMERGENCY DISMOUNT?"
    
    L-

    The same as DISMOUNTING WITHOUT PERMISSION!

    An "Emergency Dismount" is exactly what it implies. Bail out, get off,
    dismount FAST, while your horse is going at ANY pace. It is not a
    formal exercise but an exercise in self preservation. It is something
    that every horse person needs to learn how to do in any situation where
    staying on the horse is more dangerous than leaping off. If your horse
    is rearing up and going over backwards, you have to "emergency
    dismount" unless you want to end up underneath him with a broken back.
    
    Some riding instructors teach emergency dismounts. It generally
    involves using both hands and legs to push yourself up off the horse to
    land in the direction your both going.

    
    
    	oh, boy, can I tell you about THAT!! I just did one off a
    	friend's horse a few weeks ago...NOT fun...most importantly,
    	make sure your feet are out and clear of the stirrups before
    	you leap, try to roll into a ball and come out on your feet.
    	(and hope you never have to do it.... :)  ).
     

    Wait a minute.  I thought an emergency dismount was just what it says
    "emergency".  I have done a few in my time and haven't had a whole lot
    of time to get my balance or cordination, just get off as quickly as
    possible.  I have done it without serious injury, and with.  Now if you
    are talking about just getting off when you get haired-out or
    something, I guess someone would have time to control his/her actions.