exercises to assist in mounting

Good for you, but a lot of us at that age are having knee issues and this rule would mean some people having to quit riding there.

Ability to mount from the ground has nothing to do with fitness to ride.

NOT trying to compete. I also believe that your horse needs to be patient with any problems that you have in mounting. My DH needs a mounting block, and I train his horse to be patient with him.
There is a PC belief that mounting from the ground is harmful to your horse. Ironically, I agree with not torqueing the back bc I have always taught my horses to blow up and hold their breaths when I tighten the girth so that I can easily mount from the ground, and when I am done riding I find my girth is loose.
Still, you are up a creek if you go trail riding, get off and cannot find anything to step on to mount. How ARE you going to get back on? Will you lead your horse back? This is a question you need to answer, and the answer to this should guide your horse's training.
Also, I personally believe in this shrinking horseowner market that you cannot overtrain your horse. A well trained horse will always find a buyer and stands a better chance at finding a new and good home, especially if he or she has special skills, like laying down so you just step onto the saddle. =D

Totally agree.

I happen to believe it is less PC and more common sense, there has been research on it and *shrugs* it's my personal belief that it puts uneeded stress on saddle, horse and rider. YMMV

BUT the op was not talking about trail riding, they were talking about arena riding. As to me, IF I have to get off on the trail, then yes, I would have to lead my horse to something that I could utilize as a booster to help me get back on. This is only going to get worse in the 5 years the surgeon gives me before I need a replacement. My horses ARE trained to stand by a block, and wait patiently for me to mount.

A well trained horse will always sell better than a poorly trained one, and one that is trained to stand quietly by a box, stump, fence, wobbly bucket or any other thing you can use as an aid is a big bonus in my book.

Kayty unfortunately in a western saddle the stirrup leathers or fenders as we call them are next to impossible to readjust once on the horse. Most of them have a sliding mechanism with a steel plate that has one or two catchers that you slip into the correct holes then slide the plate over......there have been many times I've wished for the English buckle leathers!

The ones with the steel plates are more difficult to readjust. The ones with the buckle are easier.

I've never seen a western saddle with buckles on the fenders! Interesting! I'm a big believer in being able to mount your horse from the ground! I'm 5' (and maybe 1/2") and my horse is 15.1hh and I mount from the ground without dropping a stirrup. My horse has to stand still no matter what because once my toe is up there - there is absolutely no tolerance for moving around as I am too short to hop around with a fidgety horse;).

My old BO is 65 and has arthritis in his knees and hips and still mounts like a pro!

Not at home, but I'll try to take a picture this week and post it. I have two western saddles with a double buckle. My students could lower the stirrup and readjust from the saddle. I don't recommend the saddles, per se, bc they were cheap, but I am sure that if you order a new Western saddle you could ask for this as an option.

I think most of the members of our cow horse club would agree that mounting from a mouting block is easier on the horse and rider than getting on from the ground especially if some of us haven't retained our girlish figures from 30 or 40 years ago. I know I have used a mounting block for the last few years thinking I was being kinder to my horse.It was a shock to me when I tried mounting from the ground last week after the rules came out and found that not only did I have a lot of trouble reaching the stiurrup but I didnt really have the strength to lift myself up in the saddle. Perhaps mounting from the ground is a skill that one loses if it is not being used. I have already started the exercises that were suggested and am just keeping my fingers crossed that I will not embarass myself when it comes time to mount my horse in front of the committee.

Seems to me this is one way to eliminate older riders. It's time you stepped up to the plate and tell the powers that be that the pull on the saddle is painful for the horse. And why the emergency dismount? I could see a compulsory helmet rule but these are ludicrous rules.

If so, that's really mean. Who do you think can afford to do these things, we older riders or the ones just out of college with heavy debt?!?!?