how to ride a horse

Many people ride from the nearer (left) side of the horse. They may stand close to the shoulder, face the horse’s tail with the reins (and possibly a handful of mane) in their left hand, put their left foot in the stirrup, and then bring their right hand to the saddle pommel. Then, as they sway, they make sure their right leg stays well above the horse’s back and croup. They then turn and face the horse’s ears placing their right foot in the right stirrup as the horse settles into the saddle. If there is a question about the horse’s back or the rider’s back, they will probably use a mounting block to ride.

How to dismount a horse

They can dismount holding the kidneys with the left hand and with the right hand on the pommel of the saddle. Taking both feet out of the stirrups, they would probably swing their right leg over the horse’s back and land with their knees slightly bent to absorb the movement. If the rider feels more energetic on a calm horse, he might even click his heels three times on the way down. Have you tried that last one?

Another way that people can dismount a horse is to get off it. This often happens if they have a type of saddle that would make it difficult to rock. They would start the same way as before, holding their loins in their left hand with their right hand on the saddle pommel. They would then take their right foot out of the stirrup, then step their foot over the horse’s rump, and then lower to the ground while taking their left foot out of the stirrup. Care must be taken not to injure the horses back when dismounting in this manner, although it is a popular way of dismounting for riders with back problems.

Other ways to ride a horse

On the other hand, a light and agile person can simply grab a piece of mane and with a flick of the wrist appear to float from standing with both feet on the ground to sitting directly on the saddle. This is a very practical way to ride a nervous/excitable horse that is constantly moving.

Vaulters make riding look a breeze by running and jumping on a horse as it gallops circles around it. They can dismount in a wide variety of ways and in a variety of different places on the horse, including on the horse’s rump.

An elderly or disabled rider, particularly one on a large horse, can use a ramp to get them into a position where they can easily climb onto their horse. A fence on the opposite side of the horse will prevent the horse from swinging the quarters from him and a couple of assistants can help the rider find a comfortable place in the saddle before beginning his ride.

I know of a short, athletic teenager with a large horse and who was able to gently place her foot just on the outside/top of her horse’s knee to give her the extra momentum she needed to ride. Her weight didn’t seem to stay on the knee; it was more of a brush to give her the extra height she needed before she could easily mount her horse.

The correct way to ride a horse

So if you are too rigid in thinking that there is only one ‘correct’ way to mount or dismount a horse, you may be doing a disservice to someone who has a very good reason to ride a horse in a different way than what is considered ‘normal’.