Mounting and Dismounting
There are many different ways to mount and dismount a horse, I will be going through and explaining a couple of the more common ones. The way rider mounts and dismounts are based on factors like age, height, weight, handicaps, and level of rider.
The most common way to mount is by using a mounting block. Most new riders will need this block because they do not have the leg strength to pull themselves up the whole way.
1. First thing a rider should always do before riding is to check the girth. Then put the reins over the head of the horse and place he rider hand on the crest of the horse in this position of the horse it is important to know watch the horse movement. if the horse is moving away backward the reins may be too tight and causing you tell the horse to move back, if the horse is moving forward the rider keeps to let the horse know that that behavior is not allowed and practice with until they remain unmoving during mounting.
2. The next step is the place the left foot in the stirrup. The rider will be using this foot to lift their body on to the saddle. For this step adjusting the stirrup leather maybe need depending on the height of the rider. A quick way to get closed to the length you want the leather to be is to hold an arm out with the fingertips touching the saddle. Then pull the stirrup to the rider’s armpit. This method is an easy way to eye ball how long the stirrups must be, the rider might still have to make adjust when on the saddle.
3. Now for the mounting, the rider should place their right hand on the cantle of the saddle and the left with reins in left hand on the crest of the horse. At this point, the rider should be able to pull themselves up on to the saddle.
4. When sitting in the saddle the rider should not just throw their weight down, but instead have to control to slowly sit down. Now place the right foot in the right stirrup. If a horse has a rider that does not sink down in the saddle the horse can become sour and cold backed.
For the dismounting, there are two ways commonly used the first one is called stepping off, and the second is called sliding off.
Stepping Off
First thing to do is drop the right foot from the right stirrup. The left foot stays in the left stirrup and is used like step for the rider.
Sliding Off
For sliding off, the rider takes both feet out of the stirrups. The right leg is swung over the back of the horse and the rider slides off the saddle.
After getting off the horse make sure to pull up the stirrups up the leather so they down to just dangle on the side of the horse, this can be very dangerous for the horse since they can get stuck on doors and other objects as well as bother the horse. The reins can now be taken back over the horses head so the rider can lead the horse.
The most common way to mount is by using a mounting block. Most new riders will need this block because they do not have the leg strength to pull themselves up the whole way.
1. First thing a rider should always do before riding is to check the girth. Then put the reins over the head of the horse and place he rider hand on the crest of the horse in this position of the horse it is important to know watch the horse movement. if the horse is moving away backward the reins may be too tight and causing you tell the horse to move back, if the horse is moving forward the rider keeps to let the horse know that that behavior is not allowed and practice with until they remain unmoving during mounting.
2. The next step is the place the left foot in the stirrup. The rider will be using this foot to lift their body on to the saddle. For this step adjusting the stirrup leather maybe need depending on the height of the rider. A quick way to get closed to the length you want the leather to be is to hold an arm out with the fingertips touching the saddle. Then pull the stirrup to the rider’s armpit. This method is an easy way to eye ball how long the stirrups must be, the rider might still have to make adjust when on the saddle.
3. Now for the mounting, the rider should place their right hand on the cantle of the saddle and the left with reins in left hand on the crest of the horse. At this point, the rider should be able to pull themselves up on to the saddle.
4. When sitting in the saddle the rider should not just throw their weight down, but instead have to control to slowly sit down. Now place the right foot in the right stirrup. If a horse has a rider that does not sink down in the saddle the horse can become sour and cold backed.
For the dismounting, there are two ways commonly used the first one is called stepping off, and the second is called sliding off.
Stepping Off
First thing to do is drop the right foot from the right stirrup. The left foot stays in the left stirrup and is used like step for the rider.
Sliding Off
For sliding off, the rider takes both feet out of the stirrups. The right leg is swung over the back of the horse and the rider slides off the saddle.
After getting off the horse make sure to pull up the stirrups up the leather so they down to just dangle on the side of the horse, this can be very dangerous for the horse since they can get stuck on doors and other objects as well as bother the horse. The reins can now be taken back over the horses head so the rider can lead the horse.
Here is a video of me dismounting.