Learning to mount and dismount safely is essential. Follow this step-by-step process to position yourself correctly and control your horse or pony effectively while getting on and off. Mounting and dismounting should be done on the left side of the horse. Using a mounting block to get on helps prevent excessive strain on the horse’s back.
For safety, it’s best to have someone hold your horse while you learn to mount.
Some people have trouble learning to push off the ground when mounting and try to pull themselves up. Instead, think about stair steps and the motion you would use walking up stairs. Many new riders like to “plop” into the saddle. Pretend there is an egg under your seat, and you must sit down softly so you don’t crack the shell.
Always do a safety check on both sides of the horse before mounting. Put the reins over the horse’s head and inspect the following, from the right side to the left, before you get on:
Brought to you in partnership with the United StateS Pony Clubs Find this lesson in the USPC Manual of Horsemanship Basics for Beginners D-Level (2nd edition), page 27-28. For more fun lessons like this, join Pony Club! www.ponyclub.org
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2019 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!
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