Horse Mounting & Dismounting Basics

Series Summary

The bond between human and horse has existed for a very long time. Often, just their calming presence does wonders for the human spirit. In today's world, where many of us are disconnected to these large animals, encounters with these majestic creatures may be hard to come by. However, there are many people who still create a caring and exciting relationship with horses.

There are many different ways to ride a horse: bareback, western, and Australian. However, one type of riding stands out as the traditional equestrian style. The English saddle was developed through the growing popularity of fox hunting. Unlike the western or Australian saddles, the English saddle has no horn, and it was designed to allow the horse freedom of movement. The English saddle is used in both Olympic and equestrian competitions.

In this free video series, learn how to mount and dismount a horse.

Video Transcript

"When mounting and dismounting, it's important that you have a second person available in case you experience difficulty, especially when you're using a horse that you haven't used before. Horses can react sometimes if they haven't been ridden for a while and that's actually one of the most common areas of riding to experience an injury. So to begin with, we want to make sure that all of your tack is on properly. You'll just do a check to make sure that all your keepers have been done up. You'll make sure that your girth is very tight. Sometimes after tacking up and walking, it can get loose, and we'll make sure that the stirrups are adjusted so that when you get on, you can reach them in case you do experience difficulty. When dismounting, sometimes you need help getting to the ground, especially if you're a little child and you're riding a big horse and so you just want to make sure when mounting and dismounting, you consider safety."