Foot Position While Mounting a Horse

Video Transcript

"Now that I have a good hold of the horse with my left hand on the reins, my right hand in the palm of the saddle I could put my left foot into the stirrup. It is important that you turn your foot to point towards the front of the horse. If any of your foot is going to be touching the horse, it is directly onto the girth not on the flesh of the horse. If you do end up pushing into the flesh of the horse, they can easily take that a cue to move forward. So putting the weight onto my left stirrup, also you can grab a little mane with your left hand if you need some support. I'm going to push up, I have weight in my stirrups and both hands especially my right hand. I slowly swing over. Make sure you have a good hold. It is important that when you swing up and over that your leg doesn't hit the horses hind end that could also be taking as a cue to move forward or to spook your horse. Slowly lowering down being careful not to fall down onto the horse as this could hurt them or spook them and we are now ready to go ahead and pick the right stirrup up. Being careful, but make sure that the stirrup is on the ball of the foot, we are going to immediately pick up the reins into both hands and now you are ready to ride. "