Okay, I have only been riding 8 weeks, yesturday I rode a different horse, there was some stupid, snobby, **** of a woman on her before me and I have never been taught how to get on a horse before, I just taught myself, I went to get on and the woman walks up to me and snapped 'arnet you on the wrong side?' really horribly, I have never been taught what side you are supposed to get on a horse on so I went to get on the right side and I think you are supposed to get on the left, what side do you do it on and why?
Most horses are mounted from the left.
The reason is not though from the era of war. That nonsense was written by some historian who probably does not even know how to ride.
It has nothing to do with the side you wear your sword on or anything else save one simple fact....The vast majority of people are right handed which means their right side (both arm and leg) is stronger than their left side. This uneveness to the human body makes it much easier to mount a horse from its left side, because it allows the rider to put their left foot in the stirrup but LAUNCH off your RIGHT foot. Thus they push off with their right leg and only use their left to assist a little.
Yes I know about how history texts and horse books always repeat that old wives tale about the sword during cavalry days, but that is all that is....an old wives tale.
If you want to perform a little experiment to test if I am correct or not then try this...Go to the right side of the horse and mount it. Few horses will object. If you are right handed, you will find it much more difficult and that you pull on the saddle far more. If you are left handed you may actually find it easier.
BTW I make sure all of my horses can be mounted from either side in case someone gets hurt on the trail and can not mount from the left side.
The reason is not though from the era of war. That nonsense was written by some historian who probably does not even know how to ride.
It has nothing to do with the side you wear your sword on or anything else save one simple fact....The vast majority of people are right handed which means their right side (both arm and leg) is stronger than their left side. This uneveness to the human body makes it much easier to mount a horse from its left side, because it allows the rider to put their left foot in the stirrup but LAUNCH off your RIGHT foot. Thus they push off with their right leg and only use their left to assist a little.
Yes I know about how history texts and horse books always repeat that old wives tale about the sword during cavalry days, but that is all that is....an old wives tale.
If you want to perform a little experiment to test if I am correct or not then try this...Go to the right side of the horse and mount it. Few horses will object. If you are right handed, you will find it much more difficult and that you pull on the saddle far more. If you are left handed you may actually find it easier.
BTW I make sure all of my horses can be mounted from either side in case someone gets hurt on the trail and can not mount from the left side.
The correct side is the left side.
The reason dates back to the time when horses were used in warfare. You would always get on from the left because your sword was stashed in the right side. Getting on from the left side would cause your sword to whack your horse in the face!
When you lead your horse, you are always supposed to have the horse on your right. This dates back to foxhunting times- you have your horse in your right hand and you hold your dog's leash in your left hand. This is because most people are right handed and you want your stronger hand to be the one controlling the stronger animal. Dogs are traditionally walked on your left for the same reason.
I always get on from the left, but I make sure that my horse is OK with me getting on from the right if need be, in case of an emergency when I can't get on from the other side.
It's just a force of habit for me... I always get on from the left because I was taught that way and I always do it that way.
The reason dates back to the time when horses were used in warfare. You would always get on from the left because your sword was stashed in the right side. Getting on from the left side would cause your sword to whack your horse in the face!
When you lead your horse, you are always supposed to have the horse on your right. This dates back to foxhunting times- you have your horse in your right hand and you hold your dog's leash in your left hand. This is because most people are right handed and you want your stronger hand to be the one controlling the stronger animal. Dogs are traditionally walked on your left for the same reason.
I always get on from the left, but I make sure that my horse is OK with me getting on from the right if need be, in case of an emergency when I can't get on from the other side.
It's just a force of habit for me... I always get on from the left because I was taught that way and I always do it that way.
The proper way to mount is from the left. It's from way back a million years ago when knights wore their swords on the left, so had to get on from that side cuz they couldn't swing the left leg over the horse. Most horses are more comfortable being mounted from the left simply because that is what they know. There's no reason you can't mount from the right, it's just not the accepted way to do it. And actually, mounting from both sides is better for your horse. They have to brace against you and use certain muscles when you're mounting, so alternating sides will help keep their muscles more even.
Unless you are training the horse to allow a right sided mount, you always mount from the horse's left side. The woman who approached you sounds deliberately demeaning, and could better have handled it by asking you if you needed assistance. Ignore her rudeness, and realize that you are learning....just as she once did. No one is born knowing these things.
57 years with horses and still learning
It is traditional to mount on the left side of the horse. This comes from the times when men wore swords or weapons on their hip and mounting on the left side of the horse allowed them to keep their weapons out of the way. Most horses actually don't care and it is not a big deal.
However, I still mount on the left....done it all my life. I'm suprised that you weren't told to mount on the left first time you mounted a horse though because it IS somethinig that all experienced horse people know to do and an experienced instructor should have told you.
However, I still mount on the left....done it all my life. I'm suprised that you weren't told to mount on the left first time you mounted a horse though because it IS somethinig that all experienced horse people know to do and an experienced instructor should have told you.
You are supposed to do everything from the left side of the horse. Mount, tack, etc. It's just tradition and how many, many people have been taught. But to keep your horse from being spooky, mounting from the right helps change things up and your horse will get used to you doing things on either side. My brother sometimes mounts his horse from the right side just to get him used to it. It really doesn't matter how you mount as long as you can mount.
Hope this helps!
Hope this helps!
I would have told her NO, I am on the right side :)
You should be able to mount from both sides of the horse. People just do things from the left because they were taught that way and because most people are right handed. Just like most people don't even teach their horses to lead from the right side as well as the left.
You should most definitely work your horse from both sides equally to get a well rounded horse.
We work right and left sides of the horse equally as well as mount from both sides. Mount from whatever side you want, most people say something because they cannot mount from the right side.
There has been many times were I have had to mount or dimount from the right side when I was out on a trail for example. You never know when you will need to.
Jenny
You should be able to mount from both sides of the horse. People just do things from the left because they were taught that way and because most people are right handed. Just like most people don't even teach their horses to lead from the right side as well as the left.
You should most definitely work your horse from both sides equally to get a well rounded horse.
We work right and left sides of the horse equally as well as mount from both sides. Mount from whatever side you want, most people say something because they cannot mount from the right side.
There has been many times were I have had to mount or dimount from the right side when I was out on a trail for example. You never know when you will need to.
Jenny
Yep, it's the left hand side, or near side (like a car, there's a near side and an off side, near is left, off is right).
Here's a website with a nice description of the "proper" way to do it:
http://www.horseridinglesson.co.uk/Mount...
It doesn't mean that getting on on the off side is something you shouldn't know how to do. It is useful to know how to do these things "backwards" if you're ever called to HAVE to do it for some reason say out on a hack where you have to get off in a tight space or something.
Here's a website with a nice description of the "proper" way to do it:
http://www.horseridinglesson.co.uk/Mount...
It doesn't mean that getting on on the off side is something you shouldn't know how to do. It is useful to know how to do these things "backwards" if you're ever called to HAVE to do it for some reason say out on a hack where you have to get off in a tight space or something.
You mount from the left side. Do you have a mounting block or anything else that's sturdy that you can step on? That would help.
If not then make sure both your stirrups are down and your girth is tight. Also make sure your reins are up over your horses head. Then hold the reins in your left hand, along with some mane. Then grab the back of the saddle with your right. Put your left foot in your left stirrup and swing your right leg over the back of the saddle. Land lightly in the saddle and You're on! :) Now just adjust yourself, your stirrups and your reins.
Also a tip- If you have to mount from the ground it's so much easier if you make your left stirrup as long as it'll go and then shorten it when you get on, that way you don't have to reach your leg up so high. I would try to find a mounting block though.
Good Luck! :)
If not then make sure both your stirrups are down and your girth is tight. Also make sure your reins are up over your horses head. Then hold the reins in your left hand, along with some mane. Then grab the back of the saddle with your right. Put your left foot in your left stirrup and swing your right leg over the back of the saddle. Land lightly in the saddle and You're on! :) Now just adjust yourself, your stirrups and your reins.
Also a tip- If you have to mount from the ground it's so much easier if you make your left stirrup as long as it'll go and then shorten it when you get on, that way you don't have to reach your leg up so high. I would try to find a mounting block though.
Good Luck! :)
You get on from the left hand side. It dates back to soldiers on horses so their sword didn't get in the way. Most people are right handed so the sword would be on the left hip to be drawn by the right hand. I don't suppose it matters anymore but horses will be used to it and it might upset them I suppose.
there is no 'correct' side to geton a horse! yes most people use te left side because its easier for them but you should mount from both sides, its better for you and the horses back in the log run.
so its good you were gettin up on the right side!
so its good you were gettin up on the right side!
Left side, traditionally it was because knights has their swords on the right side so yeah. But now all horses are usually taught on the left side.
You get on on the left side of your horse. It is just tradition, but horses are all trained to be mounted from the left side.
To be honest, it sounds like you need to start taking lessons. Horses are just not an animal that you "learn as you go along" with.
To be honest, it sounds like you need to start taking lessons. Horses are just not an animal that you "learn as you go along" with.