Saddle Up – How to Ride a Horse

When it comes down to riding a horse has been something that I have always wanted to do since I became addicted to the country lifestyle. The country lifestyle started in high school since all my buddies lived in the country and did things a country kid would do. Many examples include riding a four-wheeler, hunting, and riding tractors to cut their lawn and yard work on the 10 to 50 acres they live on. I became surrounded by a new way of how people lived by hanging out with my buddies in the country since I lived in the city. I came to love everything in the country, especially my love for horses grew by watching the tv show Yellowstone, a western drama involving cowboys. After watching the tv show Yellowstone I told myself that I needed somebody to teach me to ride a horse. In the future, I would love to buy a horse and live on a farm with 50 acres to teach my kids to ride and compete in the sport of equestrian.

How to Mount a Horse

Before riding a horse, there are many steps to get your horse ready to go on a ride safely. The thing the rider does is properly mount your horse in the safest way possible. The first step is that the rider is best off standing on the horse’s left side since this is the most accessible side to learn to mount on. Also, horseback riders have been learning how to mount this way for centuries. The second step is for the rider to gather the reins in their left hand. The rider needs to put the reins in their left hand before loping their feet into the stirrups, so they have more control of the horse when mounting. Then the rider can put one hand on the horse’s neck area, and the other hand should go on the saddle to use as a grip to pull oneself up and over the horse. The third step is for the rider to put their left foot in the stirrup. The rider is to stand on the horse’s left when mounting and then put their leg foot inside the stirrup. When putting your left foot in the stirrup, it should be super easy for the rider to sit in the saddle. The fourth step is for the rider to stand up and get their right leg over the horse’s body. The rider must stand up on their left leg in the stirrup to swing their right leg over into the stirrup on the horse’s right side. The fifth step is when the rider puts their right foot into the stirrup. When the rider sits down on the horse, they should be able to maneuver their right foot into the stirrup.

How to Get the Horse to Go Forward

When learning how to ride a horse, the most crucial part is the rider instructing the horse to move forward. The first step is for the rider to sit in the saddle straight upward with their back standing tall. If the rider’s posture is off, such as the rider sitting weirdly in the saddle, like being too far forward or backward, the horse will be confused about what task it wants to perform. When the rider sits with their back straight in the saddle, the horse knows they are ready to go when riding. The second step is making sure the rider is not pulling on the reins backward. The reins have an essential role when riding a horse; they are used as a communication method to tell the horse what task you would like them to do. The third step would be for the rider to use the muscles in their lower leg to squeeze the horse’s sides. When the rider squeezes the sides of the horse’s body, they want the horse to move forward. In the equestrian world, using your legs to squeeze the horse’s body is the term leg pressure. The fourth and final step is to release some pressure when your horse is starting to move forward. The rider performs this task by not putting any pressure on their calve muscles and heels, where they are no longer squeezing the horse’s sides. There are many more ways to ride a horse. These are just the beginning steps to riding your mustang into the sunset.