Tagged with Mounting

Mounting: Left vs. Right

While we’re on the topic of mounting (see previous post) here’s a few more thoughts! Why we mount from the left It comes from riding horses in the military. Xonophon (350 BC) explains how to mount from the left while holding your spear. Later, cavalry officers wore the sword on the left so they could draw … Continue reading

Mounting: Comfort vs. Independence

I just read a good article called Ease Mounting Pressures on Your Horse by Karen Smith in the magazine Dressage Today, that makes me think about the ongoing tension between mounting and working toward independence withing therapeutic riding. The article highlights a few issues with mounting, in particular from the ground: Stirrup pressure pulls the saddle toward the … Continue reading

Q&A: Refusal to Mount

I got an interesting question from a reader I’d like to open up to everyone… Refusal to Mount Hello, Do you have any articles or references related to getting a highly anxious ASD rider to mount the horse?  We have a 15 year old who refuses to mount but stays close to the horse and … Continue reading

How to Mount and Dismount

I have seen many different variations of mounting and dismounting both disabled and able-bodied riders. I recently went through all my notes on this topic and compiled the following detailed descriptions about the ways I learned to mount and read about. I wanted to share because this was one of the hardest things for me … Continue reading