Mounting and Dismounting Your Horse Safely and Correctly

This video is about how to mount and dismount your horse the correct and safe way. Most people don't even know there is a good or better way to get on a horse. Usually, the mounting process includes a slipping saddle, possibly tightening the cinch more than needed, maybe spooking your horse, a horse that moves around etc.
After watching this video you will know a safe, easy way to get on and off your horse that does not require you to over-tighten your cinch (which can make a "cinchy" horse).
We hope you enjoy this video and hope it helps.

[@leebk735]

I had quite a chuckle at the first mount and dismount. Who hasn't done that..lol

[@sbishoppdx]

Thank you so much for taking the time to show the example and explain so clearly. I struggle and I can’t wait to try this

[@rhondavocht6129]

The best and most helpful demonstration I’ve seen. I have a tough time getting off horses, and this video is excellent!

[@Melcop1886]

Very good, very well explained. I don't know how many times I've seen people grab and pull on the saddle horn to get on. I always grab a handful of mane and gently pull myself up.

[@AdventureHorseRidinginNYS]

Thank you so much for emphasizing the push away when dismounting instead of sliding. Sliding is what I do and it's absolutely freaking brutal on me when I am on a tall horse .

[@sage3344]

I am a new rider and was taught the right ways from the start!

[@wendyhanson3016]

Great video! Easy to understand and explains "why" to do it the correct way. Looking forward to working with you.

[@shadowdancer1412]

Thank you. Great video. I laughed at the wrong way, looks alot like me! haha My horse will appreciate this!

[@BubbaMoon2014]

I haven’t rode a horse like in 7 years 🐴

[@oznothome]

Excellent video. I have looked exactly like the wrong way and have spent a lot of money trying to correct the problem. Thanks for putting this out there. A couple of times in the past, I did it (by accident) more the correct way, and wondered why the saddle stayed put so well. Thought the problem was saddle fit (even though checking reveals perfect fit after $2000 spent on two horses' saddles, cinches and pads), but clearly, after seeing this video, it is the method used to mount up. I like the dismount procedure as well, since leaving the boot in the stirrup can cause the toe to dig into the horse and cause a walking (or even running) off situation where getting dragged on the rocks around here wouldn't not be healthy. Thanks again.

[@NavvyMom]

Ozzie Gudorgen You are the first person to mention one of my main reasons to take both feet out when dismounting, and that is the possible toe jab into the horse as you come down.

[@richardweintraub4484]

Great video for proper & safe technique. How do you train your horse to not move off when you try to mount?

[@lisatoney2867]

The three hop mount... (made me LOL) I’ve witnessed “trainers” teach that!!! Crazy business!! THANK YOU for sharing this! Beautifully done... 😊

[@shelly556]

Thank you. This is definitely something I’m gonna try. I do have some trouble getting off. So thank you.

[@jennifercochran9664]

Great advise! Love your videos.

[@twoeyeshorsemanship2388]

Thank you so much! Check out my facebook page at facebook.com/twoeyeshorsemanship. There a lots of videos up there.

[@stevehockey5851]

Thank you for posting!

[@Goldenhorse77]

Nice! Thanks for the great vid.

[@llamagirl5116]

Do you know of ways to practice mounting without the horse. I don't really have access to horses, but I have a wrangling job interview that involves getting up from the ground very quickly.

[@bekix23]

I’ve done English just started western xD but this is such a good explanation :3 amazing

[@katherineolson8426]

🙈🐴😎. Your BEFORE is me exactly!!

[@shadowdancer1412]

Great video , thank you!

[@cazema1]

Awesome video!!! Thank you so much

[@MsGroovalicious]

I need to come out to your ranch to take some lessons!

[@antoniajanssens5420]

Very funny 😂 and helpful

[@mingram008]

Excellent explanation! I always feel like Forest Gump dismounting a horse!

[@mikepellegrini9381]

Good job

[@oznothome]

I like your series, although I'm only able to find three. Hoping you'll do more and hoping you make some money along the way. You asked for suggestions, I've got one. Maybe you could run through the proper way to set up and saddle the horse. The proper cinch fit and placement. I'm having a heck of a time getting a cinch that looks comfortable for my mare that grips properly. She's a stout girl, which makes saddle slip when mounting an inevitability, even with your method (which works far better, by the way, at least I'm able to get up on her without the saddle slipping completely off). At any rate, I'm concerned about where the buckles of the cinch wind up on the horse. Watching this video, the cinch placement lengthwise on my horse is similar, but I'd like to be able to move it back without losing saddle grip at the withers. I started with a 36" neoprene cinch, swapped for a 36" roper's cinch, changed that for a 28" roper's cinch (that one really looked like it would hurt, so I didn't even finish). With the 36" cinches, there's only about 2" left between the cinch and the D-rings on the saddle. Heard somewhere to measure around the horse between the D-rings and subtract 16" - makes sense, right? But, she measured out to 54", which would put her into a 38", which we already know is too long. It's 17 miles to the nearest feed shop, so any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Keep up the good work. You have great showmanship and could make some fat cash with this.

[@twoeyeshorsemanship2388]

Thank you so much Ozzie! Glad you enjoyed the videos. I will be putting more up soon. Yes, I will do a video on proper cinch placement, saddle placement etc and cinch fit. Great question! Just a quick tip...I have found that a cinch that is too long will make the saddle slip every time, no matter what. It sounds like this may be your problem. I train a lot of horses and rarely do I use a cinch bigger than 30". I had a gypsy vaner Clydesdale cross that was 17-3 hands and still used a 30" cinch on her. I would try that if I was you. Let me know how it goes. I'll get on the video for you as well. Thanks again!

[@oznothome]

I wish I'd seen this two days ago. I bought, yet another cinch. This time a roper's style neoprene 32". I think you're right, a 30" would've done the job better. This 32" seems to do okay, though. Still a little slip but it's minimal and this one looks comfortable on her. Since there's an extra flap of the cinch, under the buckle area, her skin doesn't get rolled up in the buckle now. The improvement in her attitude was immediate. First time ever that she's stood completely still while putting my foot in the stirrup. Everybody that's seen what she does has told me to get rid of her. But, she's so good in every other way that doesn't involve a saddle (loading, leading, respect, taking a bit, etc.), I refuse to give up on her so easily. First thing was to buy her a saddle that didn't bridge over the center of her back. Cost was significant, but result was obvious. Just needed to get past this slip issue, which your video helped tremendously. The new cinch seems to have solved the rest of it, so definitely looking forward to the video about that. I would like your opinion on one other issue. I've been thinking about trying her out without a bit and bridle. Been working her from the ground with just the halter, and lead rope fashioned into a rein. Seems much more humane, she already has it on, and she seems to have a better attitude about halting with me on the ground. She's had a bolting issue in the past, but I think I've gotten to the bottom of that with this latest saddle and cinch set up. Is it insane to jump up and give her a try?

[@twoeyeshorsemanship2388]

Well, sounds like you got it figured out! One other thing is, I don't like neoprene cinches...they slip when the horse sweats. I like rope cinches and felt cinches. Not trying to make you go buy ANOTHER cinch but you might try it out. Glad you are moving forward and making improvements with your horse. I love to see people actually trying to learn and grow with their horses. It makes me happy, so thank you for being a good horse owner and making sure to do the best things for your horse and always striving to be better. I ride all my horses in halters with the lead rope as my reins to start out with. Then I go to a side pull or bosal, and then into a bit if the owner wants the bit. Here is my take on bit riding compared to bit-less riding:I don't recommend people go out and try to ride their horse bit-less. I also don't recommend they go out and try to ride their horse in a bit...Let me explain. If a horse has good training and has been ridden a lot bit-less, and they have a rider who is experienced (bit-less or with a bit), then I'm all for bit-less. In this situation, the horse and rider can handle bit-less riding. If a horse has good training and has been ridden a lot in a bit, and they have a rider who is experienced (with a bit or bit-less), then I am all for a bit. In this situation the horse and rider can handle riding in a bit. However, if either of the two, the horse or the rider, does not have the proper experience with one or the other, bit or bit-less, then the team (horse and rider) have no business doing it together.It's all about communication, softness and being light as possible but firm as necessary. Knowing how to accomplish these things makes no difference if you are riding with or without a bit. So, ask yourself, what is the best combination for me and my horse as we work together as a team. What do we know together and how can we succeed.If you don't know the answer or don't know how to find out, go to a trainer near you and just take one lesson with them and find your bearings with your horse. You won't regret it.Hope this helps. Keep in touch and let me know how it goes.Also, please check out my facebook page at facebook.com/twoeyeshorsemanship to see a lot more videos.Keep riding!! Thank you for your support!Nate

[@oznothome]

Sound advice, Nate. I probably won't go to a trainer, since the nearest one is 90 miles away, but perhaps I'll try her out in the arena, first. While I have a quite a bit of experience riding horses, both stable horses and privately owned, this is the first time I've had my own horses. It's completely different than I expected. A lot of getting to know them, and getting them to know me. We're figuring it out as we go, and luckily no severe train wrecks along the way. I try to glean as much info as I can from guys like yourself. I like your approach best, because it's no nonsense, bare bones, guy-getting-on-a-horse style rider training. I don't need a perfect reining horse or rodeo ready, just completely safe to ride....not even for myself (I almost like the challenge of having to bring a spooked horse back under control), it's for my wife getting on her horse. As I work with these two, I continue to learn what messages they're trying to convey by body lingo, head position, ear direction, etc.. While her horse is terrific under the saddle, he has weird issues like invading your space as you lead him around (he changes when a saddle is on his back, he follows back further). I take it that he just wants to be friends. If I look back over my shoulder, he'll back off like he should, but usually I let him get away with it, since we don't walk all that far anyway. I realize there's an element of danger there, but also get the impression that he really likes people, and is pretty careful about where he puts his feet, and when spooked (usually by the other horse), he's good enough to go away from me, and not over me. One of the real head butter issues is that he's developed a bit of fear of the trailer. Strange, since he went right into the trailer I borrowed to bring him home in, so I bought a very similar trailer for him. I've tried the usual method of whipping the ground behind him until he stops at the trailer door. I can even get him in that way, but he's still really nervous about it, and I'm right back to square one the next time I need to load him. Today I had a bright idea. Park the trailer near their arena, take him out, walk him past and around the trailer (had to tack him in like a sailboat the first approach), then I opened the door and tied him off to a hook inside of it. I put stabilizer jacks under the back and chocked the wheels solid so the trailer wouldn't move. I dropped some of those Purina Apple cookies inside at different depths, so he'd have to go in to get them all. Sounds like a plan, right? It even worked, to an extent. While I sat in the exit door and more or less ignored him, he eventually went to go inside to get those cookies that were out of reach. Unfortunately, I didn't figure on his weight sinking those jacks into the dirt just enough to allow the trailer to move. Freaked him out pretty bad, but I settled him down quickly. Once he got good and relaxed, I untied him and put him away for the day. I figure that if I just crank the front jack up enough, it'll lock the trailer onto those stabilizer jacks enough to keep it from moving next time, and will be able to get him to go in there on his own. This is the most humane way I can think of to get him over his fear. Do you have a better method for achieving this? One more thing (as if this weren't already an epic novel), where are you located? Perhaps if you're not to far away, I could bring them to you. I'm impressed with your lead in video, where you're running around your horse, and he follows you with his head. If I did that, one horse would be running away, and the other would be right on my heels.

[@twoeyeshorsemanship2388]

Hey Ozzie, I understand what you mean about having a safe horse. I also understand enjoying a challenge. Having the combination is what makes this world fun. A horse that may spook but knows how to do a one rein stop and face up to the scary thing is what we all want. You can never make a horse not spook, you can only teach him how to handle it better. If you want to ride bit-less, I say go for it. Do it in a round pen or arena first and put out cones or barrels and direct him around randomly and get him to understand the feel of your direction. Take your time and be light with your hands. Let him learn the feel through your guidance. Trailer loading, that is a different beast. I think we have all made the same mistake as you with the trailer tipping, I learned the hard way too on that one long ago. Make sure it hooked up to a truck when you are working with your horse and the trailer. It is more safe that way. I've been working with a 14 year old off the range wild mustang for a number of weeks. I've been putting all the videos of his sessions on facebook.com/twoeyeshorsemanship. He is done with training with me and went home the other day, however, you will find a lot of great stuff on those videos including trailer loading. His name is Indigo and is a gruella in color. I haven't posted the trailer loading one yet but it will be up in a couple days. I take a wild mustang and teach him how to load in a trailer. I'm sure you will find it enlightening. I'm going to do a separate video on trailer loading on youtube as well soon. Requests for videos are piling up! I am located in Spokane WA. If you aren't too far away, I'd love to help you out. Let me know.

[@cindyspiess9963]

Yes that helped 👍

[@waterdragon5418]

I have a beginner question. How do I mount a horse that's 17hh, should I fall off and not have a mounting block?

[@CarolineGraybrooke]

Whenever i get on my horse, she always pins her ears, and whenever i get off, she pins and ears and starts kicking. I have been working with her, doing different mounts/dismounts, and it still doesn't work? Im scared that one day she might kick me, and it is a dangerous habit.

[@blackdogblue2161]

Crackin' me UP! 😆

[@rdred8693]

Very good, and you're funny too.

[@starclansavesusall6709]

Is it hard to mount a horse

[@dng267]

OK, whatever works best for you and your horse. Yet I would suggest 2 things. While getting on, I dont actually pull the horse's mane (I've never asked a horse if pulling hurts).I pin the rein between my thumb and index finger and lean my palm on the same spot he is holding the main. Then I just get on pushing in the stirup, as I pull on whatever part of the saddle I like to hold....and push myself up against the neck, all at the same time of course. Secondly, I get down exactly the reverse way I get on. He prefers to do what he does and jump away...well OK. Yet do take a look at people who do this ALL DAY LONG. Cowherds...cattle hands...ranchers.....people who work on horseback all day with cows, etc. What do they do? Try the different ways you see till you find what suits you best. I can't be jumping off my horses each time.....no way. Knees suffer from the jolting and balance is harder to keep. Anybody over 220 lbs and over 50 yrs is just not gonna do that. Then what happens when you MUST get off for whatever reason in mid ride out in the mountains? Water...or mud...or rocks...or unlevel ground...or bushes around you....you gonna do that jumping thing? It is safer like he does it in his arena...but it is also safer just not to ride at all. Horses can also spook when you're in mid air getting on...then what? Well you deal with it. Well getting off after a long sweaty ride is probably gonna be more spook-safe than getting on. Should he spook...deal with it, never thrust your foot all the way into the stirup. There is no one way for everyone, just listen and look, then find your way.

[@cathyraver4958]

This is the horse for me

[@sd90mac61]

Nice 🤠👌✌️👍

[@corpse4070]

question, what do you do if you're afraid to mount and you don't have a mounting block?

[@twoeyeshorsemanship2388]

If you are afraid to mount, the question is, why are you afraid to mount? Answer that and I can try to help from there.

[@corpse4070]

It's just, the suspension between me and the ground is nothing but a little buckle. It's terrifying to me, I'm also scared of the saddle slipping and me falling on my head. It's happening before but not with my tack or horse. I'm just scared in general, I'm spookier than my horse, but I'm not even afraid once I'm on him because I trust him that much.

[@twoeyeshorsemanship2388]

Fear comes from the lack of knowledge and/or experience. Go out and try the technique, mess around with it. Make some experiences for yourself so you can gain some confidence in your tack. If your horse stands still for you, then you could take time to practice standing up in the stirrup like I do in this video and gain confidence in your tack, yourself and your horse. Put a mattress next to your horse if you are fearfull of falling down, as long as your horse is not fearfull of the mattress. Good luck and enjoy the time with your horse!

[@lisatoney2867]

A mattress? I hope you're joking....

[@debracarriere9051]

how about just use a mounting block and save his back.

[@alinaswagmoney3889]

Reins, manes and automobiles!

[@Justme77400]

How about mounting a horse bareback?

[@JumpinHorses]

lol - Cash gave a little stink eye after you got on the first time

[@faredadadah]

The horse is like or you getting on or off, make up your mind

[@1Whipperin]

Use a mounting block or something stable to stand on like a log, or a ditch to put the horse in to really make mounting easier.

[@TheJanieLee]

Bill Baehr don't put your horse in a ditch why you do that

[@jimbojet8728]

Great. I never mounted a horse and probably never will. I suppose you think I’ve had a strange life compared to yours? No horses at all, ever! Unless some big rangy brute passes by with a small girl on top of it and shits all over the road! I always wondered why horses put up with us, they must be real dumb animals hey? Oh well that’s just the way it is, I suppose. Thanks for the vid, I may come over there and give this horse thing a go. Seems like fun.

[@KarenOnsager]

I can appreciate the skill it takes to stay on however you shouldn’t be on a horse that acts that way, more ground work less hospital stays. The rope you used to cinch train was way too short. I’ve been training and instructing for 45 years

[@phillipweissburg1882]

the music is unnecessary at best....kill it please

[@elizastar1973]

Intro wayyyy too long😒

[@alinaswagmoney3889]

Honestly lol