Lesson 3: Leading, Mounting and Dismounting, and Basic Position

Placing the feet in the stirrup irons

If you have properly placed your foot in the left stirrup to mount and is hasn’t moved, it will be in the right place, pretty much, once you’re on. The stirrup leather, which had been lying flat against the horse’s side, will now be twisted so that its front edge is pointing away from the horse’s side as the leather runs down your leg. When you pick up the other iron, feel around for it with your toe, and then pick it up by turning your toe pigeon-toed toward the horse’s side. When the iron has slid under your foot, the leather should also be properly placed, with the front edge of it now pointing away from that side of the horse’s body as the leather runs down your leg.

Rest your feet in the irons so that a spot just behind your big toe touches the upright portion of the iron and the ball of your foot rests on the stirrup itself. Now relax your ankle joint, and then, keeping the iron under the ball of your foot, push your heels toward the ground, as if you were playing by walking on your heels. Rest your calves against the side of the horse firmly. Not squeezing, just firmly, with a little muscle tension.

Scoot your seat forward so the pommel bumps your pelvis. Incline the top of your hips just slightly in front of the vertical (creating a very slight lordosis in your back, about half of what you see in ballet dancers), and square your shoulders, keeping your chest open wide. Shrug up and drop your shoulder blades behind you; now your arms will hang at your sides in the proper position to begin holding the reins.

WARNING: You will have to perform the upper body maneuvers again, probably, once you’ve picked up your reins.

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