Dismounting and Mounting

Before riding a horse you must be able to get on and off the proper way.  Getting on an English and Western saddle is the same.  You always get on on the left side of the horse.  You put your left foot in the left stirrup while holding onto the reins tightly.  Put your right hand across the seat of the saddle and push off the ground with your right foot while gently swinging your leg over the horses back.  Although mounting is the same on both an English and Western saddle, dismounting on them is a little different.  When dismounting on a English saddle you take both feet out of the stirrups while tightly holding onto the reins.  Then you lean forward and swing your right leg over the saddle while gently landing on the ground.  When landing you should bend your knees to prevent jarring.  The only difference between dismounting on an Western saddle is that you keep your left foot in the stirrup and take it out once you have hit the ground.   

Motions

The walk is the slowest movement besides the halt.  The reins should be semi-long but still short enough so that you can control he horse.  The horse should also be moving at a steady pace.  To ask a horse to walk you should kick it lightly with both legs. 

The trot is a little faster than than walk but slower than the canter.  The reins should be shorter than the reins at the walk but not to the point where you are pulling at the horses mouth to much.  The horse should also be at a steady pace.  To ask for the trot kick with both legs.   

The canter is the fastest stride that riders usually ride the horse at.  The reins should be semi-short but again not pulling at the horses face.  The horse should canter at a steady pace.  To ask for the canter you kick with the leg that is closest to the fence if you are riding in a ring.

It is very important to know how to halt or stop  a horse.  If you do not know how to do so you could end up in serious accident.  You ask for the horse to halt by  sitting back in your saddle and then whit both hands pull back lightly on the reins.