When you finish your ride, it’s time to dismount the horse. To stay safe, you need to find a secure place to get off of your horse and dismount correctly. Dismounting is much easier than mounting because you don’t have to battle gravity but you still need to follow these guidelines carefully:
Bring your horse to a complete stop.
Take your right foot out of the stirrup, hold the reins in your left hand, and position your hands.
In Western, grasp the saddle horn with your left hand. In English, grasp the horse’s mane at the base of the neck with your left hand and put your right hand on the pommel.
Swing your right leg over the horse’s hindquarters — being careful not to touch the horse as you do — and at the same time, move your right hand to the cantle.
In Western, also move the left hand, while still holding the reins, to the pommel.
Turn so your stomach is against the side of the saddle and your legs are next to each other; remove your left foot from the stirrup.
Slowly slide down until your feet are touching the ground.
