174 



MOUNTING AND DISMOUNTING. 



MOUNTING WITH STIRRUPS. 



I. As a rule, if the man and horse be of proportionate 

 height, it is best for the former to stand a little to the left 

 front of the near shoulder of the latter, take up the reins with 

 the left hand, and lay hold of the mane with it, about half way 

 up the neck. He takes the stirrup in the right hand, at 

 the part where the leather goes through the eye of the 



Fig. 170. Measuring length of stirrup leathers. 



iron, places the left foot in the stirrup, and puts the right 

 hand well over on the off side of the cantle (Fig. 171), so that 

 he may not disarrange the position of the saddle when mount- 

 ing. By standing at the left front of the shoulder, the man 

 will be in the best position to get into the saddle, if, when he 

 puts his left foot in the stirrup, the horse moves forward. He 



