Getting on a horse's right side?

The reason most mount from the left side is because most are right handed. The practice comes from tue days of weaponry where a rider would have a sword hanging from their left hip. This way when you mount from the left side you would not have to worry about your sword being in the way. It is not incorrect to mount or dismount from the right side. Actually for emergency purposes you should teach both you and your horse how to deal with leading and mounting from the right side.

We're all taught to mount on the left hand side, seeing as that's the way it's done.

However, if your out on the trails and have to dismount, the option of mounting from the left hand side may not be there so it's not a bad thing to teach your horse to accept mounting/dismounting from both sides.

As for the models, it could have been their first time on a horse and it was merely a prop for their shoot for the day. How they go on the animal has no bearing to them in the long run.

There is no reason why a horse should not be mounted or dismounted from the right side - in fact it is good to train them to be mounted and dismounted from either side - in case of emergency. I think we are taught to do things from the left so that ALL horses know what is going on. But it is good to teach them from both sides.

Traditionally people have always mounted on the left side as soldiers who rode horses used to carry swords and could only get on this way. Most places still teach this and most people still do it this way. Some horses however will let you mount from the right side even if they were only thought the other way while others will spook if you attempt it. I always get on my horses the 'wrong' way as I have a bad left leg but it took a while for them to let me as it was not how they were trained.

Eventer I had never heard that before, I have always wonder why the left was the "proper" side. :-D

I have never really trained my horse to accept both side but I have dismounted from both and she never had a problem with it. If you must dismount while on the roads (which normally isn't a good idea anyway) you should always do it so you end up between your horse and the road. In the UK we drive (and ride) on the left which means I had to dismount on the right side.

Eventer is right.

I am a Civil War Reenactor and with all of our gear and sabers, it is all shifted so we are able to get on the left side.

Also when dismounting or mounting in groups, it's less chaos when everyone gets on the same side and off the same side. There are mounting and dismounting drills preformed so that it's a quick and easy motion.

Horses were taught on the open range to be mounted from both sides.

I was also taught to mount and dismount on the left side and not the right. But I personally think it doesn't matter. It just seems more natural to mount and dismount on the left.

They used to advice to get on on the left side. However, if you're not using a mounting block long term mounting from only one side can twist the saddle, so most recommend mounting from both sides now however left is the traditional side.

Everyone is taught to mount and dis mount on the left side but to me it doesnt matter my boyz can be mounted from either side just in case i have to dis mount quickly on either side or i break my left ankle again..