1. Avoid wearing hiking shoes, travel shoes, or other footwear with special anti-slip soles.
There are almost no frequent horseback riders who have never fallen off a horse. Once you fall, the most dangerous thing is your feet getting stuck in the stirrups. Shoes with anti-slip soles often make it harder to free your feet. You should wear shoes with heels and smoother soles. Similarly, avoid wearing glasses with metal frames when riding, as they can cause serious injury if you fall.

2. Always wear a helmet when horseback riding *
Riding at a gallop is a very dangerous activity, and a helmet can provide effective protection in critical moments.

3. Wear soft, snug-fitting long pants when horseback riding. It’s also recommended to wear gloves, leg guards, and other protective gear.

4. Female riders should avoid wearing hairpins. Without a helmet, a fall could cause the hairpin to injure your head.

5. Hand over valuables to a non-riding companion or stable staff for safekeeping to prevent damage in case of a fall.

Horseback Riding Precautions

If it’s your first time riding a horse, it’s recommended to have a coach lead the horse, as you may not be able to control it yet. The coach can ensure your safety and teach you some basic techniques.

1. Approaching the Horse

a. Avoid making sudden movements when approaching the horse.
Approach the horse from its left front side, and avoid sudden movements. Sudden actions may startle the horse.

b. Do not approach the horse from behind or stand directly behind it (try to avoid being near its hindquarters).
Horses are easily startled animals and fear unseen things. Their natural defense is to kick backward, so staying behind them increases the risk of injury.

c. Observe the horse’s ears when petting it.
Generally, if a horse’s ears are flattened back against its neck, it may be preparing to act aggressively. In such cases, maintain a safe distance to avoid bites or other harmful actions.

2. Preparing to Mount
* Before mounting, always personally check (or remind the coach if you’re unsure):

a. Ensure the girth (belly strap) is tightened properly.

b. Check the reins, girth, and stirrups for security, and adjust the stirrup length to fit your leg.

c. Ask the coach about the horse’s temperament and whether it has issues like stumbling, sudden sidestepping, or abrupt stopping.


3. How to Mount and Dismount
When mounting or dismounting without a handler, always hold the reins firmly—you need them to control the horse promptly.

a. To mount, stand at the horse’s front legs facing the saddle. Hold the reins tightly in your left hand and grip the saddle’s front arch. This prevents the horse from moving suddenly and protects you from being kicked. Lift your left foot, place your right hand on the stirrup, slide your left foot in, then grip the back arch of the saddle and swing your right leg over while using your left foot to push upward.

b. To dismount, first move your left foot out of the stirrup to the front of your foot. Hold the reins firmly with your left hand, lift your right leg, and swing down. Your posture after dismounting should match the one before mounting. Always ensure your left foot is clear of the stirrup before dismounting.
4. Horseback Riding Safety

a. Avoid making sudden movements on the horse, and do not change clothes while riding—especially bright-colored ones—as these may startle the horse. A startled horse may react violently (sudden dashes or sidesteps), which can easily unseat beginners.

b. Never loosen the reins while riding.
The reins are the rider's only effective means of controlling the horse. Loosening the reins means, on one hand, you can't promptly control the horse if something goes wrong; on the other hand, you can't quickly sense any unusual movements from the horse through the reins.

c. Try not to gallop when riding downhill.
Generally speaking, a horse's hind legs are stronger than its front legs, but when going downhill, most of the horse’s weight is supported by its front legs, which makes it easy for the horse to stumble or go down on its front knees.

d. After riding for a while, check the tightness of the girth (cinch).
After a period of activity (such as galloping), the girth will loosen. If it’s not tightened in time, at best the saddle may slip backward and hurt the horse, and at worst, the saddle may slide sideways during a turn, causing the rider to fall off.

e. When riding near trees or wire fences, be mindful of controlling the horse.
When riding through trees or galloping near trees or wire fences, riders must stay focused to prevent the horse from making sudden sharp turns and trying to throw the rider into a tree or against the fence. In such cases, the reins should be tightened appropriately—if the horse's head turns suddenly, pull back in time to stop the horse from sidestepping. (The best approach is to avoid galloping in such conditions.)

f. When riding, anticipate and prepare for situations where the horse might get startled.
Potholes, ditches, or objects the horse doesn’t understand (like white plastic bags) may cause the horse to shy away to avoid injury, which can easily result in the rider falling off. Therefore, when you see such obstacles ahead, the rider should prepare in advance—either steer around them or tighten the reins to signal the horse.

g. If the horse stumbles, don’t grab its neck; instead, pull up on the reins immediately.
A horse usually stumbles because its front legs are weak, caught, or have stepped on something (like a mouse hole). At that point, the front legs are already struggling to bear the weight, and grabbing the horse’s neck adds even more pressure, possibly resulting in both rider and horse falling over. Instead, promptly pull up on the reins and lean your body back slightly; the horse will use the leverage from its neck to regain its footing.


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