Saddling and Handling a Horse: Which Side?

July 25, 2008 by Saddle Sense
Filed under Featured Posts, Saddle Tips

Traditionally, horses have been handled from the near (left) side. Today, you’ll see most folks leading, saddling, and mounting their horses from the near side. Why?

This tradition dates back to the earliest mounted warriors wearing long swords into battle. With the sword most often worn on the left side by right-handed riders, mounting from the left side was the only practical approach. Thousands of years later, the tradition persists.

As a result, most horses today are extremely “left-sided.” They may become confused or afraid when handled from the off (right) side. But, with the proper training, both horse and rider can (and should) become quite ambidextrous. It is really a mistake to think that horses should always be handled and saddled from the left side.