Why we mount horses from the left
American Indians generally mounted horses from the right, which is more natural, as it uses the right hand.
American Indians generally mounted horses from the right, which is more natural, as it uses the right hand.
My father taught me to mount a horse from the left — put your left hand up on the horn or front of the pommel, put your left foot in the stirrup, then swing your right leg over. I never thought about why this was so.
American Indians generally mounted horses from the right, which is more natural, as it uses the right hand.
My father taught me to mount a horse from the left — put your left hand up on the horn or front of the pommel, put your left foot in the stirrup, then swing your right leg over. I never thought about why this was so.
So I was interested to see that it has to do with how cavalrymen wore swords. The scabbard was on the left, making it easier to draw with the right hand. But if you tried to mount from the right, the scabbard got in the way, knocking on the horse.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
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