While we were planning our wedding, the idea came up that we should ride away from the ceremony on horseback. Ok, easy enough. But wait, I had always wanted to try riding sidesaddle. What better excuse could I have? Never mind those YouTube videos of sidesaddle riding brides gone wrong, it can't be that hard! So I borrowed a sidesaddle from a friend, and proceeded to practice. It's different than riding astride, but not as insecure as it looks at first glance. Rather than putting your weight down through your legs, you grip the leaping horn on the sidesaddle with your thighs, your left foot just barely resting in the stirrup. Your hips are tilted rather than perpendicular to the horse, which takes a little getting used to. Since you don't have a leg hanging down on the right side to cue the horse with, a crop or whip is used for a substitute. Mounting and dismounting were the biggest challenges, but that issue was solved with a tall mounting block. Despite making jokes about my dress ending up around my ears, the wedding day went smoothly, and we made a very pretty picture. Learning to ride aside was an interesting experience, and I'm glad that I decided to do it. We tend to get into ruts, and forget to push ourselves to try something new, or learn a new skill. The fear of embarrassment or failure can be a terrible cage, keeping us locked into the same old routine. So, go for it, and even if your dress ends up over your head, you'll have a really great story to tell!
