How should a rider position their body correctly when mounting to avoid pulling the saddle or unbalancing the horse?

Correct mounting position is something Clinton Anderson addresses specifically because poor mounting technique is one of the most common causes of horses moving during mounting — the horse is not being disobedient but is responding to the pull on the saddle, the pressure on its back, or the unbalanced weight shift that bad mounting mechanics create. Anderson teaches standing close to the horse's shoulder — not out to the side — with the left hand holding both reins with light contact and the right hand on the saddle horn or pommel. The foot goes into the stirrup with the toe pointed slightly down rather than jammed forward, which reduces the tendency to push against the horse's side as the rider rises. The rider rises directly upward, not pulling back and out, which would torque the saddle toward the left. The most common error Anderson identifies is gripping the cantle with the right hand and pulling backward and downward as the rider rises. This torques the entire saddle to the left, which causes the horse to step right or move to compensate for the twisted pressure. The right hand should be on the pommel or horn, pushing down rather than pulling back, which lifts the rider straight up without torque. He also teaches that the rider's weight should go into the stirrup progressively — not a sudden launch — with a pause at standing in the stirrup to confirm the horse is still standing before swinging the leg over. This pause gives the horse a moment to process the weight before the additional movement of the leg crossing over, which reduces the likelihood of a flinch or step.