Mongolia Horse Riding Safety Tips

Do not dress and undress while riding. Follow the same rule when a walker meets a person riding a horse.

Mongolian horses are half-wild and shy.

Avoid flappy clothes when riding. 

Do not make sudden movements when you ride.

Do not put your shoes deep in the stirrups, preventing injury or risk at a resumable event of falling off the horse (rest only your football in the stirrup)

Hold the rein short and be ready to manage the horse if rearing occurs.

Hold the rein short when mounting and dismounting the horse.

Never wrap the rein around your body or hand while riding or resting on the ground.

Mount and dismount the horse from the left side – Mongolians train the horses to accept a human approach from the left side unless it might rear.

Never approach horses from the rear legs side.

Lead the horses down on the slippery surface, steep slopes, or on dangerous terrains.

Say “chu” to speed up your horse. Squeezing heels to the sides of a horse is another way to let them go. Squeeze soft to let them go a little faster than the current pace, and sharp claps of your legs against the sides along with the sound “chu” to lead the horse to faster going.

Make a loud”drrrrrrr” sound to stop the horse.

Pull the reins sideways to stop the horse if a straight back pull or a hard pullback does not work.

Horses attract all kinds of flies. Protect yourself from flies and consider our recommended packing list.

Make sure you will not ride a horse with a traditional Mongolian wooden saddle, which only masochist travelers may try.

Mongolian horses are wild and shy through year-round range-breed. Try to calm down the horse, attracting the horse’s attention through singing and chatting when seeing a blowing object in the wind. Some horses are even frightened by the sudden appearance of birds, ground squirrels, etc.

The maximum 100 kg weight limit is ideal for the horses for long-distance or multi-day riding.

Mongolia horse riding tips for independent travelers

Please consider water both for you and the horse. The best way is to travel following the river valleys or ask wells from locals.

Water your horses at least twice a day.

The first essential step of your independent horseback adventure is buying the fair horses for your travel, either for riding horses or packing animals. Mongolians prefer to sell the nags or not well-trained horses. Therefore get help from a Mongolian who knows the horses and has a real passion to assist you. Mongolians might stay consistent with the price of a good and reliable horse.

All riding gears such as saddle, bridle, alter, hobble, rein, and tether are available at Narantuul Market in Ulaanbaatar.

If you do not like your purchased horse, you can easily swap it with another horse, but make sure you are taking a turn for a better horse.

You can buy basic food supplies in towns along the way. So you do not need to stock up 100% before departing Ulaanbaatar.

The independent horseback journey is available only for experienced riders. Ensure you have a thorough knowledge of horses and the country.

Make sure that there are no sores on the horses’ back by brushing with your hands. Avoid touching, or touch carefully on the horse croup in case the horse is not well trained. Bring iodine to pour on wounds.

Bring lots of straps, ropes, buckles, and clips to the countryside.

Get topographic map before departing Ulaanbaatar

Be aware of horse theft, usually at night. Picket your horses well in your control.

Pick good fodder campsites for the horses and make sure they eat well at night besides considering your safety during Mongolian camping.

The local equestrians will saddle and hobble the horse when you take an organized horse trip. However, be careful of being kicked during the independent trip.