by Al Badia, 

If you’re going to ride a horse, there are a few things you should do beforehand.

Firstly, wear long pants or jeans to protect your legs from rubbing against the saddle. It is helpful to wear long-sleeved clothing to protect against rubbing or chafing. Wear boots with a small heel to keep your feet in the stirrups. Wearing shoes with heels is helpful because you can keep your foot securely in the stirrups. Put on a riding helmet before you get on the horse. A helmet is one of the most critical pieces of equipment when riding a horse and is required by law for most events.

Before mounting, make sure that your stirrups are adjusted so that they are at hip level and not too short or too long for your feet when placed in them. The width between them should be equalized as well so as not to pinch any part of your leg when sitting down on them which may cause pain later during riding time if done improperly causing discomfort during extended periods of time spent riding which can lead up towards physical injury if proper safety precautions aren’t taken into consideration beforehand!