A harness assembly for a human rider of an animal such as a horse. A mounting apparatus of the harness assembly is installed to an overhead support. An elongate rail, which is operatively connected with the mounting apparatus to permit rotation of the rail relative thereto, is equipped with a slider or trolley that is movable along the length of the rail. A harness that is wearable by the rider is operatively attached to the trolley via a flexible connector. The harness assembly allows a rider wearing the harness to ride a horse below the area over which the rail is rotatable, and serves to suspend the rider from the rail, and via the trolley and the flexible connector, above the area on which the horse is being ridden when the rider falls off the horse.