What does Luke 19:35 mean?

Jesus and His disciples are on the Mount of Olives, possibly around Bethphage. Two of His disciples have returned from a village with a donkey and her colt (Matthew 21:2; Luke 19:28–33). Now, they prepare the colt for Jesus to ride.

Unlike horses, whose backs are relatively flat along their spine, donkeys' spines protrude above the level of their ribs. The colt's owners were confused as to why the disciples wanted to take the colt (Luke 19:33–34), suggesting they hadn't started training him to ride and that he came unsaddled. With a colt, whose ribcage hasn't yet filled out, it would be like riding a smallish tree branch. The cloaks might protect Jesus' robe from hair—and add a touch of nobility—but there aren't enough cloaks to make the ride comfortable.

The phrase "they set Jesus on it" might have a couple of different connotations. Considering the lack of a saddle, Jesus may have ridden side-saddle, requiring help to get up without jumping onto the colt and hurting him. If Matthew 21:7 and Mark 11:7 describe Jesus' action and not just His position, Luke's "they set" may be metaphorical, representing the act of declaring Jesus as King, readying Him to ride into His city: Jerusalem.