Riding Bareback

[cantarella]

I love riding bareback when I'm not in lessons.. I have a mare who is verrrry smooth =D I love just cantering along and feeling her body so close to my legs! If you can ride bareback you should do it more often because it's great!

I learned to ride bareback as a little kid on a fat little morgan mare. It's wonderful for balance.

I can jump a few small things bareback too, I find it easier than using a saddle, hehe. It's soo much fun and my horse is happy when I do it too.

Anybody else ride bareback a lot? :)

[dophi_arno]

Yep :)
Walk, trot, canter and jump... no galloping yet :rolleyes:

[Drummers mum]

Oh don't taunt me!

I can walk fine and trot a little and I LOVE it but I just can't do it!

Some tips please.

My problem is Drummer trots so fast I loose it, I can't stop him and then my hands are up near my chin and I bounce and then I grip and then we usually end up back in the yard. lol:D

[RachelEvent]

I ride bareback quite regularly now, although it's taken a while to get Ferdie accustomed to it - he thought I was mad riding without a saddle!

I ride him bareback in walk and trot, but planning to introduce canter soon, now that he is happy in trot, and doesn't freak out if I bounce (which is what he did the first time I trotted!)

Posted here is a little pic of me walking along bareback :)

Rachel xx

[dophi_arno]

With Harashee's trott, we've managed to find and equlilbrium. He's figured out a nice speed of trott where I dont bounce too much, so it's comfortable for him but at the same time we're not going too slowly (harashee likes to go fast :rolleyes: )

edit: RachelEvent, just noticed you have the same gear as me... grey/fleabitten horse, black halter and white 12 foot (it only really comes in the one colour anyway)

[horse_crazy4eva]

I rode bareback for the first time today. sure it was only a walk but it was amazing! being so close to your horse/pony and feeling his mucles moved. I loved it when i asked him to walk and i could feel him getting ready to, if that makes any sense at all lol. I will deffinetly br riding bare back more offten I love it! :D

[Coloured Horses]

Canter is actually the easiest and smoothest pace. Its just the transitions back down to trot that hurts if your horse rushes into the transitition. If your horse has smoth transitions give it a go!

gallop is easy aswell aslong as your horse has good breaks so you can stop. I love riding bareback, its so much fun galloping around. My horse actually seems happier without a saddle and will jump anything. I feel safer without a saddle because i dont feel trapt.

The only thing i dont like about it is when the horse gets sweaty...your joddies get a bit wet lol, or if your horse is moulting you get covered in it. If i could id show my horse without a saddle. I personally dont see the need for a saddle im used to riding without now and ive hacked out for four hours without one and come back totally fine. Bareback feels so much more natural for the horse and of course less weight to carry. BRING ON BAREBACK CLASSES! I wish you could do dressage bareback without people thinking you cant afford a saddle.

[Blacksmith]

I love riding bareback i do it every where i go. bot on my TB though it hurts a bit to much to do it for a long time but on my pony(13.3 3/4hh) its the best n wellCanter is actually the easiest and smoothest pace gallop is easy aswell aslong as your horse has good breaks so you can stop i have to agree golloping is so much smoother i love it. I live quite close to the showground n when there sumthing on n my horse(Fred) is down there i ride my sunny down there cause my folks both work so i cant get lifts down there its the coolest, n i hav to admit i love it when all the people look at u cantering along the road bareback he he does ne one agree or is it just me??

[Shalom]

bareback is most definnitly very very cool!:cool: :D

[*cowgirl up*]

I agree with everybody on the bareback concept and i love riding trails bareback and just riding bareback. I sometimes go with just a halter and a lead rope. I trust my horse enough to know she won't run away with me and if she did she'd head home. Any suggestions on yes or no?

[RachelEvent]

Plenty of bareback fans then! Recently I've advanced our bareback riding, we've been on some 30minute rides around the fields, with our first few bareback canters which has been great fun!

[Drummers mum]

I did it, I did it, I did it!!!

I actually trotted bare back round the paddock doing circles and everything and it was ace, I'm gona do it again tomorrow!!

I think half my problem before was that I try to sit to far forwards. Today when I realised I had actually managed it, I found myself further back than I would have thought!:D :D :D

[horsecrazysarah]

I totally agree with everyone!! Bareback is the only way to go. I ride my horse bareback everywhere. I ride just about every day and 90% of the time it is bareback. We do everything from walking to jumping to our famous trick, rearing. lol We went camping for our first time (my horse and I) last year for a whole week and thats all we did...bareback. My horse responds 100% better when I am in total contact with him at all times. Loping(cantering) and galloping is my favorite.

When I was being taught to ride bareback, just 2 years ago acctually, my friend said to sit more on your tailbone and not lean forward so much. She also said not to squeeze so much with your calves but with your thighs. I've noticed though that the better you get with your balance, the easier it is to squeeze with your whole leg if needed.

I love just hopping on my horse with just the halter/lead rope and go out for a ride and I know my horse does too. lol

Blacksmith: I agree with you and its not just you, I like the looks I get from people when they see me running bareback, it makes me feel all warm and cozy inside. :p

[Skib]

Drummers Mum
I'm so pleased for you. It's so amazing and beautiful to ride sitting directly on the horse. I knew you'd be able to do it. And to be happy doing it too. That's brilliant.

[Rosanna]

I love riding bareback! I ride my mum's pny to the field every day, but I cant ride robin bareback because they are tbs and FAR too bony!

In the summer i always get on ernie bareback in the field and canter up to the gate, but then i have to get off because it is too painful! cobs or fat round ponies are the best!

[PromiseMe]

Bareback is funnn :) esp in the winter...when its sooo cold and you have the horses warm body against your leg :) its great...

Ive only been walking and trotting bareback so far...oww trotting REALLY hurts! Well its cause my mare has a very bony spine...every step of trotting is like ow ow ow LOL!

I just do bareback to cool off hte horse anyways...at the end of the session. It makes the cooling off part more exciting lol.


(Bad photo...its dark! this was like 3 months ago...)

[carrimclaren]

I haven't ridden bareback for about 12 years now. I don't think i'll be trying it just yet as not sure what my mare's reaction would be and with her still not 100% in her back it's not fair to her, me crashing down on her back.