Advice wanted: riding bare back

[Desiree]

I have recently moved and a lady up the road would like me to excersize her rather large TB x Percheron mare who is incredibly fat, but not foundered.

I would think that to start off with it would be more comfortable for her (and beneficial for our communication) if I were to ride bare back, but I've only ever done this once...

Any advice on how to handle any aspect of it would be much appreciated. She does toss her head quite violently every now and then (caused by an ear problem acrued years ago and untreatable) - will affect my balance? (not that I should be leaning on her mouth to balance myself... )

Thank you for any responses, I know the question in kinda broad...

[belle]

It would be a good idea to put a lariat or a neck strap to help with your balance. Riding bareback is a brilliant thing to do and will really help improve your riding. Ride in an enclosed place and take things really slow, and you should be fine!:)

[HoRsE ChIcK]

Hello,
there are also saddle pads/blankets that have a girth on them so you have a bit more to hold onto.a neck strap is a very good idea and then you will have something better to hold onto.

Good luck and remember the more relaxed you are the more relaxed she will be and it will make your ride much easier

[Tammy]

Get a fleece or suede bareback pad, they have a handhold built in at the withers.

[Lilly Harvey]

sorry to ask a question on your thing, but I was wondering if it was more natural for horses to be ridden bareback, not that it is natural for horses to be ridden but I wanted to know, is it more comfutable (sorry can't spell) for them, also sorry if that makes no sence, I do that always

[Peace]

I agree with belle about starting in an enclosed space and maybe even having the owner lead her the first time or two, just till you get to know each other. I love riding bareback, and I found it really helped my balance.

I have to disagree about the bareback pads though. I've only used one once, but the darn thing kept slipping over to the side - if I'd been holding onto it, I guess I'd have been slipping right along with it:p ! Besides, the mare sounds like she has plenty of natural padding :)

The head-tossing sounds a little scary to me: she's not going to wind up whacking you with her head, is she?

[ros]

If the horse is overweight what's the betting her saddle doesn't fit properly anyway! Try bareback - it's great fun, wonderful for balance, although it can make you grip up if you don't take care to relax. When Frank first developed ringbone and I could still ride him short distances I rarely bothered to put a saddle on him. It isn't as slippery as you'd think once you get used to it, and you can always hang on to the mane!

[Anja]

I have ridden my pony bareback 3 times and Its really fun I just have a neck strap around his neck or I just grab his mane if im falling off

[Lightfoot]

No. I disagree with all this. Bareback is not a good idea. You should at least always keep your shirt on. It's very cold this time of year and you get funny looks from other people. Oh !! You mean the HORSE is the one with the bare back. It's just that this is the Rider Training board, so I thought ............. Silly Me !

[Bebe]

When I brought my mare back into work after a year field rest I rode bareback for a month or so (did have a saddle but didn't fit her). To make things more comfortable for both of us I folded a woollen exercise sheet to make a kind of numnah and then put an elastic surcingle over it. This worked nicely and we rode up and down hills, through woods, etc on it. It only ever slipped once.

I'm actually going to start riding bareback again, mainly because my mare is starting to pull faces when I girth up and I have a feeling it's because the saddle needs reflocking (she doesn't normally do it).

Just take it steady and see how you go. If you give it long enough you'll wonder how you ever rode with a saddle. You do need to take more notice of where your legs are though, most people find that they slide in front of the shoulder-hip-heel line when riding bareback as you end up using the horses shoulder muscles as an anchor.

Have fun!
Amanda