when bare back riding is it possible to rise trot or would that gig into the horse skin by constantly trying to push yourself up? wen trotting seated, is it harder wen the saddle isnt in use?
I'm slightly concerned that everyone seems to think rising trot is a mechanical effort. The movement of the horse should provide the momentum that takes you out of the saddle - effectively it is a controlled "bump" where the rider uses their muscles purely to control the movement, not really to *create* it ?
So the only thing the saddle does is provide support for that controlled movement. The lower leg is stable - so the stirrup does help provide the rider with a point to rise from - which is why rising trot w/o stirrups is harder.