# Bareback riding only?



## JRoyalimage (Aug 21, 2015)

So I've been helping a friend on his search for his perfect horse. We've gone to see at least 20 horses already. His checklist for this horse is rather specific which is making this search extremely time consuming.
But anyway we came across a horse that meets a couple of his key points. This horse is 15 years old, 17.2, bay gelding. The owners have had him for 11 years. The only thing that stands out to me is that for those 11 years, he's only been ridden bareback. we consider ourselves pretty average bareback riders but we mostly ride saddled. But can a horse be ridden bareback only? I know there is a huge debate about whether bareback will hurt a horse overtime or not. Does anyone on here ride bareback majority of the time?


----------



## WhattaTroublemaker (Aug 13, 2013)

My father owned a Belgian paint cross stud for 28 years, he died when I was 10 and he was 30 years old. Dad rode him only bareback his whole time spent with him. They went on some wicked long rides and he was never sore. Dad had impeccable balance though, and was 180 pounds on a 1400 pound horse. I love riding bareback, it's how I learned to ride a horse, and I rode my pony up until my feet touched the ground and he wasn't sore. I jumped him, raced him and trail ride bareback. I'm starting my colt in a bareback pad. I personally think it depends on the horse and the rider. I need a bareback pad with my colt because he's a bit.. "Pointy" and I get sore, but a horse with a broader back is my kind of ride.


----------



## DanteDressageNerd (Mar 12, 2015)

Unfortunately I ride my personal horse bareback most of the time because my saddle doesn't fit him, none of the saddles at the barn fit him and his custom saddle isn't coming for at least another month. 

My personal opinion is bareback is fine once in a while but all the time I think it hurts the horse's back because a WELL FITTED saddle distributes the weight over their back better, so they don't have our butt bone prongs sitting directly over their back. The saddle that is correctly flocked/fitted will distribute the weight more evenly over the back vs having distinct points. 

I also use a bareback pad, I never ride my horse without it because I think it's more comfortable for him. There isn't a huge difference riding in the pad vs totally bareback but it is more comfortable for it you for it all the time. And imo it's better for their back, especially if you have an especially sensitive horse. For example my horse is very sensitive, you cannot canter him without the bareback pad or he will buck and rear until you come off because he doesn't like the feeling of the seat bones on his back.

There are good things to bareback riding but it can teach bad habits as well if the rider isnt extremely strong in their seat, position and body. Horses can also learn bad habits. But I'd ask them why he's only been ridden bareback, I'm sure he could go in a saddle if it's properly fitted.

I rode my horse bareback for about 5-6 weeks in October-November. Then I've been riding him bareback for a while, I had a few rides in a saddle I thought fit him well enough to use but doesn't. So I don't know how long we've been bareback for but I think at least 7 weeks at this point.


----------



## Jan1975 (Sep 7, 2015)

I love riding bareback, but I'd hate to have a horse that could ONLY be ridden bareback.


----------



## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

WhattaTroublemaker said:


> My father owned a Belgian paint cross stud for 28 years, he died when I was 10 and he was 30 years old. Dad rode him only bareback his whole time spent with him. They went on some wicked long rides and he was never sore. Dad had impeccable balance though, and was 180 pounds on a 1400 pound horse. .


*^^^The part about impeccable balance is the key.*

I have ridden mostly bareback my entire life and I am now 69. 

I have slide horses down power lines and dug up the other side. Slid down riverbanks, swam across, dug up the other side.

Had women dressed like they came out of an Western Horseman ad, laugh because they just knew I couldn't make an all day trail ride. I was the one who finished the ride without falling off-----------

My first hard trail riding horse was born on my parents farm when I was 13. I raised and trained him - he wasn't broke to saddle until he was ten. I was 42 when I laid him to rest at age 29 with cancer <---nothing to do with riding bareback. He was never lame, never sore backed. He was an Arab/Saddlebred ~15.1H and back then I weighed 120.

It's a crock the horse will be damaged UNLESS the rider doesn't have the balance they only perceive themselves to have. If the rider isn't as good as they think they are, someone has to tell them and they need to put a saddle on. Not being able to live without ones feet in the stirrups at a hard trot, at a gallop, and cutting figure 8's at a gallop is a good indicator


----------



## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

Personally, being able to saddle would be right up there on my list of "musts" for any horse I was considering.
I can toss on a bareback pad for short rides but prefer a saddle for a host of reasons.


----------



## NBEventer (Sep 15, 2012)

I ride my 23 year old bareback most of the time these days. She seems to prefer being bareback. I've gone on 5 hour trail rides bareback on her. I have regular chiro work done on her just because I always have. And there are no signs of soreness from being bareback.


----------



## ItWasInstinct (May 8, 2016)

Somewhat off topic, but I would just make sure that the horse is used to girth pressure (which he should if they use a bareback pad). If he has a problem with it, it could be why they ride him bareback.


----------



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I don't see why this horse would HAVE to be ridden bareback just because he has been.


----------

