# Bareback Tips?



## lexypoohhorton (Oct 11, 2010)

hmmm well if the horse is boney, i would get a bareback pad (or a saddle pad will do but it wont have a strap to hold in place). if you really want to work on balance thats the way to go. bare back is hard, but once you get use to it you will be wanting to bare back more often. 

when troting and cantering use you legs to keep you from bouncing and that will keep you from causing you AND your horse to go off balance
(you can post but it will take alot-ALOT of work to start posting bareback......well it did me LOL).
. HAVE FUN! hope i helped


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## Gizmo (Dec 19, 2010)

Haha! I have the same problem! When I ride him in his blanket it hurts a lot less because there is padding there. Maybe try getting a bareback pad will reduce the pain of his withers wacking your pelvic bone when you are trotting. lol. I don't don't know if it is really still considered "bareback" though because your butt and legs do tend to grip better to that material.


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## lexypoohhorton (Oct 11, 2010)

lol i had a small Qh i would bare back on and it was amazing!she was so smooth.......then, i would ride my TWH..... another story lets just say when i came off i was walking with wide legs for daysXD loved them to death!!!!!!they were both old...passed a few years ago


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## xXEventerXx (Nov 27, 2010)

I think once he is conditioned alot better he will be less boney ahha


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## Missdv (Nov 4, 2010)

OK, I just wanna add, I always rode bareback and never owned a saddle, (or horse,just borrowed) now I own a horse and saddle and I may say, learning to ride in a saddle is way harder. I used to gallop, trot & canter bareback, no prob, but staying in a saddle while moving is rough, I'm learning though, ride bareback it's the only way to learn true balance.Also, sit back as in a chair, will relieve a bony back, some horses are better for bareback than others, I agree with the bareback pad, just make sure it's not slippery, n you got grip.


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## Brighteyes (Mar 8, 2009)

The only way to get good bareback is to ride bareback _a lot. _Something just seems to click in your balance system and you never feel unstable again. It takes a while for your body to adjust and properly compensate and learn to balance, I suppose. 

I can ride bareback at all three gaits on any horse. It took me a week of constant bareback (riding bareback every day for three to four hours) to get it to "click".


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## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

Bareback on a TB is sooooo painful. I have a thick pad and I still feel like I'm sitting on a 2x4. I can't do it. I just take the stirrups off my saddle to improve my seat.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I envy you guys who say how easy it is to ride bareback. I would like to ride bareback again, but one; my horse will occasionally do sudden and terrific spins that unseat me from a saddle! two: honestly, I feel too old and stiff to risk falling and I know that at first I would probably slide off a few times at least. I just don't bounce. I am ok in really controlled circumstances, like a round pen and then , I do enjoy it.
Also, with regard to the OP, although thbds are bony, a narrow horse can actually be easier to stay on. Your legs go down each side like a paperclip on paper, and seem to just hug better. A really wide pony is like riding a table, your legs go out to the edge, and then drop off into space; nothing to grip if the need arises, (tho I know that it's not about grip, it's about balance.)


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## lexypoohhorton (Oct 11, 2010)

it comes easier to some, then others... after awhile you will get the hang of it  my horse is a "WIDE LOAD" so its hard to ride him bareback sometimes, cause i cant grip my legs right


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## ScharmLily (Nov 23, 2009)

Buy yourself a nice bareback pad! It is amazing the difference that it can make. I rode bareback a lot this summer when my mare was having saddle fit issues, and without the painful sensation of hitting those withers, I was able to relax much better and subsequently, I rode much better as well. Actually, I miss riding bareback. My horses are unrideable right now, and the horse that I am leasing in order to keep riding, is an ex-racehorse who is just too stiff and foward to ride bareback. I feel bad doing it because he needs help to relax as it is.

I used to ride hunter/jumper in lessons, and once I was asked to ride bareback and I actually felt soooo much more comfortable! I like my legs long, which is why I pleasure ride in a dressage saddle


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## drizzy (Jan 3, 2011)

learning to ride bareback when its cold is the best time! its alot warmer than a saddle, and they dont get all slippery like in the summer. bony withers are there to stay unfortunately, there are just some horses that are NOT comfortable bareback. but you can learn to ride around them. hahah. bareback pads are optional, i would suggest learning without one first. because then it truly helps develop your seat and legs. and the stirrups on them are always useless, and most of the time they're in the way! you basically have to learn your balance points all over again, and what your horse likes and doesn't like. some horses don't like bareback at all, and you have to be prepared for their shenanigans. one of the main mistakes i see with people riding bareback is their hands! you are going to move more than with your saddle and you need to adjust your hands accordingly otherwise you're going to be hitting him in the mouth on every stride. you need to make sure your hands are adjusting to him, your eq is not going to be the same as with a saddle. bareback is tons of fun and a great bonding technique with your horse. goodluck!


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## xXEventerXx (Nov 27, 2010)

i tried to trot today and he wanted to go faster lol, i just felt myself falling forward


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## drizzy (Jan 3, 2011)

It's because you're still really unbalanced and he probably thought you were giving him signals to go faster. It takes time to develop bareback skills! You have to be tight without actually gripping to stay on and you have to be relaxed. It takes a while to learn how much is enough and how much is too much.


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## xXEquestrianBalletXx (Jan 3, 2011)

Get a bareback pad. Someone said a regular saddle pad... That's dumb..(no offence). I have been that, and I have done that- when that saddle pad begins to slip, you go down to. There is not much of a thing that you could do about it. It's almost as if you are glued to it, yet your horse is made of some slippery plastc material. I would not suggest trying it for yourself.


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## xXEquestrianBalletXx (Jan 3, 2011)

*


drizzy said:



learning to ride bareback when its cold is the best time! its alot warmer than a saddle, and they dont get all slippery like in the summer.

Click to expand...

*


drizzy said:


> _Although Winter is the best time because of warmth, a downfall prevails! The ground being frozen makes it hurt that much more when you fall (and we all know that we all fall learning bare-back.) Or falling into frozen white fluff. Of the two I'm not sure of which I would rather have.. I'm leaning towards white fluff. The word "fluff" is much more inviting than "frozen ground". _


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## xXEventerXx (Nov 27, 2010)

Yea everyday im just gunna keep trying  and once i feel alot more balenced then ill try a bit more trot..ect


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## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

I love riding bareback..my horses seem to like it more than with a saddle too. I've done it for so long that now that sometimes I'll cheat and practice barrels on my mare bareback..I love to swim my horses bareback, and when it's cold and you ride bareback they keep you warm...I would get a bareback pad..I've got one but never use it. I just try to sit a little farther back.


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## Missdv (Nov 4, 2010)

I can only ride my mare bareback on my property, off I also need a saddle. My girl is so spooky around other houses(never know when an ADT sign will jump out) I have to have a saddle, she does a 180 and I am literally hanging by the horn an stirrup if not paying attention. Hope to get her to the point I can ride bareback all the time, am riding bitless now(found out she hates bits). But bareback is awesome, you are actually closer to your horse and yes wayyy warmer in winter.


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## drizzy (Jan 3, 2011)

xXEquestrianBalletXx said:


> *
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> 
> drizzy said:
> ...


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## RedTree (Jan 20, 2010)

I can ride my TB bareback now 
Although he has a massive withers i think I am used to it now so the next day after I have ridden I can still walk lol.

I usually only walk but have trotted on occasion, i found you have to sit up tall and it helps with your balance and makes trotting seem smoother.
My postion was horrible bareback when i first did it I think for some reason it would help if I haunced over.. made it worse lol once I started sitting up mauch better


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## eccodecco (Dec 10, 2010)

Bareback is so much fun! When I was working over the summer at a farm I rode every single day bareback. Never fell off once. But during the fall I was on a different horse (TB) and he was off for an injury for a little so I should have known not to be bareback the first day out onto trails. (I also hunched over when he bolted because I went to grab some mane, that never works for me. very unballanced) I still ride bareback, jumping and trail riding, sometimes just with a halter and long lead.


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## netty83 (Sep 21, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> I envy you guys who say how easy it is to ride bareback. I would like to ride bareback again, but one; my horse will occasionally do sudden and terrific spins that unseat me from a saddle! two: honestly, I feel too old and stiff to risk falling and I know that at first I would probably slide off a few times at least. I just don't bounce. I am ok in really controlled circumstances, like a round pen and then , I do enjoy it.
> Also, with regard to the OP, although thbds are bony, a narrow horse can actually be easier to stay on. Your legs go down each side like a paperclip on paper, and seem to just hug better. A really wide pony is like riding a table, your legs go out to the edge, and then drop off into space; nothing to grip if the need arises, (tho I know that it's not about grip, it's about balance.)


Haha i hear ya! my mare is really wide and it's really hard to grip and balance. great fun though.


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## chevaliernr (May 24, 2009)

Just to add some input to the high withers problem, I use a wither pad like this: http://www.paddocksaddlery.com/prodimg/101325.jpg underneath one of those fluffy bareback pads for those really bony horses =). It will make your ride a whole lot more comfortable and give you a bit more stability.


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## trIplEcrOwngIrl (May 13, 2009)

I don't have a saddle so I've been riding bareback on my TB  He is only almost 90 days off the track though so he hasn't defeloped much of a topline since we have been working just on the basics and havent cantered but a few times. In absense of a topline on him means that his spone and withers hurt! A lot! So I have been using the bareback pad I got for Christmas. The problem is, it pulls down on his withers which makes it slide back. So, make sure that if you do get a bareback pad, it has enough wither clearence.


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## fuadteagan (Jun 10, 2010)

Barebak pad !! 
Balance is key make sure you don't lean forward !!
Oh and don't cluck and kick at the same time unless your ready to trot when I rode bareback for the first time she started trotting and I was half way off when I pulled on the reins but forrunetly secret has like barely any withers haha and I rode bareback for the first time this winter So it was like a cloud
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## brookebum (Oct 1, 2010)

I find, even on a bony high withered horse, if i sit deep, like im sitting right on my tail bone and focus on going with the horses movement it doesnt hurt at all and i can do everything bareback that i can wth a saddle! To begin with i could only do a few minuted at a time, now i can walk trot canter gallop and jump happily bareback  It will get better as you get used to it, and your balance improves and your muscles get stronger ))


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## MaryMary (Nov 7, 2010)

I recently discovered that to ride bareback in full chaps is almost like having a saddle. You don't slip, you just stay put! It doesn't help with the bony spine, of course, but I had SO much fun. I had an old set of chaps from my sister,and they are way too long, but for some reason one day I just decided to try them while riding bareback. I felt so secure (I really felt like I had a saddle) that I tried cantering bareback for the first time in about 20 years! And it was great! Even "downshifting" to the trot was OK. So if you have full chaps or full seat britches (err, breeches), I would highly recommend giving that a try.


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## Puddintat (Jul 24, 2010)

I think its funny how so many people recommend bareback riding for balance yet my trainer says I should never do it since its so dangerous.:twisted:


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## MaryMary (Nov 7, 2010)

Hey Puddintat. I don't think it's that dangerous if you are sensible. I just mostly trot around in the ring if I am bareback, but I don't mind cantering now that I have those chaps. I honestly feel safer doing a low key bareback ride than taking on a horse with attitude knowing he might start bucking, or riding a horse that I know is pretty spooky and might spin me off.

I don't know why, (I'm guessing he knows he won't have to work hard), but my horse is always laid back and safe feeling when I'm bareback. He'll get an attitude sometimes with the saddle on, but hasn't bareback. Maybe he's just more comfortable. And yes, I've had saddle fit checked and I have a changeable tree, so I'm pretty sure my saddle fits him as well as it can on my budget.


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## Puddintat (Jul 24, 2010)

Mary- I agree with you


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

xXEquestrianBalletXx said:


> Get a bareback pad. Someone said a regular saddle pad... That's dumb..(no offence). I have been that, and I have done that- when that saddle pad begins to slip, you go down to. There is not much of a thing that you could do about it. It's almost as if you are glued to it, yet your horse is made of some slippery plastc material. I would not suggest trying it for yourself.


I have to respectfully disagree. It really depends on what kind of saddle pad you use. I made one for myself out of an old felt pad and that has more stick-um to the horse than most of the pre-made bareback pads I've seen.

If you do make one for yourself, I suggest staying away from fleece as that does tend to be a bit slicker on the horse but a good felt pad works well.


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## Levade (Apr 13, 2011)

Eat lots of ice cream, so you have a bigger bum to protect you from his spine and withers, that way you don't need a bareback pad! Well, that's my excuse for scoffing down the Ben and Jerry's anyways


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## DarkHorseDream (Apr 17, 2011)

nevermind


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