# Riding Bareback vs. Stirrupless



## Astraeus (Nov 10, 2014)

I just started riding bareback a lot more often but in a bareback pad and at first I thought it would be super hard but I found out that once I relaxed, I was able to follow the horse's movement and I stopped bouncing while sitting the trot. I can still post but it's a lot more energy than just sitting the trot and I can really feel myself developing a deeper seat and I can follow the horse's movement better. I'm also getting a lot better at sitting the canter bareback. However, I put on a saddle yesterday and decided to drop my stirrups and do some stirrupless work. I've never really had trouble with this before but for some reason, I found that riding stirrupless is a lot harder than riding bareback. I lose my leg position and I tend to feel out of balance more, especially at the trot. Does anyone else have this problem?


----------



## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

So you previously didn't have problems trotting no stirrups in a saddle until you started riding bareback? And now you do? If that's the case, my guess is that your position is being affected by bareback riding. Most people that I see bareback ride in a different seat than in saddle- you're naturally put in a position with your lower legs generally more forward. If you've gotten used to that position (which isn't ideal in the saddle) it can make riding in a "normal" position not seem right. Kind of hard to describe, but you can usually see it in photos of people riding. 



GoyaGreenJumper said:


> I do, though my problem is that my inner thigh grips to much and is too tense. My bigger issue is loosing my seat. Maybe your issue is like mine, your inner thigh is too tense. Apparently stirrup less work is all in the calves. My teacher says to hold on with your calves and relax the thighs. Hope this helps. Though I'm not a teacher, just someone with a love for riding.


You shouldn't be "holding on" or gripping to keep your seat when riding stirrupless. My horse would get irritated mighty quickly if she had constant calf pressure during no stirrup work. I can totally see feeling unstable if you're gripping with your thighs, but same applies to the calves in my mind. A stable seat is more what you need.


----------



## ponypile (Nov 7, 2007)

I find this too. I have an easier time staying with my horse with my bareback pad than with a saddle. I think a few things contribute to this. 

First, my pad is grippy (suede by my knee/thigh area), my saddle is not. 

With the pad I can feel the horse better due to simply being closer; I can feel when I start to lean because I start to feel some spine on the inside of my seat bone and correct it, with a saddle it might take me being more unbalanced before I notice and fix it. 

The saddle puts you in a certain position where as bareback/with a pad, you take up a different position close to the horse. When you move around in the saddle, there are parts that try and put you in a different position that might be easier when you have stirrups, but harder with a long leg. Where as bareback you have the freedom to move you leg around more. I find myself often riding more chair seated when bareback to establish a base of support with my leg, where as in a saddle, if I sit in the "proper" position I should be in for that saddle (jumping, dressage, etc) it's a lot better.


----------



## ojzab (Aug 6, 2014)

So is riding bareback as beneficial as they say for the rider's development?


----------



## Bedhead (Aug 4, 2013)

I mean it's not perfect, but between bareback and starting dressage lessons, I can feel the difference in how I ride now; With bareback your options are a) do it right (whatever it is) or 2) fall off. I think part of it too is you can't manipulate the saddle to make up for your bad habits (For example, I'm stronger on one side so tend to favor a particular stirrup and counter balance if I'm not centered, when I'm in the saddle- My options bareback are keep my butt centered or slip off my horse's back.)

That being said, if you think stirrupless is brutal, one stirrup is a killer.


----------



## CinnaDex (Jan 19, 2014)

I've found that riding bareback helped me to develop my "stickability" so to speak, and helped me to learn balance better. I also learned how to move with the horses movement way better than I ever did in a saddle , that said I also noticed that I slip into a chairseat, and sometimes I can get too grippy with my knees when I am riding bareback (which is something I don't do stirrupless these days) 

I did used to struggle with stirrupless a fair amount, I felt unbalanced and un-coordinated, but I realised that it was because I would tense up too much and try and force myself to follow the horses movements. My legs would grip, my shoulders would tense and hunch forwards and my arms would become stiff. I had to teach myself to relax, and to let my legs hang. Remembering to have heels down (or toes up as I like to think of it) helps me to keep my legs in the right position  I do warm up and cool down stirrupless because I feel like it helps stretch out my leg muscles (and it has improved my riding a tonne) 



> That being said, if you think stirrupless is brutal, one stirrup is a killer.


oh man, tell me about it lol, i have a mostly healed hip and leg injury that i've been working on strengthening, one stirrup has been really good for it, but i don't think the rest of me agrees XD 

both bareback and stirrupless are really good for developing your balance and seat, and they are pretty good tools to use


----------



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

I would recommend the saddle every time, if you are working on your seat. Some horse's have a spine that you will feel the entire time bareback. Some horses will freak that you are RIDING them bareback, and THAT isn't safe.
I'm not a fan of bareback pads, simply because I've never had one that doesn't slip to the side, but if it's rigged English, with billets, I guess an elastic girth could fix that. I've never seen one rigged English...oh, well.
I only have one saddle that is hard leather and slick. It's a very comfortable Western saddle. All of my other saddles, either aren't slick enough to compromise my seat, or they have suede knee rolls to help grip.
I keep saying this, but it bears repeating. Have you been riding the WALK without your stirrups? It's a lot more physically demanding than you may think, and I challenge you to ride, at the walk, sans stirrups for a full hour. THAT will help your seat tremendously, and it's unlikely that you will lose your balance and slip at that slow a speed.


----------



## DanteDressageNerd (Mar 12, 2015)

I find it easier to ride in a well fitted/suited saddle than bareback but if it's a saddle that is not a good fit to the rider or horse it's easier in a bareback pad. A well fitted saddle offers some support without being restrictive or compromising the rider's position.

I prefer the pad because it puts a little cushion or barrier between the rider's seat bones and the horse's back which if you're asking the horse to really use itself and it's back can be uncomfortable for the horse (especially in canter, if they have a big canter) and make it harder to encourage them to use themselves without a cushion. Even with a good seat, you still have pointy bones. 

But kudos. If I were you I'd just do a bit of both and keep working on yourself.


----------



## Kamakazi (Jun 10, 2013)

I find it easier to ride bareback because I can find my seat and balance better. 

Stirrups are a huge part of your balance in the saddle and without them the position of your body on the horse's back isn't necessarily the best


----------

