# Riding bareback on trails?



## english_rider144 (Sep 12, 2008)

Has anybody done this? I know of people who do it. I mean we ride the horses bareback on trails when we go swimming with them. Though never just going all out bareback on trails. The trails I go on arent bad so it would be ok but I want more opinoins.


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## Britt (Apr 15, 2008)

I've done it lots... 

I've ridden bareback on some of the more dangerous trails out here that go over the mountains just because I didn't feel like saddling up or something... It's really awesome and fun, I just can't get faster than a trot in case my mare decides to throw in a good buck or three.


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## english_rider144 (Sep 12, 2008)

lol or three. The mare that I'm thinking of leasing doesnt usually wear a saddle so the owner rides her bareback. Shes a good horse. Shes only ever spooked once at a bike.


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## Walkamile (Dec 29, 2008)

Use to ride bareback on trails years ago (when I was younger and quicker). Now I very rarely ride bareback, my saddle is way too comfortable, plus I always carry trail vet kit and trail grooming equipment. Things change when you get older.....sigh.:-|


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

When I first started leasing my pony, the owners wouldn't let me ride with a saddle unless I could gallop bareback. So for the first few years, I did EVERYTHING bareback lol.
I wish I still had the seat I used to. My butt was made of velcro =P


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## Curly_Horse_CMT (Jun 8, 2008)

I rode bareback all the TIME on by paint mare...for years. We ride some pretty rough trails, and have alot of fun. Bareback teaches you more balence and our horses dont mind it a bit. There is nothing like having a horse move out under you flat out and not having a saddle to "hold you in" lol


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## smr (Mar 4, 2009)

I ride bareback a lot. I come home from work and just don't want to take the time to saddle one up. 

It has come at a price, I was riding a friends horse bareback last week and she busted out on me. It was really hard to control and I finally ended up wapping my head on a tree. From now on I will stick to just riding my horses (very well broke) bareback.


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## CloudsMystique (Mar 3, 2009)

I trail ride my mare bareback almost every day! Nothing beats it : ]


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Love riding bareback. I have a lot better connection with the horse than I do with my heavy roping saddle. The only problem I ever run into is getting back on after having to get off to open a gate. LOL. I am too out of shape to just swing up there anymore.


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## Percheronbaby (Mar 5, 2009)

we ride bareback ALL the time and EVERYWHERE. traila are way fun bareback, just be sure you dont have a spooky horse and a sure footed one.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

I ride bareback all the time. When I pulled out the saddle for my mom to ride my old mare she looked at me like "what the heck, you feeling alright?" It was pretty funny, she hasn't had a saddle on in probably 15 years. My gelding gets ridden in a saddle a little more.... apparently they don't want you team penning or gaming with no saddle  so I do trailride him occaisionally with a saddle so he stays used to it. I find it has really improved my seat and connection/ability to read my horses.


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## orangetictac (Nov 4, 2008)

I used to ride Cope bareback all the time before he and I moved to South Carolina with my husband. We don't know the woods here so well, and I don't want to get stuck somewhere I don't know. We both knew the woods at my parent's home in Alabama like the back of my hand (his hoof).


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

I sometimes ride my dead broke mare bareback on trails. However, because I am younger, my parents make me buddy up and carry a friend with me. 

My only suggestion is when you ride bareback on trails, ride on a bareback pad. It helps A LOT when you are going through bumpy parts.


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## ruger (Mar 9, 2009)

the only problem with trail riding bareback, you cant jump with your horse as you can with stirrups, the only thing i have found that halfway works is to pull your knees up, on the sides of the whither and roll foward with the horse,


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

I rarely ride bareback. Too old and brittle for that anymore. 
About the only time I do is when I'm camping with the horses. I turn them out to graze in a mountain meadow and when I go to collect them, I jump on bareback and use the lead rope to steer them back to camp.

We went on a ride last February in the desert. It was 22 miles and pretty rough country. a friends daughter rode all day.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

ruger said:


> the only problem with trail riding bareback, you cant jump with your horse as you can with stirrups, the only thing i have found that halfway works is to pull your knees up, on the sides of the whither and roll foward with the horse,


Sure you can................................with practice


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## Flyinghigh12 (Feb 17, 2009)

Thats awsome, some day I hope to be able to jump with out a saddle, it would sure make you jump correctly lol.


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## Zab (Oct 4, 2008)

I usually ride my dads horse bareback, also on trails. (Well, we nly ever ride trails anyway..) When I ride him that is.. All gaits and all trails. He has a nice, broad back  I've ridden up steep hills and so too, only time I use saddle on him is if I need to have a pair of saddlebags for lunch or so. 

I don't ride my own horse bareback much tho. Only up from the pasture and on the short trail (takes half an hour or so) we have here. I've ridden him bareback in all gaits, including rack and pace, but he moves to much, I don't sit very safe.  And he's only ridden half a year or so so he's not exactly dead-broke.

I have jumped bareback before, but dads horse doesn't ump (lazy draft.. ) and my own isn't really the best one to start on..


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## Trails (Jan 28, 2009)

You mean riding bareback like this? All the time! Of course that was last year when we lived in Cincinnati and the terrain wasn't as severe as the trails here in WA. That being said almost all of our arena work here is still bareback.

Here's a couple of links to the trails in the pictures so you can see what the terrain is like in the pics. Paint Creek East Fork


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## NorthernMama (Mar 12, 2008)

In the winter, I practically NEVER use a saddle. Too dang cold to tack up!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I've only ridden bareback on a trail a few times- it's pretty easy, though it depends on the horse. Some horses may have bony withers, & it's not too comfy on a trail! :lol: But as long as you have a smooth-backed horse, I think it's fine. I enjoy it!


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## Bitless (Jan 11, 2008)

I used to ride out bareback pleanty. I used to gallop my Boo over these motor dirtbike hills down at the beach, was super fun, and man did it make you use your legs and seat, lol :lol: 

did it mostly in summer , so we could take the horses for a swim in this little lagoon/ drain thingy after the ride wiht ouy fiddleing with saddles and such. 

Kinda odd now i think about it , as Boo wasnt exaclty the best horse to do this kinda thing on, he did buck me off the odd time .....the poop :? 

Havnt done bareback in yonks now, as my boy aint ridden as much now, so dont think he would particularly behave himself as for some reason bareback makes him a little silly at the best of times


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## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

I wish my horses were well behaved enough for it. XD I'm hoping Norman will be a perfect trail horse in a few years. I'd totally ride bareback on trails if I had a super smooth, quiet, reliable horse.


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## trashcore (Feb 22, 2009)

Wow, I haven't even considered riding bareback out on trails. :|
I ride bareback in the paddock all the time in summer, swimming in the dam and such. But since we're like 10-15 minute ride from any trails it would be a long painful trail. 
Doesn't help that my horse is a Standardbred.  Not the most comfortable horse to ride bareback due to the trot. ^-^


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## cowgirlUp0013 (Nov 20, 2008)

i really enjoy riding bareback... i live in vermont and i hardly ever ride with a saddle in the winter! there is nothing like galloping through a field in the snow! haha i also have done trail rides bareback. One time i did an all day trail ride we did about 10 miles, i did it all bareback haha. i really enjoy it and sometimes its just cuz i dont feel like tacking up haha :lol:


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## ViEwMySpOtS09 (Apr 8, 2009)

I like riding bareback, but I need to build my leg muscles up before I think about going trail riding bareback... I would definetly do it though...


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## Zab (Oct 4, 2008)

Zab said:


> I usually ride my dads horse bareback, also on trails. (Well, we nly ever ride trails anyway..) When I ride him that is.. All gaits and all trails. He has a nice, broad back  I've ridden up steep hills and so too, only time I use saddle on him is if I need to have a pair of saddlebags for lunch or so.
> 
> I don't ride my own horse bareback much tho. Only up from the pasture and on the short trail (takes half an hour or so) we have here. I've ridden him bareback in all gaits, including rack and pace, but he moves to much, I don't sit very safe.  And he's only ridden half a year or so so he's not exactly dead-broke.
> 
> I have jumped bareback before, but dads horse doesn't ump (lazy draft.. ) and my own isn't really the best one to start on..


I suppose I should update..
Since the saddle broke, I've been riding bareback all the time on my standardbred Crow, and - I feel pretty much as safe as in a saddle. At least as long as he doesn't trot.. 
Like today I loaded him to a friend and we were out for a couple of hours, got lost, had to ride trough some pasture we ended up in, open fences, jump a 2 feet tall stone-wall, cantered, racked ( - yes he did trot a few times.. blergh ) and well..rode as normal. Bareback of course  
And another day we crossed some creeks and rode up hill, jumped logs, rode some dressage (I ride bareback for my trainer too now of course) and so on..

I'm really happy that I'm feeling so safe with him now, he still spooks quite a lot and I can't say I'm safe in the trot, but other than that,.  I _almost _feel silly for saving for a 1300usd saddle when I like bareback so much.. xD But I never thought I would ever feel as safe bareback as I do, especially not on a horse like him!


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## Qtswede (Apr 16, 2009)

smrobs - I'm around 5'3" and my favorite mare is a solid 16hh, so I had the same problem you did with bareback - so I trained her to lay down on cue so I can mount without the block, or other assisitance. Great if you fall off on the trail too


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## Zab (Oct 4, 2008)

Qtswede said:


> smrobs - I'm around 5'3" and my favorite mare is a solid 16hh, so I had the same problem you did with bareback - so I trained her to lay down on cue so I can mount without the block, or other assisitance. Great if you fall off on the trail too


I'm trying to teach that to Crow but I'm too stupid xD It doesan't work. So I'll learn to jump up.. somehow.. >_>


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

I use to ride Dunny (my old QH) bareback all the time on trails. He was so wide it was kinda like riding a giant moving couch. The longest I did it for though was a three hour trail ride and I was pretty sore after that. Had to pretty much peel myself off his back.


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

I ride bareback trails all the time with Rainy. It helps me really 'feel' her underneath me. Luckily she doesn't spook on trails, and I'm able to really grip with my thighs to stay on even while trotting. (Not yet cantering though-her canter is a bit too wild for that!) Not so much in the arena, since she thinks she can start cantering whenever we're in the arena. =]


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## Qtswede (Apr 16, 2009)

Zab - get him to bow first. That's the first step.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

I ride bareback on the trail. If I have to get off, I never get back on. Just no way too. So I make sure if I do have to get off, better be a darn good reason! 

I enjoy it. It's really comfy.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

The question is: Why would you want to? What if your horse decided to do something stupid like spook or take off up/down a hill, jump over a log unexpectedly,etc? It's not that hard just to plop on a saddle and go. Sure, it's nice to feel "in harmony" with your horse, but a real rider knows how to do it with a saddle on.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

Real rider knows how to do what with a saddle on?

I hate saddles. I will ride in them every so often and if I am having a lesson. Otherwise, it's just more comfy to ride bareback. I'm a better ride without a saddle than with one. Whether my horse spooks or not.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Solon said:


> Real rider knows how to do what with a saddle on?
> 
> I hate saddles. I will ride in them every so often and if I am having a lesson. Otherwise, it's just more comfy to ride bareback. I'm a better ride without a saddle than with one. Whether my horse spooks or not.


 
^^ Ride in harmony. A lot of ppl think it is better to ride bareback if you want to be "in harmony"..You don't have to be bareback to be "in harmony". You can do the same thing in a saddle. I personally hate sturrips, so I don't use them. I have absolutely nothing against bareback riding, although it is proven it hurts some horse's spines..


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

So because I don't ride with a saddle, I'm not a 'real rider'?


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

horseluver2435 said:


> So because I don't ride with a saddle, I'm not a 'real rider'?


^^That is not at all what I said. Read the above post.


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

Yes, but that's not the only reason I ride bareback. I can feel her while riding with a saddle, but for me, riding bareback helps me feel it even more. Maybe I'm not a 'real rider' to your standards, but for me and my horse, riding bareback helps us be more in tune and strengthen our bond. I trust her not to spook and bolt.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

Suny, that's exactly what your post insinuated though.

I think you feel a lot more of the horse when you ride bareback than when you ride in a saddle but you most certainly can feel in harmony with a saddle too.

Many people prefer riding bareback.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Solon said:


> Suny, that's exactly what your post insinuated though.
> 
> I think you feel a lot more of the horse when you ride bareback than when you ride in a saddle but you most certainly can feel in harmony with a saddle too.
> 
> Many people prefer riding bareback.


^^Well, I'm sorry that's how you took it.
Here's what I was trying to get across:
1) You don't have to ride bareback to be "in sync" with your horse although it helps some people. You can still ride in a saddle and be "in sync". Makes perfect sense.
2) Riding bareback [can] hurt some horses spines..Not ALL--SOME. It is a proven fact.

And just to let you know, riding bareback is no more natural than riding with a saddle.


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## horseluver2435 (May 27, 2009)

Well, I'm gonna drop this, but here's MO. 
1.) I understand what you mean now. I don't take it to be true for myself, but I respect that opinion.
2.) I understand what you mean about hurting horses, but I'm going to assume that anyone on here would stop riding bareback if it somehow harmed their horses. That being said, I don't understand why you would want to open that can of worms, but again, I respect your right to state your opinion.

Happy riding, everyone. Didn't mean to cause such a fuss.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

horseluver2435 said:


> Well, I'm gonna drop this, but here's MO.
> 1.) I understand what you mean now. I don't take it to be true for myself, but I respect that opinion.
> 2.) I understand what you mean about hurting horses, but I'm going to assume that anyone on here would stop riding bareback if it somehow harmed their horses. That being said, I don't understand why you would want to open that can of worms, but again, I respect your right to state your opinion.
> 
> Happy riding, everyone. Didn't mean to cause such a fuss.


Glad you understand now.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

sunny06 said:


> Sure, it's nice to feel "in harmony" with your horse, but a real rider knows how to do it with a saddle on.


What other way is there to take that statement?

Obviously there are horses out there that you shouldn't ride bareback. And there are horses out there that don't like being ridden bareback. Otherwise if you know how to use your sit and balance yourself, there's absolutely nothing a person does in a saddle that you can't do bareback.

Horseluver- you didn't cause a fuss at all.


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## Qtswede (Apr 16, 2009)

Sunny, I don't know about anyone else on here, but I learned to ride bareback first. I was nearly 14 before I used a saddle with any regularity, and during that whole time ALL of the riding I did bareback was on trails. You just cant worry yourself too much about the 'what if's' Just go, and stay positive, and hope for the best. Asking why you'd want to ride bareback is like asking why you'd want to ride english, or western, or dressage, or hunter jumper.... it's just another way to ride and enjoy your horse. That's all there is to it. Nothing 'harmonious' about it. Just another (generally overlooked) discipline. And to state that a real rider uses a saddle - a real rider rides their horse. Doesn't matter how.


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## Kis Vihar (Jun 29, 2009)

Hi 

I just joined tonight.  I ride bareback nearly all the time now. I have really bad problems with my hips, and saddles are agony! I barely ride for more than 10 minutes at a time in the school (that's enough or I can't walk the next day!) or maybe half an hour on a hack (trail) when I then can't walk for about a week. :shock:


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

Well said Q. My grandpa didn't let us use a saddle until we could put it on ourselves. We rode for 4-H practice and county shows but that's it. I'm glad he did that. I've got great balance because of it.

When I broke Solon to ride it was bareback.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Solon said:


> What other way is there to take that statement?
> 
> Obviously there are horses out there that you shouldn't ride bareback. And there are horses out there that don't like being ridden bareback. Otherwise if you know how to use your sit and balance yourself, there's absolutely nothing a person does in a saddle that you can't do bareback.
> 
> Horseluver- you didn't cause a fuss at all.


^^ I really didn't think this would cause such an uprising..Read the post with the 1),2),etc..Are you talking about the "It can hurt a horse to ride bareback" statement?


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

I quoted what you said and replied to that.

You wrote this:

_Sure, it's nice to feel "in harmony" with your horse, but a real rider knows how to do it with a saddle on._


It insinuates that people that ride bareback aren't real riders.

I saw what your others posts said and also responded to those.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Well, that's NOT what I was trying to say..I was only trying to say that a good rider can be in harmony either way.I didn't mean to offend anybody, and I'm sorry if you were offended. Now please let's drop the subject..


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

Kis Vihar said:


> Hi
> 
> I just joined tonight.  I ride bareback nearly all the time now. I have really bad problems with my hips, and saddles are agony! I barely ride for more than 10 minutes at a time in the school (that's enough or I can't walk the next day!) or maybe half an hour on a hack (trail) when I then can't walk for about a week. :shock:



I have hip issues too. Course, my horse is as wide as a couch so I'm sure that doesn't help much either.

Welcome to the forum!


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

I ride bareback tons. In winter, we pretty much completely lose the saddles. Mostly because it's so dang cold, you HAVE to steal some warmth from your pony! :lol:

When we hit the trails, we usually have saddles but usually because our trail rides are a minimum of a couple of hours and we make sure we have saddle bags with neccesary water, snacks, hoof pick, etc. 

I find bareback 110% better on my knees. From riding my whole life, I've really messed them up, and the bend the stirrup creates puts me in agony after a couple of hours. I've never had that issue bareback, I'm sure the warmth of my knees on my horse is theraputic as well.

As for spooking, I never much worry. I grew up riding bareback, before I was tall enough to heave a saddle on my horse, I just jumped on her in the pasture with a halter and leadrope. Gave my parents heart attacks. So it feels just as natural to me as riding with a saddle.


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## Zab (Oct 4, 2008)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> I find bareback 110% better on my knees. From riding my whole life, I've really messed them up, and the bend the stirrup creates puts me in agony after a couple of hours. I've never had that issue bareback, I'm sure the warmth of my knees on my horse is theraputic as well.


Do you use western stirrup leathers? Or else perhaps it could help using english ones, they're not as stiff  
Or you mean the regular bending that depend on the length of the stirrups?

My knee hurts as well at times, so I let the feet out after a while..


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## TroubledTB (Jun 26, 2009)

I ride bareback all the time. lately it's because everyone is using my saddle it seems. I can do just about everything bareback I can in a saddle, and as for spooking, jumping, bolting, if I'm going to fall off it's not because I don't have a saddle. I can ride about anything bareback I can with a saddle, even jump. I often get lazy and just throw a bareback pad on for some of the excercise rides I do on older horses. They don't need the drilling of a hack with a saddle, but it strengthens my muscles and gives me a better workout. I like to use a pad on bony backs and to keep sweat off my jeans, it's sometimes hard to explain why I have a big sweat stain on my butt. Also I sometimes ride double bareback with a little kid new to riding, then they can do more and I can sometimes feel their weight and correct the way they are sitting.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

english_rider144 said:


> Has anybody done this? I know of people who do it. I mean we ride the horses bareback on trails when we go swimming with them. Though never just going all out bareback on trails. The trails I go on arent bad so it would be ok but I want more opinoins.


My first thought is why?? What is so great about riding bareback? Is it an ego thing? A horse sweats if you work it and that salt burns. If you haven't felt that burn then you haven't really ridden much bareback. Also you crotch gets sore after a while and the legs go numb. Again why the big deal of riding bareback?? You don't have the control, you can't post so trotting is out. If you weigh anything at all your butt bones dig into the horses back cause him to be sore.
All and all a saddle is as much for his protection as it is for yours. Even the indians didn't ride bareback but made saddle so to speak out of tough dried buffalo hides. 
Other then to say/ bragging rights, riding bareback isn't a good thing for you or the horse. Then again you might be the type who rides to the end of the lane and back and call it a hack????


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

I love riding bareback...soooo...to me, it doesn't matter the trail, I've tackled some pretty challenging trails bareback; just don't try it after Laser Sheening your horse...it's very hard to stay on going up hill! Lol!


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

RiosDad said:


> My first thought is why?? What is so great about riding bareback? Is it an ego thing? A horse sweats if you work it and that salt burns. If you haven't felt that burn then you haven't really ridden much bareback. Also you crotch gets sore after a while and the legs go numb. Again why the big deal of riding bareback?? You don't have the control, you can't post so trotting is out. If you weigh anything at all your butt bones dig into the horses back cause him to be sore.
> All and all a saddle is as much for his protection as it is for yours. Even the indians didn't ride bareback but made saddle so to speak out of tough dried buffalo hides.
> Other then to say/ bragging rights, riding bareback isn't a good thing for you or the horse. Then again you might be the type who rides to the end of the lane and back and call it a hack????


I've ridden bareback ever since I was little; and we're not talking up and down the driveway...we're talking, somedays we'd set out early in the morning, and not get back til early evening... the sweat never really bothered me, nor did the feel of his body; it feels more natural for me. I can walk, trot, canter, gallop, jump; everything I can do in a saddle, I do bareback. 

I'm not extremely heavy, and none of my horses have ever had any back problems; And actually, when I had my last horse Pride, it took me almost a year and a half to find a saddle (within my budget) that fit him properly, so riding him bareback was WAY better than riding him with any of the saddles I had at the time... I don't think there is anything wrong with riding a horse bareback, as it really develops an independent seat, and a true feel for your horse; and natives did ride bareback for the most part...that they had a bareback 'pad' hardly quantifies as a saddle in my opinion.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

smrobs said:


> Love riding bareback. I have a lot better connection with the horse than I do with my heavy roping saddle. The only problem I ever run into is getting back on after having to get off to open a gate. LOL. I am too out of shape to just swing up there anymore.


Bahaha. You'd think I'd be able to get up on Daisy - she's only 14.2 - but when she sees me getting ready to swing up, she takes a swift step to the right. It's fool proof - she does it every time. I have resorted to using fences, trees, buckets, stumps, and my boyfriend's knee to get back on her bareback. Ha ha.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

RiosDad said:


> My first thought is why?? What is so great about riding bareback? Is it an ego thing? A horse sweats if you work it and that salt burns. If you haven't felt that burn then you haven't really ridden much bareback. Also you crotch gets sore after a while and the legs go numb. Again why the big deal of riding bareback?? You don't have the control, you can't post so trotting is out. If you weigh anything at all your butt bones dig into the horses back cause him to be sore.
> All and all a saddle is as much for his protection as it is for yours. Even the indians didn't ride bareback but made saddle so to speak out of tough dried buffalo hides.
> Other then to say/ bragging rights, riding bareback isn't a good thing for you or the horse. Then again you might be the type who rides to the end of the lane and back and call it a hack????


Sorry for the double post.

Riding bareback develops a stronger seat for the rider. You must be incredibly balanced and secure in your seat to ride well bareback. A saddle is far more likely to cause a horse to be sore than riding bareback is. I can post just fine without my saddle - I just use my leg muscles. I ride all over on my horses bareback - trails, hills, ditches, water, what have you. It gets hot down here, and riding bareback keeps us both cooler. The horse gets a lighter load, and I don't have to fuss with tack. Not to mention - it's so comfortable.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Pretty much what Leah and mom2pride said: It is possible to trot (posting or sitting), jump, gallop, run barrels, whatever bareback if you have the proper seat. It builds up muscle and if you are riding correctly and your horse has no problems, is fine for you and the horse.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Actually, Leah, I recently discovered that I am able to vault on bareback again. I don't know if I have lost weight or if I am stronger now but I can do it. LOL, there is a really embarrassing video here somewhere.



> My first thought is why?? What is so great about riding bareback? Is it an ego thing? A horse sweats if you work it and that salt burns. If you haven't felt that burn then you haven't really ridden much bareback. Also you crotch gets sore after a while and the legs go numb. Again why the big deal of riding bareback?? You don't have the control, you can't post so trotting is out. If you weigh anything at all your butt bones dig into the horses back cause him to be sore.
> All and all a saddle is as much for his protection as it is for yours. Even the indians didn't ride bareback but made saddle so to speak out of tough dried buffalo hides.
> Other then to say/ bragging rights, riding bareback isn't a good thing for you or the horse. Then again you might be the type who rides to the end of the lane and back and call it a hack????


Actually, you are completely off base here. Riding bareback can help you develop a better seat than you can get in a saddle. If the salt bothers you, then get a pad or something but I never really noticed it (and my horses do sweat during a ride). I will often use a thin pad just to keep my butt from getting dirty but nothing more. As for trotting, control can be developed and some people can even post bareback. Though if you are unable to sit the trot, maybe you need more lessons in a saddle before you even consider bareback. Plus, if you are riding properly, your crotch won't get sore, your legs won't go numb, and you butt bones definitely don't dig into the horse because you don't sit on them, you put all your weight on your thighs and your butt behind your pelvic bones. Riding properly bareback is a whole different thing than "proper" riding in a saddle. You cannot sit the same way because yes, it is uncomfortable. That is why you have to change your seat bareback. None of my horses has ever been sore from riding bareback (though I get sore muscles if I haven't done it for a while). LOL.

I have never just ridden to the end of the driveway and called it a "hack". A normal trail ride for me is generally over 5 miles (many times I go bareback) on varied terrain from flat plains to steep hills and cliffs to blazing trails through wooded areas.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

My pony gets girth gall, so when it's bad I have no option but to ride bareback! It's sure helped my seat and stability, especially learning to sit to his floaty arab trot without a saddle. I also developed my walk-canter transitions mighty quick for when i'm lazy, lol!


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

If you weight say 130 pounds how is this weight distributed over the horses back?? Are you riding with full contact?? Are you hovering with a firm grip of your knees? You say your butt bones are not touching the horse so we can take that away from you weight bearing surface.
Exceed 1 pis POUND PER SQUARE INCH and you risk a soar backed horse. It is about spreading the load around. Would you walk in deep snow in high heels??? How about big soled boots?? Which sinks deeper??
A good saddle has about 200 or more square inches of load speading surface to spread that 130 pounds over a large area..
What is the contact area of you inside legs. Since you are posting to the trot, keeping your butt bones off the horse you must be gripping with alot of knee pressure, actually using you knees are pressure points??
Great for the horse.
Try running a gps againt your 5 mile or more rides and you might be suprised.
Salt does burn the inside of the legs to the point that you don't walk so good after a hard run. Been there, done that alot and in 50 plus years of hard riding I have more miles on a horse then most people have on their cars.


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## RoadRider / Rios Dad (Jul 2, 2009)

Horses need large quantities of salt. I feed a small handful of salt thrown in with the grain daily to maintain his salt level.. Horse sweat is saturated with salt. If you really ride a horse even the contact between the horse's body and your body will create heat/ sweat.. This sweat is heavy in salt with quicly lines the inside of your legs. Regardless of how tough you are ladies salt rubbed on the inside of your legs will make you sore, make you walk funny.
So for those that spend ALL day riding how do you avoid the inevitable sweating of the horse, the inevitable sweat created by your body agianst his???? It's a fact of life, ride hard the horse sweat, ride long and the contact alone makes both of you sweat. Sweat contains alot of salt. Salt stings the skin. You will get sore.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Not that I have to justify myself to anyone but I usually either ride out to the old place (which has dirt roads and can be driven by car) which is an 8 mile trip or I ride a friends pasture which is a mile down the road, then the pasture is a full section (I ride the fenceline and a section is a square mile. That means 4 miles of fence), then I usually go back through the creek and trees in the midddle of the pasture before heading home. Last summer, I rode 20 miles to the lake (also along dirt roads that I have driven for years). Therefore I don't need GPS. And I MUST be doing something wrong for my horses not to get sore. :? It's funny that the salt has never bothered me, maybe my skin is just not as sensitive as yours.


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## 1dog3cats17rodents (Dec 7, 2007)

Salts never bothered me either? Even with the saddle, my lower calf used to get SOAKED from his sweat after a good ride.

And you must really be doing something wrong to make your horses sore. My entire thigh cusions my weight, and spreads it out. And NO WAY should you squeeze with your knees. You squeeze with your inner calf (again spreading weight). If you can't post without a saddle, you need to strenghten your muscles. 

It sounds to me like you have a poor seat, making you lose control, be unable to post, and therefore bouncing on your horses back making him sore. If you have a good seat, he should not be sore


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

> If you weight say 130 pounds how is this weight distributed over the horses back?? Are you riding with full contact?? Are you hovering with a firm grip of your knees? You say your butt bones are not touching the horse so we can take that away from you weight bearing surface.
> Exceed 1 pis POUND PER SQUARE INCH and you risk a soar backed horse. It is about spreading the load around. Would you walk in deep snow in high heels??? How about big soled boots?? Which sinks deeper??
> A good saddle has about 200 or more square inches of load speading surface to spread that 130 pounds over a large area..
> What is the contact area of you inside legs. Since you are posting to the trot, keeping your butt bones off the horse you must be gripping with alot of knee pressure, actually using you knees are pressure points??
> ...


I have ridden a 40km training ride bareback as well as a lot of other long rides, also worked cattle all day bareback and I have also done bareback rides in summer where my horse ended up in a lather of sweat due to his girth gall issues. The sweat never bothered me, though the hairs poking through my jods itched my legs, but not to the point I couldn't ride. If salt stings the skin, how come people swim in the ocean without pain? Your argument doesn't hold. Maybe you have sensitive skin as Smrobs mentioned, that reacts to the salt contained in sweat. The first Tom Quilty (I think, or Shazada) either way a roughly 400km endurance ride was won by a man riding bareback. Funny how even over that immense distance his horse vetted out everytime, wasn't sore, and he could still walk :]


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

Again, I think 'Why'? 
Just ride English. Better for your horse. One ride bareback isn't going to do anything, it's doing it over and over again at high, bumpy speeds that aren't too great.
Think about it. 
Let's say your horse has a big bumpy trot and you ride him bareback. Your butt-bones will be digging into his back the whole time you _trot_. Even with a great seat. And even if this isn't what happens to you, some things happen over time that you can't even see or know about.
English is a great disciplen to learn your seat and to practice being balanced whithout much to 'hold on' to.

As for the salt and sweating? Never had a problem whenever I _*DO*_ ride bareback. I try not to do it often.

Now this isn't a 100% _always_ fool-proof thing. It may have to do with horse's confo, rider's butt-bones, seat, etc.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

Found it! It was the Quilty.



> The winner of the first Quilty was Gabriel Stecher, an engineer from Victoria, who rode his Arabian stallion ‘Shalawi’ bareback the full 100 miles, plus a few more miles when he took a wrong turn!


Why Sunny? Personally I ride bareback mostly because my little arab gets girth gall. I don't ride my ASH bareback because he has already existing back problems. 

It really is just anther discipline. Here in AUS at gymkhanas we have bareback rider as just another class alongside rider class, pairs and fours.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

I don't use my knees to post, and neither should anyone else. I use my lower calf muscles, exactly the same way I would in a saddle... does this not make sense to anyone else?

In any case, my mare prefers bareback. I get that a saddle distributes weights and pressure, but if I am riding properly, which I am, it shouldn't be an issue. Not one of my horses have ever had a back problem, and I've ridden them all bareback.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

An improperly fitted saddle, which I would lean towards most horses having, is a lot more dangerous then riding bareback.

And the salt thing is utter nonsense. I've grown up riding bareback, when I was to young to heave a saddle over my head, I just climbed the fences and hopped on. I've been on hours long trail rides bareback, saturated in sweat. I've never ever been "irritated" by the sweat. I've had achy thighs from hanging on, which is what you SHOULD have because it means you're not sitting all your weight on the back of your horse.

I have never had a horse get "sore backed" from bareback riding. I HAVE however seen a LOT of horses get sores from improperly fitted saddles and girth galls. Unless you have a professional saddler building your horse a custom saddle, chances are it doesn't fit "perfectly". And even then, horses change shape as they lose and gain weight.

Honestly, if you don't like bareback, DON'T RIDE BAREBACK. But I think it's pretty rude and arrogant to tell people who've been riding bareback their entire lives what they "wil" and "won't" experience. Maybe you think bareback is "damaging" but I've seen a HECK of a lot more damage caused by saddles then anyone ever riding bareback.

And logically - I don't know about anyone else, but my mare will buck and be downright nasty if she has an ill fitting saddle on. If she was getting SO hurt by me riding her bareback - why is she most relaxed bareback? Horses aren't stupid creatures, and I'm not going to sit here and believe that horses who buck from a twisted stirrup leather are going to plod around getting "sore backed" from bareback riding and not show the slightest sign of irritation.

That's my opinion anyway. I listen to my horse. Until she tells me I'm hurting her, I'll continue what I'm doing thanks.


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## LeahKathleen (Mar 5, 2009)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> And logically - I don't know about anyone else, but my mare will buck and be downright nasty if she has an ill fitting saddle on. If she was getting SO hurt by me riding her bareback - why is she most relaxed bareback? Horses aren't stupid creatures, and I'm not going to sit here and believe that horses who buck from a twisted stirrup leather are going to plod around getting "sore backed" from bareback riding and not show the slightest sign of irritation.
> 
> That's my opinion anyway. I listen to my horse. Until she tells me I'm hurting her, I'll continue what I'm doing thanks.


I agree completely. My horses let me know when something isn't right. 

If you don't like it, don't do it. Don't tell me I'm hurting my horses when I know very well that they are fine and dandy.


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

LeahKathleen said:


> I agree completely. My horses let me know when something isn't right.
> 
> If you don't like it, don't do it. Don't tell me I'm hurting my horses when I know very well that they are fine and dandy.


Ditto... 

And the salt thing...been sweated on by many horses for many years and haven't broken out in a rash or been irritated from it yet...must mean I'm part horse, or it isn't 'that' dangerous...:roll:


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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

RiosDad said:


> A horse sweats if you work it and that salt burns. If you haven't felt that burn then you haven't really ridden much bareback.


I can't say that I've ever had an issue like this...though as a child I rode bareback with shorts (don't ask me why, I just did) and I seemed to get irritated from the hair scratching my legs. Maybe this is what irritates you? What kind of pants are you wearing when you ride bareback?

Personally, I love to ride bareback, on the trails and in an arena. And I love that it's a rockin' leg workout.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

I grew up riding only bareback. Like I said before, I galloped, jumped, etc bareback and never once did my horse come up sore because of it. Even when we were both covered in sweat, the only problems we had were either my jeans rubbing my legs or her hair being itchy but it was never a problem worth mentioning.

I guess I don't see where a saddle is necessarily "better for your horse". I think a good seat and sense is good for your horse but like it has already been mentioned, I have seen more poorly fitting saddles cause problems than bareback.


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## Sunny06 (Jun 22, 2009)

I did say it wasn't a 100% all the time fool-proof thing, right? Yes, I did.
Some people have a bad seat. If you have a bad seat, don't ride bareback. That's all I'm going to say. THEN it can hinder your horse. 
Probably should have said that to begin with.


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## Zab (Oct 4, 2008)

Salt will burn, yes. If you leave it on for a long time, preferably with a saddle or blanket on to really rub it, then it might burn the horse..and if it burns you..well. Your problem. But salt is easy to wash off a sweaty horae.

I know plenty of horses that has become more musculr and healthy after getting ridden bareback - and that's by their regular rider with nothing else changesd, and well fitting, inmost cases also chosen by people who works with saddle fitting, saddles. The best thing for a horses back is persons bum. We don't have point preassure like a saddle since we move around more (sure, the saddle has a big point to preassure, but it keeps pressuring the same spot all the time) and with the seatbones.. you cant compare how they feel when you sit in a chair and on a horseback.. with a rather good seat you don't press any bones into the horses backs.


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