# Bareback Canter Critique



## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Okay you guys, I'm a really shy person, and i'm putting myself out there. So be honest, but not brutal.
I am by no means a good bareback rider, I can win ribbons in the hunter ring, and I compete actively in team penning and sorting (although, I am by no means a great rider) and i'm fairly confident in myself. Although, as soon as i get on bareback, My heels no longer stay down, and I find myself gripping more with my legs, and moving my upper body more than I normally do. And i end up in a bit of a chair seat. 
Stitch is super smooth, but he has big ground covering movements, and the fact that I wasn't trying to collect him in this video he got his head up and hollowed his back out a little, but I didn't care much. So don't mention that, simply my riding. And what I can do to improve.
What I see:
Bouncy(for some reason I just cannot steady myself nicely)
Hanging on with legs
Chair seat
Heels not down
I hope this works, i'm not good with technology.
Oh and it was also starting to rain, although you probably can't tell.




Thanks Guys!


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

You critiqued yourself pretty well and I really think what you need to do to improve is take it back to the raw beginnings of bareback riding. You're far too tight, I'm not a trainer by any means, but I always tell my nieces that they need to keep their core tight, sink their weight into their heels, and loosen their hips so they can move with their horse. 

I don't think you're really ready to be cantering bareback yet. Can you post a trot bareback? Sit one nicely? It's just like a lot of other things in riding, you need the building blocks to be really successful.

My kids are started at a combination of halt/walk. They learn to touch their horse's poll (well neck because their arms aren't long enough), ride with their hands out, touch toes, touch the rump, etc, etc. I want them to learn how to keep themselves on top of the horse without anything holding them. They walk with their hands out to the sides and repeat all of the above exercises, and then on to a trot to do the same things. None of them are at a canter yet because of limited time, but we'll hit that point, hopefully this summer for the eldest. 

Obviously a lunge lesson is awesome for all of this or an uber safe horse and environment. A lot of it is related to being really fit as well and just practice. I am a terrible bareback rider when I re-start in the spring, by fall I will gallop a horse without hesitation bareback.

ETA - I'm glad you didn't get after your boy for hollowing and raising his head, he was doing so because of your actions as a rider. Basically he was hollowing to evade your seat, IMO. I mean no offense at all obviously, but he wasn't being a stinker, just reacting to the pressure IMO.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

MN Tigerstripes said:


> You critiqued yourself pretty well and I really think what you need to do to improve is take it back to the raw beginnings of bareback riding. You're far too tight, I'm not a trainer by any means, but I always tell my nieces that they need to keep their core tight, sink their weight into their heels, and loosen their hips so they can move with their horse.
> 
> I don't think you're really ready to be cantering bareback yet. Can you post a trot bareback? Sit one nicely? It's just like a lot of other things in riding, you need the building blocks to be really successful.
> 
> ...


Thank you!
I've never really actually rode bareback, more just for fun. So I don't really know what i'm doing that much. I can sit a trot bareback just fine, heels down, horse doesn't hollow out to evade my seat (And i know that was what he was doing, he's such a saint for putting up with me. I love him) I have been able to post bareback in the past, I just haven't done it much. This video was my 5th time cantering him bareback. 

I do not have a video of the trot, or I would post it. I'm pretty confident at the walk and trot bareback, and can do so without hesitation. I have a couple pictures, but they may be blurry








(my hand is funny there because I am itching my leg)








This one is blurry, so there's probably no point in me even posting it. Not sure why i did.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

My daughter had her first ever bareback ride last weekend and I saw much of the same, although she didn't seem to have as much upper body motion as you did..but that could be attributable to the smoothness of her pony as opposed to your horse.

I'll be following your thread with interest and relaying what I learn to her.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

If you can sit and post a trot bareback just fine, then you probably just need little extra work to get to the bareback canter point. 

If your boy lunges I would get someone to lunge you while you ride bare back. Start out trotting, hands out at your shoulders (obviously grab hold of the mane if you start to lose balance) and concentrate on your seat and legs. Do all of the little movements I went over and anything you can think of that requires you to keep your seat while moving your body in a weird way. When you're feeling comfortable move to cantering. 

I really think it's because you aren't relaxed enough to just let your body flow, so you're tensing up and making a mess of yourself. Either because you need more trot work, you aren't in good enough shape, or because you need to decrease the variables by loosing the reins so you can concentrate on yourself and not directing your horse. 

Hopefully that makes sense, my computer is sucking and that's the third time I've typed that response!


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

MN Tigerstripes said:


> If you can sit and post a trot bareback just fine, then you probably just need little extra work to get to the bareback canter point.
> 
> If your boy lunges I would get someone to lunge you while you ride bare back. Start out trotting, hands out at your shoulders (obviously grab hold of the mane if you start to lose balance) and concentrate on your seat and legs. Do all of the little movements I went over and anything you can think of that requires you to keep your seat while moving your body in a weird way. When you're feeling comfortable move to cantering.
> 
> ...


That makes perfect sense! Thank you, I think i just need more trot work, and probably some lunge line lessons. I've been riding for like 12 years, and it's strange to think that now i'm trying to figure out bareback. 
I wouldn't say that Stitch isn't smooth, I think he just moves big. If that makes sense.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

PrivatePilot said:


> My daughter had her first ever bareback ride last weekend and I saw much of the same, although she didn't seem to have as much upper body motion as you did..but that could be attributable to the smoothness of her pony as opposed to your horse.
> 
> I'll be following your thread with interest and relaying what I learn to her.


I think it's just his gaits. He has a ground covering gait. And he's really animated. So It's hard for me to think about keeping good position, directing him, and not falling off all at the same time.


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## PrivatePilot (Dec 7, 2009)

Understanable. Way better than I'd do if I was to try, I'm sure. 

I just watched the video of my daughter that I took during our initial bareback groundwork and sure enough she had a lot of bounce (she hasn't figured out how to sit the trot deep enough bareback yet), her heels were WAY up (the complete opposite of her norm) and her legs had a lot of flop. So yes, it's a work in progress as you too are experiencing.

She did actually end up cantering for about 5 or 6 seconds rather accidentally during this groundwork and she rode it well, but she said her instinct was to clamp on with her legs...which is a problem as her pony is a very energetic mover and she interpreted that as "go faster" of course. Instead she seemed to have them too loose (aka, the flop) so she'll have to figure that out.

It certainly looks like an art.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

PrivatePilot said:


> Understanable. Way better than I'd do if I was to try, I'm sure.
> 
> I just watched the video of my daughter that I took during our initial bareback groundwork and sure enough she had a lot of bounce (she hasn't figured out how to sit the trot deep enough bareback yet), her heels were WAY up (the complete opposite of her norm) and her legs had a lot of flop. So yes, it's a work in progress as you too are experiencing.
> 
> ...


I'm pretty convinced to figure it out! I want to enter some bareback classes someday, but as we all can see, i'm quite far away from that.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Here is a video of just some normal canter work from back in November. I was riding western that day, we were not working on collecting him or anything like that. Simply getting him to bend around his turns. It's a 50 second clip from a 4 minute video my computer isn't letting me upload but, it's a peak


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Anyone?


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## madyasmkey (Jan 26, 2014)

Tbh I don't think your doing too bad. I adore bareback riding and have a better day without a saddle than with. In the summer I always ride bareback so I can wear shorts. I'd say bringing your legs under you would help. I don't really bother with my toes bareback as I always thought that was just to stop your feet from riding in the stirrups. I don't find it makes any difference without a saddle. 

I wouldn't worry about him hollowing out at all until you can sort yourself out(something I was not taught) although bareback pads are comphy, I don't think they provide as much protection to the horses back as people think. Also I think riding without a pad will make it uncomfortable for anyone to get the position wrong bareback so you should find it a lot easier to get the right position. When I used a bareback pad I found I was sitting wrong because it was comfy, take that away and to be comfy the position must be right. 

That's just what I've found with my horse, she too has long strides and is very comfy.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks for your response!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Ninamebo (May 25, 2013)

Honestly, I think you ride quite similarly with and without the saddle- it's not the best ever, but not terrible either. I think part of it is attributed to his big movement, because it's really quite big. You just have to focus on tightening your core and loosening your hips. It's such a weird sensation at first and you'll feel like slipping off the back (riding bareback) but you'll get used to it  

He's such a good boy for you- I can tell you two make a great pair.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Ninamebo said:


> Honestly, I think you ride quite similarly with and without the saddle- it's not the best ever, but not terrible either. I think part of it is attributed to his big movement, because it's really quite big. You just have to focus on tightening your core and loosening your hips. It's such a weird sensation at first and you'll feel like slipping off the back (riding bareback) but you'll get used to it
> 
> He's such a good boy for you- I can tell you two make a great pair.


Thank you for your response! I have been having a lot of trouble with how big he moves, so I will work on what you said. 
And thank you! He is a saint. We have come a long way together
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I'm inclined to tilt my pelvis back to put me on my glutes. This rounds my back a little but my shoulders remain over my hips. My spine becomes disconnected from the pelvis which allows it to roll with the motion. I learned this when riding TBs with high withers.


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Oh okay! I will try that. Thank you.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## pineapplepastures (Nov 12, 2013)

:clap: :clap: :clap: Looking good, you two! I haven't tried cantering bareback with Astro yet, but I want to soon!!! Keep it up! <3


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

The biggest issue that I see is the chair seat. You lean a bit far back (in my opinion), and your feet go a tad too far forward.

It's definitely a good start, though~


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## Rideordie112 (Dec 7, 2013)

Zexious said:


> The biggest issue that I see is the chair seat. You lean a bit far back (in my opinion), and your feet go a tad too far forward.
> 
> It's definitely a good start, though~


Okay thanks! I'll work on that
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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