# Riding bareback good or bad?



## Elizabeth Bowers (Jan 26, 2012)

My saddle doesn't fit my mare properly so i ride her bareback. Plus she prefers it anyway because she can 'feel' what i'm asking of her. And yes it definitely does help with balance and posture!!


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

I agree! I prefer bareback. In fact, I'm a much better rider bareback which is probably why my horse seems to prefer that bareback pad to the saddle! I am a middle aged person (47)returning to riding after decades of being away. As a kid rider, I always rode bareback with a pad because we couldn't afford a saddle. 

When I ride bare back, I'm more balanced and in rhythm with the horse. I like the way it feels too, like an massage on my seat. I'm relaxed and feel good after a bare back ride. It shakes all the tension out of my shoulders and loosens my hip and right leg, which I crushed 2 years ago in a motorcycle accident. It even improves my walking as I will always limp a bit. 

As a contrast, riding in a saddle makes me feel unbalanced, off rhythm and disconnected. I am tense and tight after. 

Is it the same for anyone else?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Canterklutz (Jul 20, 2012)

People can debate that English, Western, Side saddle, Aussie, ect is the best way to ride but I say bareback is the way to go. 

When I first learned to ride English I had a lot of trouble learning to sit the trot and canter despite having lunge line lessons and practicing stirrupless. My instructor had me ride the round, fat pony bareback which finally helped me develop a proper seat. 

It feels like you're not going to be as secure bareback but I've managed to ride out spooks, bolts, bucks (the one instance where you can appreciate high withers :lol, and rears more securely than I thought I could. I really enjoy riding bareback especially when I've been having so many saddle problems with my horse.


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## Northern (Mar 26, 2010)

Bareback is fantastic for reasons mentioned, but it's said (& makes sense) that saddles help the horse by getting your weight off of their spines, as well as by distributing your weight over a larger area. Thus, it's recommended to ride a greater percentage of the time with a properly-fitting saddle.


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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

I have never heard that reason before! Lol i think it really depends i mean i barrel race and i try to find the smallest saddle and pad because it does not have as much weight for the horse to carry so they run faster
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## LynnF (Jun 1, 2011)

I think bareback is great as long as you are able to ride without bouncing around too much. Bouncing around up there can create a lot of pain and tension in the horse's back. I ride bareback quite often but I always feel bad for the horse when I see someone up there bareback bouncing around like pogo stick!


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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

Yes i agree you need great core strength to bareback ride i have taught myself to post bareback actually
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## Canterklutz (Jul 20, 2012)

Barrelhorsetrainer said:


> Yes i agree you need great core strength to bareback ride i have taught myself to post bareback actually
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Try adding bridleless on top of that. Really works your core. I swear if I rode bareback and bridleless everyday I'd have a six-pack by now. :wink:


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## Radiowaves (Jul 27, 2010)

Northern said:


> Bareback is fantastic for reasons mentioned, but it's said (& makes sense) that saddles help the horse by getting your weight off of their spines, as well as by distributing your weight over a larger area. Thus, it's recommended to ride a greater percentage of the time with a properly-fitting saddle.


My thought exactly! I rode a good bit bareback when I was young but sitting directly on a horse's back would undeniably "point-load" your weight onto a much smaller surface area of his back than would be the case when a saddle is acting like a "spreader". I would think that a mechanical engineer could prove that out... I love riding bareback but if the saddle is more comfortable for him, then saddled it'll be for me! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## penylove8 (Feb 2, 2010)

I would definitely have to agree that bareback is the way to go, you just feel more in tuned to your horse, both of your feelings , and feel a true connection. whereas with a saddle to me personally, it feels more like work then pleasure....but I will say I come out with sore legs each time lol


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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

Hehe ya! I no lol i could ride bridless on my old horse he was so responsive! Loved him so much! 
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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

Barrelhorsetrainer said:


> Hehe ya! I no lol i could ride bridless on my old horse he was so responsive! Loved him so much!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I think it would be easier to get to bridleless riding bareback because my horse is so light to my seat aids bareback. It almost feels like I am just thinking of something and she responds.


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## Foxtail Ranch (Mar 10, 2012)

Barrelhorsetrainer said:


> Yes i agree you need great core strength to bareback ride i have taught myself to post bareback actually
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 
Me too! And it actually feels easier bareback for me. I'm just not as good a rider in a saddle for some reason.


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## ThatAppy (Jan 5, 2013)

I love it! It brings me closer to my horse, gives him a break from the saddle, strenghens my muscles, and in the cold Canadian winter, he sure does warm up my legs! :lol:


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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

ya if my horse is out of shape and i go jump on bareback i usually am really sore afterwards lol
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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

Northern said:


> Bareback is fantastic for reasons mentioned, but it's said (& makes sense) that saddles help the horse by getting your weight off of their spines, as well as by distributing your weight over a larger area. Thus, it's recommended to ride a greater percentage of the time with a properly-fitting saddle.


I was once riding bareback and a lady yelled at me for it! She said that what I was doing was bad for my horse's back and that I shouldn't do it anymore. Sheesh! Some people just take things too far! I am a huge fan of bareback. You learn so much more about horse movement and balance bareback. I once worked for a guy who had one rule (of which mostly applied to his kids): "if you can't lift a saddle, you're not using one" (he was an old-timer old-fashioned cowboy). So his kids grew up riding bareback. They were some of the best riders.


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## Barrelhorsetrainer (Jan 7, 2013)

The lady who told you that had no buisness in it lol i would have been ****ed at her lol
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## dashygirl (Nov 21, 2006)

LOL, yes, it was awkward...for her!


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Risding bareback you develop a feel for the horse that IMO cannot be taught.
I rode bareback on a welsh pony for years and she bucked every day at least once because i was not being still.
Decades later i can feel more intune with my horse than with a saddle.
it has made me a far better rider. I used to jump herd cattle and everything bareback.
At 53 I still ride bareback occasionally. On only certain horses of mine.
I still am a bold rider and when I recently took my first lesson in 35 years the instructor said that I had a great seat. Shalom


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## kay56649 (Mar 25, 2012)

I ride bareback all winter, because the horses keep you warm back when horses were used all the time, they didn't have saddles and rode bareback. I think it a great way to learn better balance and stay in sync with your horse. You can bond and get a better feel for each other when you are bareback.


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## penylove8 (Feb 2, 2010)

Lol that lady must have not understood the concept of weight displacement and for a matter of fact any weight at all...because my saddle is at least 25lbs not including adding myself on there and any saddle bags that I attach to it, so if you ask me thats a lot worse for horse and yet they are still okay with that humm lol


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## HorseCrazyTeen (Jul 29, 2012)

I ride bareback more often than with a saddle. It's a lot of fun and I feel more balanced and in tune with my horse. And I feel like she's lighter and more responsive riding bareback. Plus it's easier in the summer to just hop on and ride instead spend time tacking and un-tacking, and in the winter she keeps me nice and warm.

If you're going to go shopping afterward, be forewarned that people walking behind you will know you've just ridden a horse bareback! LOL


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

I ride bareback for many reasons. 
1) helps with my balance
2) helps with my connection with my horse
3) My posture. It fails in the saddle so I ride bareback to try and make it better in saddle.
4) It's way more fun
5) I am not very advanced, so I really need to work on it. - with speed that is. my balance is OK.
Reasons I use the saddle:
1) I feel more secure
2) I usually use this when I trot and lope
3) shows

well, I vote bareback! Once I get better with speed on bareback, I am all for it. Other than that, the saddle would be like new for years and years. haha!


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