Bareback Benefits

i've had to ride bareback for the last month and a half and it gives you really bad habbits and you dont sit properly /:
 
I find bareback aids my balance, and encourages me to relax and not tense up. I also find that my seat with a saddle has improved, and I am much more 'sticky' and can sit to trot and canter much easier :)

You can also feel your horse more under you, and I think I find it easier to get mine working properly bareback too, he is more comfortable, foreward and willing like that (not down to saddle fit!) :)
 
I just love bareback riding as I can feel every muscle movement and respond accordingly, I have a bridle for control, and I get that freedom feeling I love, horse has to be a comfortable ride though, and placid!
 
My horse is incredibly uncomfortable and bouncy bareback but I do occasionally give it a go because I think it's really good for balance and teaching you to sit rather than perch!

I used to think my seat was ok until I got BH but if I try and do work without stirrups on him I struggle not to bounce of sideways!! :o Anything which helps me sit better and not grip to pull myself into the saddle has to be a good thing I figure!
 
Whats pliance testing???

The benefits of bareback, IMO, are that it helps you get a saddle quicker :D
 
It helps you to balance, stops you relying on stirrups, and saves time tacking up. I often ride bareback including cantering, and jumping (have galloped bareback but that was definitely a bit scary - friend 'forgot' I was bareback and galloped off in front - mare followed!), I think that if you own a horse you should be comfortable to ride bareback. I worked at a RS as a teenager where we were often made to have our 'free rides' bareback to improve our riding :)

I'm sure if you can't sit properly it could be damaging, but doubt it would be as damaging as a badly fitted saddle.
 
Yes Kaz, good if you're young.... wait 'til you get abit older.

Don't get me wrong, have had to go back to bareback riding including jumping whie I was waiting for saddle to be made but seriously... just get a good saddle and ride without stirrups.. better for horse... better for rider :D
 
Dunno. I love it and ride bareback out of choice. Hack out bareback [roads, fields, galloping, anywhere realy], school bareback, jump bareback...doesn't make too much of a difference for me. I've done/do XC bareback too!

I would never ride the show hunters bareback, as I find they're a bit too sharp and it's not worth the risk....and they're 17.2hh plus lol.

The cobs and my TB lad however, I'd ride bareback all day on! We have the herd of colts about a 10 minute walk away, so I normally just hop on Hairy bareback, stick a headcollar on and have a 2 minute canter up there to check on them instead of walking :)
 
touchstone said:
Info on Pliance testing here:- http://novel.de/productinfo/systems-pliance-saddle.htm

Basically it shows up any areas of pressure on the horse's back.
Click to expand...

Ahhh very interesting. It would make a lot of sense that bareback has more pressure points as there is less area for weight distribution...

I understand the thighs and buttocks are the areas of greater weight bearing but the seatbones are uncomfortable after a while...
 
I can't answer your question OP but I do know it certainly wasn't fun this evening when I was bare backing it to the field... a horse eating bird flew out of a tree and pony darted forwards/sideways then trotted off!! Note to self don't ride bareback with just a head collar when pony is in season and much spookier than normal :)
 
OH and I ride Ron bareback quite a bit, just for the good of our riding and he seems to quite like it too. It's all good until he goes into extended trot :eek:

We hack out, school and jump bareback. He goes in an outline more easily bareback (the saddle does fit before anyone comments) which we think is partly just a mind trick, but also he can feel better what you're asking of him and is much softer in your hand.
 
I ride bareback occasionally, I have a responsive TBx. I usually ride bareback when I just want to sit on my boy so he is ridden but not do anything too drastic.

I actually find that he relaxes into an outline alot quicker, and it helps with my position too.
It takes me a couple of times when I haven't done it in a while to get back into the swing of it, but I figure that if I can school my horse just aswell bareback and get him listenning and schooling properly in walk trot and canter then we can't be going too far wrong and my position must be fairly secure.

I haven't yet jumped in bareback, but i'm sure I will at some point.
 
It's great for balance and being one with your horse. I'm too old to do it now, but I tried always just to ride bareback in a headcollar. Then, if you do lose your balance and slip off, it's not at the expense of your horse's mouth! Hvae fun...
 
I find it helps my balance a lot, it also helps lengthen my legs so that I'm not relying on my stirrups at all.
Since riding bareback I also find that I can sit to his faster trots far better as well.

Although I did try bareback riding after I'd brushed Total Groom on his coat, which made him slippy and I was wearing shorts and leggings at the time... let's just say I was quite proud of myself for not slipping off one side :rolleyes:

But all in all bareback riding as helped me a lot, and I have read that some riding instructors do like to give at least one lesson in bareback riding because it helps the rider connect more easily with the horse.
 
thank you for the replys :D they have really helped me! i am going to school Ben bareback next time.. lets hope he doesnt have one of his occasional bucking fits (have had all the checks etc done, he is my loan pony aswell and its just naughtyness!) :)
 
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