Bareback riding hints!!

[canteron]

I’m really far too old for this, but on these warm Summer days my chilled out horse is even more chilled, so I am trying to improve my riding seat with some Bareback Riding (with a bit of bridle-less riding added in for fun).

Is the position technically as if you had a saddle, do your legs wrap round the horse, or let them hand, do you try and keep your toes up - so many questions, not many instructors are up for giving a bareback lesson these days.

All tips welcome.

 

[Titchy Reindeer]

Lots of tips:
First, keep in mind that bareback riding equals horse sweat and hair on your joddies, which is really not comfortable, plan to change afterwards!
If you aren't really good at mounting bareback / have a really tall horse, find yourself a good mounting block, especially if your horse isn't used to being ridden bareback (mine did NOT appreciate me digging an elbow into her back in a botched mounting attempt - can't say I blame her)
I'm personally not brave enough to do bareback and bitless at the same time, I need either a saddle or bridle/headcollar, I can't do without both.
I find how I sit on a horse bareback depends on the horse's conformation. My Little Madam puts me in a chair seat bareback, so we don't do it often. My Old Lady is surprisingly more comfortable bareback despite being nowhere near as round! (haven't attempted trot on the Old Lady - I don't fancy trying near racing speed of trot without a saddle. I can walk, trot, canter and jump on Little Madam). I tend to let my lower legs dangle unless they're needed, though I don't know if there's a "correct" way to do it. Try not to grip with your legs unless/ until needed.
Oh, and watch out for hills, horses are ridiculously slippy when going up or down a hill!
Neck strap is your friend.

Have fun!

 

[Skib]

I cant tell you what to do. But I have a book
Pony Boy, Horse Follow Closely; Native American Horsemanship. in which the native American rider describes riding bareback and the difference from riding with stirrups.
He says (and this is what I did in my bareback lessons) was to let the rider's legs lie forward in the groove below the shoulders of the horse.
This is not the same as the position of the legs in dressage which is why my RI said she didnt usually encourage her dressage students to ride bareback.

I do miss my regular summer treat of riding bareback but am now in my eighties and I dont think it would be wise even to ask. I also learned that to ride bareback without hurting the horse one needs a plump bottom (which I have) and the horse should be well covered too.

 

[BBP]

I tried googling bareback tips once and it didn’t go well so I think you are wise to ask rather than Google!
I think a mobile/flexible lower back is really important to be able to move with the horse and absorb the movement, otherwise it’s like driving a car with no suspension. I have my legs further forwards than in a saddle with my pelvis tipped slightly more back and my abs engaged.

Other tips:
Don’t ride a super shiny, slippery, super feisty black pony in the pitch dark bareback without a bridle or even a neck rope. You will break your ribs.

Beware your clothing. I prefer jeans as I don’t get static build up that then zaps me in the crotch and the pony on the back as I jump off.

Trampolines make vaulting on and off easier.

 

[Cortez]

Riding bareback is fun (mostly) and an interesting exercise, but it really isn't going to improve anything to do with regular riding as far as position and effectiveness is concerned - rather the opposite actually. Oh, and Native Americans adopted saddles just as soon as they possibly could, so the myth of them being superb bareback horsemen is just that

To ride bareback effectively and safely you will have to sit back on your buttocks more than usual, with your legs forward, toes down and relaxed, and a rounded lower back, you will also have to grip more than with a saddle. It will improve balance and feel (for you), but isn't as easy for the horse since you won't be able to help him as much. I spent an entire summer riding bareback for a film once, and it's the only time I've ever had horses with a sore back. I also gained massively muscular thighs from gripping. Good luck!

 

[TheHairyOne]

Wear the right underwear!

I was without my saddle for 2 weeks one summer and was playing in the fields bareback to control his waistline. Day 6 wrong pants... I had to lunge/long rein after that...

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

For the love of christ don't ride a thoroughbred bareback! Not unless it is incredibly well schooled!

I spent a few weeks riding GrayMo bareback (too lazy to tack up properly, my bridle was a bridoon slip with a snaffle and reins.) And we very quickly established walk to canter, canter to walk trotting was just an absolute no go!

On a wide back native pony with a smooth gait it's great fun. Or actually any wide back, witherless horse.

 

[Glitter's fun]

1) definitely don't Google it
2) lean further back, don't pretend you have an invisible saddle, your legs & feet need to be more forwards
3)relax your waist & roll with the movement

 

[Cortez]

For the love of christ don't ride a thoroughbred bareback! Not unless it is incredibly well schooled!

I spent a few weeks riding GrayMo bareback (too lazy to tack up properly, my bridle was a bridoon slip with a snaffle and reins.) And we very quickly established walk to canter, canter to walk trotting was just an absolute no go!

On a wide back native pony with a smooth gait it's great fun. Or actually any wide back, witherless horse.

....oh I don't know; wide backed, witherless sausages are incredibly easy to roll right off at the slightest deviation from a completely straight trajectory.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

....oh I don't know; wide backed, witherless sausages are incredibly easy to roll right off at the slightest deviation from a completely straight trajectory.

Very true but at least you have way less chance of your vajayjay getting mangled to pieces!

 

[Glitter's fun]

 

[Cortez]

View attachment 121271

Blimey! I hope you don't want to ride like that?

 

[Glitter's fun]

...and something soft to land on.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Didn't even bother with a bridle that day

 

[BBP]

I’m full of ideas for getting on…Although perhaps more elegant/athletic in my mind than in reality!

 

[millikins]

On a wide back native pony with a smooth gait it's great fun. Or actually any wide back, witherless horse.

This

 

[BBP]

View attachment 121271

View attachment 121272

Not sure those are great examples! I saw a great video the other day of a girl absolutely gunning it on her mustang with the most incredible seat, it was like they were the same being. Magic.

 

[Skib]

Beware your clothing. I prefer jeans

I rode bareback in my jeans.

 

[Glitter's fun]

Not sure those are great examples! I saw a great video the other day of a girl absolutely gunning it on her mustang with the most incredible seat, it was like they were the same being. Magic.

Just kidding.

 

[ycbm]

My tips for bareback riding?

Don't.
.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

For the love of christ don't ride a thoroughbred bareback! Not unless it is incredibly well schooled!

I spent a few weeks riding GrayMo bareback (too lazy to tack up properly, my bridle was a bridoon slip with a snaffle and reins.) And we very quickly established walk to canter, canter to walk trotting was just an absolute no go!

On a wide back native pony with a smooth gait it's great fun. Or actually any wide back, witherless horse.

I wouldn't ride my Arab's bareback although they are wide one has a wither but they are sharp and spook so I would definitely fall off

 

[cobgoblin]

No point in me giving advice, I always slide straight off the other side.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I’m full of ideas for getting on…Although perhaps more elegant/athletic in my mind than in reality!

I need to find something tall enough to stand on to try your middle video, the pony can back up well, wondering if this would be an acceptable way to sit on my youngster for the first time

Wish I was athletic enough to try the other 2 ways but my attempts at getting on bareback rely totally on my Saint of a pony being generous enough to stay very still while I climb up the gate and wriggle or slide on with zero grace or elegance.

 

[Prancerpoos]

Yeah, don’t wear shorts. I made that mistake in my yoof with a very fine coated TB. I then spent, literally, hours, picking each individual hair out of my inner thighs. Having an orange coating of fur there as I walked home was not a good look either

 

[TinseLeneHorse]

I did ride my rounded Connie X bareback once. She was very comfortable and it was interesting to feel how her muscles moved as we were walking along. However white Connie hair goes straight through your johds and your pants. I swear I was shedding it from my crotch for a week afterwards

 

[nagblagger]

The cob i had to ride bareback as she had girth sores when i had her - very round and slippy.
The mule - OMG power walks and 'choppy' stride, only risked a couple of strides of trot bare back, i felt like a wobbly jelly.

 

[HeresHoping]

Do not wear cycling shorts, thinking that the chamois will save your bits. Or any lycra, for that matter. And make sure you haven't liberally slathered them in fly spray.

The only time I ever fell off (twice) my darling little Jams was the time I thought I wouldn't bother changing or tacking her up. I had just cycled to the yard, so was wearing a luminous yellow cycling shirt and some fetching bib shorts with added padding to save my lady bits from the pointy saddle they insist all road bikes come with.

So, headcollar on, lead rope fashioned into reins. Line oversized pony up alongside mini tiger trap to climb on. Leap from the log and slither all the way round and actually end up in the tiger trap while pony snorts and high tails it to the gate without me. Catch the pony and have to do a walk of shame past 7 clapping farm workers who'd spotted my high viz shirt from their combines and stopped to watch.

I wouldn't have minded, but on the second attempt I set off up the road, still a bit pink faced, when a lovely gentleman on a big grey hunter stepped out of the bridle path and shouted 'hello'. Jams didn't flinch but I turned to wave and slipped off out the side door.

 

[JackFrost]

Stickybum jods help. I find it so different to riding in a saddle, like leneHorse says, you really feel the horse. Oddly on a wide comfy horse I feel more secure than normal.

 

[BBP]

Just kidding.

Phew!

 

[Gloi]

As a teen I used to ride bareback a lot. I could vault on by swinging my leg up, trot , canter, jump and not feel insecure.
I tried to ride bareback a few months ago, needed a three step mounting block to get on, felt horribly insecure in walk, and when I tried to get off got my leg stuck and landed on my arse on the floor.
Ho hum.