Bareback Riding

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trotter259

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My horse has been out of work for almost 5 months due to a very ill fitting saddle and being as thin as a toast rack.

Would I be silly to get on bareback?

I have the saddle fitter coming out at the end of this month, but really want to start riding my boy, he is getting bored just doing in hand walks.

He is very responsive and flighty.
 
You can only try it. has he ever been ridden bareback? If I had decided not to ride bareback this summer then Phil wouldn't have been worked enough this year!
 
For various reasons I have been riding my spooky and unpredictable thoroughbred bareback for about 5 months now, and not had any problems *touches wood frantically*. Lots of people have said they think I'm mad but I do feel pretty safe on her.

Having said that, I wouldn't get on my other horse without a saddle, I would see it as taking unnecessary risks.
If your horse hasn't been ridden for 5 months is he likely to be more difficult? I wouldn't fancy bringing a horse back into work without a saddle. If he has lasted 5 months without being ridden he will be fine for another one. But if you are really keen to get back on board (I can understand that) is there any reason you can't get the saddle fitter to come out a bit sooner?
If you do decide to ride bareback make sure you check your insurance policy in case it invalidates it.
 
I don't think he has ever been ridden bareback.

Like you say, all I can do is try. He may really enjoy it. We have a lovely bond now, he quite happily follows me around with no leadrope, he is fantastic on the lunge and listens to my voice, I may attempt to hop onbaord this weekend.
 
Lunge him first in case of any excess energy, make sure you've got a friend to hand just in case, don your hat and bp or a thick coat and have a little walk round. I'm sure you will get the vibe from him as to whether he will act up or not :)

I'm a bit odd because I'd be worried about riding with a saddle after 5/6 months off than bareback. If I'm going to fall off I'd rather it be bareback, reduce the risk of getting a foot caught :o
 
I'd think about (if your not already) doing some lunge work and long reining, this will help improve his back without causing any further damage or discomfort (if he's been sore and still not up to weight) as well as start to build up on the muscle which has been lost, this will ensure a better fit and less chance of your horse changing shape dramatically once your saddle has been fitted, plus your doing something different to just walking him out.

If he's a bit flightly and a bit quick on the uptake, bareback unless in a safe place, like an arena, might not be the best of ideas if he's not been ridden for a while, not point having a few saddle if you've been injured etc :D
 
I rode my gelding bareback after a lot of time out of work for the same reasons, very badly fitting saddle! It did my confidence the world of good and we both really enjoyed it! we still go without a saddle sometimes
 
I am sharing the saddler costs with a friend, and this is the only time she can do it. Otherwise I would have them out sooner.

I have been doing lots of lunge work and raised poles, working with a bungee on the lunge to get him working his back end properly and rounding.

I just thought riding bareback would be different and it would enable me to ride him up and down the hills we have at home to engage his bottom also, and it would mean I could work him in the right outline.
 
If you feel confident give it a go!
But just be careful... (If i were you I'd do it but somehow when it's someone else you feel like you have to tell them to be very careful and sensible about everything)
Good luck!
 
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