Bareback trotting - how?

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Ranyhyn

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Took the boy wonder out for a bareback hack yesterday. Realised I hadn't trotted bareback since I was about 10 (a long time ago!!) so I decided to give it a whirl.

Jeepers! Its hard!! What are you meant to do?!! Grip - dont grip? I found the easiest way was to bring my knee up a little but I felt I was bouncing too much and this morning my arse bones KILL!

Is there a knack to it? Or am i destined to hack bareback in walk only?!

Kitty
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Don't grip, just let your legs hang long, I feel it is most effective if you feel like you have lead weights in your boots/heels
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I much prefer bareback cantering, less bouncy
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practice, practice, practice!! and relax
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best advice i ever got was to try and go with the horse in trot - dont try to sit against it
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I do bareback stuff once a week, with horse wearing a headcollar!
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although i do more cantering than trotting as he has such a bony back
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You cheat of course, and get a bareback pad, which is a glorifed numnah pad (neoprene underneath for grip) with a handle on the front. Then you can relax if need be, and use the handle for trot, canter is easier like Damnation said lol
 
The phrase "Arse bones" made me laugh out loud!

I find i just let them jog and relax and pretend i'm american.... ewww.... even though I'm generally on a shire, ambling through a country estate in devon.... lol

In seriousness, its all about your lower back. Not a usful bit of information because you can't teach it. Its one of those things that "clicks" after a few wobbles!
 
'In the olden days' the trick (rather ungainly though it looked), was to not grip with your legs at all to and lean backwards; with your ungripped legs rather forward, and to soften your back so the bounce dissipates up through your bottom and lower tummy. I wouldn't recommend this for public display, but it really makes trotting bareback (in private!) comfortable.
 
Ditto what Spyda has said - keep your legs slightly forward and relax your tummy and lower back and don't grip with your knees.

For a good example, from the experts, have a you look at how the Gypsies/Travelers ride!

I ride a very bouncy Arab bareback - only problem I have is cornering in trot as I lose my balance.
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Agree with the above - from someone who has to ride one and lead up to 4 (
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I know ) half a mile twice a day in summer! stick you legs forward lean back and relax through your body - oh and choose a comfy horse!! (better add that we're blessed with very quiet country roads)
 
The key is relax, let your legs hang heavy along with your elbows (elbow/hip/heal has never been so true to the word) and let gravity do its job and sit deap, this spreads the weight evenly and keeps you central, if you bring your legs up, this alters your seat and balance, the same goes if you tip forward slightly and eventually you'll bounce off...eventually. So never tence up, moment you tense up, you'll come a cropper, even if you tence your shoulders or arms, it all has a knock on effect to your seat.

Bare back riding is fantastic, I cant think of anything better to improve someone's riding, seat and hands, you also find that you horse listens to you much better once you have cracked it and you'll be surprised what dressage moves your horse can pull off without as much effort.

You need to keep things slow to start off with, jog trots, once you get used to that then I'd move straight into canter (which is much easier than it sounds and more comfortable) but you need to make sure your horse can do this from a nice slow collected trot, then when you return back into trot from canter, again straight into a nice slow trot (so great for practicing good transitions). Reason you need to be careful when trotting is its harder to sit to a say working to an extended one and its that in-between bit that catches people out, not only that but you need to ride it well otherwise your horse will find it very bumpy and blooming uncomfortable! but it can be done, you need to lean back just a tad and tilt your hips forward and let your hips absorb the bumps, so your not actually bouncing up and down on the horses back, its hard for me to explain but once you feel it, you'll know exactly what I mean.

I used to ride miles bare back and you'll find that even when your horse spooks, you can sit to it, in fact you'll wonder why you needed stirrups lol!
although you do end up with a sweaty wet bottom....not a good look when you get off your horse...and get straight into you car afterwards, so seat coves are a must!
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Let legs hang, relax and I do some weird little hip movement thing, as if Im trotting along as well
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probably incorrect but it helps me
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