do you ride bareback?

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Megibo

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I was thinking of doing so as I think that I depend on the reins too much...this isn't all the time I generally ride on a very light contact which my pony loves but she's strong to canter and jump. I find when jumping i'm often behind the movement or unbalanced and then use her reins to help myself which is no good for her!
So do you ride bareback and will it help my seat/balance?
 
To be honest if your seat isnt that good and your worrying about using the reins too much bareback isnt going to be the best idea.

Does your pony lunge? The best thing to do if she does would be to have some lessons with an instructor on the lunge with no stirrups then you have nothing to rely on at all and you have to concentrate on your balance and seat
 
BobbyMondeo said:
To be honest if your seat isnt that good and your worrying about using the reins too much bareback isnt going to be the best idea.

Does your pony lunge? The best thing to do if she does would be to have some lessons with an instructor on the lunge with no stirrups then you have nothing to rely on at all and you have to concentrate on your balance and seat
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Second this! If you ride bareback and your unbalanced then your going to be ragging your horses mouth more than before. I occasionally ride my pony bareback but I know my limit as she can get quite strong too.

Also a word of warning if you haven't ridden your horse bareback before be careful because some can be rather sensitive like my other horse and buck you off...That would make you improve your seat though :p
 
no my seat isnt that bad...but for jumping i find i need a bit more balance! in other paces i generally rarely touch her mouth and shes happy with that. i probably phrased myself wrong... :/
 
ditto the go on the lunge, do grids with no reins etc.

bareback is good for your seat, i do it loads of the time, makes your thighs ache though! I use it for the increased connection, helps me stop gripping and stops me heels creeping up and get her collected and up into the bridle.
 
When I was a kid i used to go catch my pony in a headcollar, vault on and then gallop him across the field back to the stablles bareback. Soooo not the brightest thing to do really when you think back (I din't have a hac on or anything). However, i reckon it helped my balance no end and I s'pose my pony was a saint. I used to do it with my second (speedier) pony too and even competed in bareback showjumping competitions at shows (yeah, they don't do those these days - how boring! hehe)

I think it def does help your balance BUT I would secon what others have said about having a lesson on a lunge as opposed to just hopping on bareback and trying it. In fact to start with I would try it with a saddle minus stirrups before going bareback and see how you go.

I will still, on occasion, ride my horse back to his field bareback - gone are the days of me vaulting on though (unless i run downhill and leap!), it's harder on a 16hh than it was on a 14.2hh (mind you I can't vault on my 14.2hh anymore either - oh to be young again!)
 
If your horse is happy for you to try knotting your reins and as you go over the jump stick your arms out (plane style lol) and as you do so go into your normal jumping position. You cannot physically hold onto her that way. Doing the same over canter poles or small grids will work well too.
 
I ride mine back back and find it is very good for the seat. How about a grab strap for jumping? We used to be made to jump with no reins, just keeping our hands on the horses shoulders to help us keep with the horse.
 
If you're finding yourself behind the movent whilst jumping and getting a little unbalanced, why not try using a neck strap... at least that way you will save your horses mouth when you be come unbalanced and can always use the neck strap to regain yourself...
 
Oh ok sorry, might help as well though something to think about.

Echo what others have said about knotting your reins and going over the jumps like that will give you nothing to hold onto and make you really think about getting your timing right whilst letting her just jump it.
 
I do have a neck strap, but its from a martingale so doesnt give much on her mouth. I reckon my problem is not riding her over the fence, so Meg says "well if you dont reeeally want me to jump it...i'm not going to!" unless we're at a show going round a course and then she wont stop til shes done :D
but yes i think i'll go on the lunge without reins so that i dont rely on them and then move on to no stirrups :)
i'd love to jump bareback i could see myself sliding right off.... :P
 
I learnt to ride by breaking in ponies bareback and now I still sit on a young horse with a roller and hessian sack, I never let them trot or go fast, so that I can take them anywhere bareback, knowing that the default is walk, I hold the mane above the withers, and have never fallen off for as long as I can recall.
 
Honey Pony said:
I ride mine back back and find it is very good for the seat. How about a grab strap for jumping? We used to be made to jump with no reins, just keeping our hands on the horses shoulders to help us keep with the horse.
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Thats exactly what happened to me, but it made me such a good rider, i could canter and jump, and turn without the reins. At the moment, i'd be afraid to do so, but that's just me, not the horse. No reins is scary when your 32!!!!!
 
I do, a lot. I ride in a Dr Cook with a Best Friend bareback pad. Great fun and I know she enjoys it too. We had a "canter" up the hill in company with an OTTB while I was bareback, turned into a race and she won! That was slightly unnerving but exhilarating at the same time. Not recommended for your first time though....
 
i ride prob once a week bareback - whack on bridle (most of time - soimetimes i go out in just headcollar and two lead ropes - but saying that if i'm just being lazy and getting on in field to canter back up to gate its usually just a single leadrope and a hope and prayer that she stops at teh top lol!!)

i put a lead rope round the neck if i'm going on a hack - simply as she's v soft mouthed so if she shies i can grab the neck strap if needed - also when she bucks :rolleyes:

i do everything bar jumping bareback - i've tried small stuff but there's only a few small logs to pop round here

i do mostly cantert work though rather than troto work - just becuase its nicer to sit to lol! last week i did about a mile canter work bareback - i love it :D

this is 2 years ago - my first trip to the beach with her - didn't want to ruin my new saddle with sea water so went bareback lol!
beachstill1.jpg
 
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