Do you think bareback riding would improve a riders seat?

Rather an interesting experience for me was to practice riding bareback for a competition and found that my horse was going in a much better way than in a saddle, in sitting trot.

Is anyone old enough to have learnt to ride in a felt saddle? That teaches you to stick on.

If I had my time again, I would have started my children on a sheepskin pad, not a hard saddle.
 
I learnt to ride in a felt saddle :) sadly Mum chucked it after my old boy died.

I was trying to get one for my son to learn to ride but couldn't find one anywhere.

I will look into these Zilco pads as he is falling to one side in a saddle and I am trying to teach him to sit evenly and balanced.

Really interesting thread, thank you.

Will need someone to lead me so I can try bareback on my hyper sensitive mare......eeekkk
 
Yes I think it helps you to understand how your individual horse moves and how to adjust your riding and balance to become 'at one' with your horses movement.
If you can ride comfortably and stay in position then you must have a good seat, you've no choice otherwise you would come off or rely too much on the reins, you can't cheat your way through it when riding bareback, where a saddle can help, hide or even hinder a riders seat.

However some horses are probably more easier to sit to purely down to the way they move and how there built.
 
I'm posting this photo because I love it. Learning an independant seat with no stirrups and light hands with no bit.

DanridingTeePee2.jpg
 
Rising trot bareback - the same as rising trot without stirrups. Legs hanging loose, stretch down thighs, knees & ankles with inner thigh in close contact with the horse without gripping; shoulder, hip and heel in alignment so that if the horse vanished you would still be standing rather than falling on your face or bum. Rise from the hips by pushing belly button forwards without collapsing spine, keeping shoulders back and chest open. Think of sitting proud on your horse and going with the movement. Don't think about heels down, this will only cause tension all down the back of your leg. And don't rise too high off the horse's back, just relax and swing forward naturally with the movement. Hope this makes sense!
 
anna22 said:
At risk of sounding like a complete idiot... ;) When rising trot bareback, do you grip with any of your leg to rise?? Or do you sort of bounce?

Rather daft question to ask having ridden for over 10years...but it was never explained to me when I had to do it. I was just told to rise! And not to stop!! Oh, and that canter was far more comfortable ;)

Ps Am about to rekindle my bareback riding after 5 years off thanks to this thread... my seat is in need of some attention after some nasty experiences, I need to relax again :)
Click to expand...

I just think of it the same as with stirrups! Take your hips up & forwards, I don't think about my legs, or my body, just the movement of my hips (everything else figures itself out somehow!)
 
Thanks :) I think thats how I remember doing it...just going for it!

Having nearly been thrown off last night, and feeling a tad shaken by the whole experience. I am planning to do 5-10mins at the end of every schooling session to improve my seat and sense of confidence :D

This could be interesting!!
 
I got inspired this afternoon and rode my boy in the arena, bareback pad and no bit bridle. Was an eye opening experience for me as I didn't realise how far we had progressed in our training (stopped our training in October 09 due to pregnancy). Today was the first day I have asked him to do anything training wise and he was a champ, you wouldn't think he has barely been ridden in over 2 years.

Walked and trotted bareback, at first I had a bit of a 'forgot how big his trot is' moment but after a couple of circles around the arena it was like I had last ridden him only a week ago.

I am quite certain I will be in a whole world of pain on Monday but that's alright, I had fun :D
 
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