How meny of you ride bareback

[TigerLilly]

 

[PapaFrita]

PF is rather narrow (so not very comfortable) but also very shiny and slippery. I like to ride her bareback every now and then, but mostly it's a bit nerve-wracking!

 

[Tia]

Summer I ride in saddles as horses get too hot and my jeans end up wet from the heat and sweat.

Winter I ride, almost exlusively, bareback. It is generally way too cold to take gloves off and I can't put the saddles on with big thick gloves on, so bareback is my preference.

 

[sammys ma]

only very occasionally i will ride him back out to the field after schooling/hack etc, when he's chilled out......BUT...must stress I still put my hat on!!

I only walk though, because Bob is the most wriggly ponio ever!

 

[Claireg9]

Generally up to the field at the moment, but i used to ride my old pony quite alot bareback, i got used to her jiggleing around and we practised all the time as i used to do barback jumping classes, we could still go like a bat out of hell, but with my new one, well her trott is so exagerated im not sure if it'll be easy or not??
Plan to give it a go as soon as i get her going right though.
Its fun!

 

[Oaksflight]

Walk and canter.. trot is painful as it is with no stirrups, never mind no saddle!

 

[KatB]

He likes to hump in canter bareback....

Used to with ponio, all the time in the summer!! Not on Lanky one, he'd freak with me getting on using the "vaulting" method, he cant cope with leg ups either...

 

[Tempi]

never - i cant get on!!!! and shes mighty wide!! We're not allowed to at our yard either.

i used to ride ponies bareback to the fields all the time at the riding school i helped at.

 

[TigerLilly]

I have asked this as somewere along the line my balance is a bit off so my instructor has advised me to ride bareback sometimes to help improve my balance. I rode out today on an hour hack and it really did help but i really ache after, has any one got any good tips ?

 

[meandmyself]

I've never ridden bareback- I've always ridden because of work/at a riding school, so never had chance.

 

[_jetset_]

Only when I forget the keys for my saddle and have it in my head that I want to school her... she is quite comfortable surprisingly!

 

[Parkranger]

I don't mind riding in the winter with a rug on but my boy's got a bony spine so I hate to think what damage it would inflict!!

 

[Mellymoo1]

My horse is too high up!! Plus I'm too scared... can barely stay on with a saddle!!

 

[PoppyPony]

I'm saddle-less atm so all the time! Dibbs is lovely and round and comfy

I jumped bareback for the first time the other day was great!

 

[kbt2661]

I put sometimes but I actually don't ride anymore. But my girls do and they often ride bareback in the summer. When they were little and learning to ride I used to make them use a felt pad when hacking out proper saddle was only for jumping and shows, and ride bareback in the school all the time, it worked wonders for their balance and they have the most incredible sticky bums now, can stay on through almost anything. Try it I bet it works.

 

[RobinHood]

I ride my horses bareback up to the field because it's a 15min walk from the yard. Plus if I have 3 or 4 to take up at once I find it easier to sit on one of them and lead one or two each side, rather than get squished walking inbetween them.

 

[vicm2509]

Baron has the boniest spine in the world so the closest we get to riding bareback is when I sit on him to take him to the field to turnout.

I do like riding bareback though, give me a nice cob and id ride without a saddle every day!

I do ride without stirrups sometimes though if that counts

 

[Chumsmum]

I've never ridden bareback either - any tips?

 

[JAK]

I put 'all the time' for the girls, as it is more than 'sometimes'!
They all ride bareback a lot & littlest disabled daughter very seldom wants her saddle on, though she rarely goes faster than a walk on LBO!

Fat Orange One is scarily round & bouncy, though bizarrely, eldest daughter has a much better leg position riding bareback!
Cob Blob is nice & comfy & loves being ridden bareback - MD has even jumped him bareback on occasions! LOL
Small White One is good at giving bareback pony rides & is a lot more confident without a saddle, as I think her old one used to pinch her & she is a little scared of being girthed!

 

[Tempi]

id never hack out bareback - id be too scared she'd spook and id slide off sideways!!!! (actually i know she'd spoke as she does all the time anyways)

 

[JAK]

[ QUOTE ]
I've never ridden bareback either - any tips?

[/ QUOTE ]
1. Brush pony, or loose hairs stick in your bottom!

2. Think sitting 'in' pony, rather than 'on' it!

3. Long legs & sit up! Look between ponies ears to help stay straight! LOL

4. Neck strap for security, if pony doesn't have a big chunk of mane to grab hold of!

 

[4whitesocks]

Rode bareback a lot when started back into riding 5 or 6 years ago - was in a group that took lesssons together once a week for 9 months and at the end we were jumping a metre bareback....
since then I have become a complete chicken and have never ridden Sid bareback but hope to very soon!!

 

[vivhewe]

I ride loads in the field bareback, although only walk and trot as I haven't got the balls or the balance to go any faster

I'm riding with my saddle on at the moment though because he's being a little sh:t!

 

[muffinino]

My horse gets girth galls easily, despite sheepskin girth covers and bias cut girths, so I ride out bareback quite a lot. Does wonders for balance and makes you sit up a lot as you have no choice! Titan tends to lean on the reins in canter and pull me forward so when I have no choice but to sit up it helps me, psychologically, to try and remedy it. I look a bit scruffy riding my hairy coloured cob up the road, in jeans (they stick better than jods!), but it is good for you.

 

[Taz975]

I used to when i was a kid but now I never do, just because I dont really have any desire to whatsoever!!

 

[JessPickle]

I ride horses up to the field bareback all the time, I ride pickle up and other RS horses I love it. We do have a rather large wall though that you can step off even onto the largest of beasts (pickle!)

 

[10past6]

I wont dare with my boy he's a narrow tb, very boney. Used to with my pony thou really comfortable. Really improves you balance so would def recommended it if you've got the chance.

 

[CSYMolly]

Used to a lot as a kid and even as a teenager on a bony tb very good for the seat but wouldn't last five mins on current horse, she's sensitive enough with a saddle sometimes!

 

[pixie]

I used to ride bareback all the time when I was younger - both on my comfy rounded youngster and droop-backed old lady. Never had a problem with either, both were comfy.

 

[truffles]

[ QUOTE ]
Walk and canter.. trot is painful as it is with no stirrups, never mind no saddle!

[/ QUOTE ]

Haha completely agree! On the riding holiday in Cornwall, I prefered the flat out whizz mode then the trot!