Might I make my horse's back sore by riding bareback??

catembi

catembi

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Adrian likes to lean on my hands if he possibly can. It was suggested to me that maybe he finds this easier to do because my WOW, which I love dearly, sits me a long way off his back so he can get me to pivot fwd.

So...we tried a thinner type of treeless in the week...no leaning. I was very surprised & pleased, but also a bit
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cos I truly believe that the WOW is the best thing for my horse.

It was then suggested that since I don't have a treeless, I could try riding bareback. I rode in the school for 1/2 hour bareback yesterday - prob 20 mins walk & 10 mins trot altogether but all mixed up with lots of transitions. *No* leaning & he was carrying himself. He felt absolutely fab, really powerful & uphill.

Tried him in his saddle today & he was being dozy & heavy so after 15 mins tried him without...still dozy & heavy. Not sure if it's cos he's feeling dozy from the heat or cos he's tired from carrying himself yesterday or cos I've made his back sore???

FWIW he's a well covered ISH (although sitting on him bareback he feels a hell of a lot bonier than he looks!!) & I weigh 8st.
 
No way he will be fine, however I do think that the saddle obviously isn't right for your horse if he feels so different with/without. I am sure there have been a few things on here recently about problems with WOW saddles
 
Riding bareback is old skool, the native american's did it and they were kewl
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you can't hurt your horse back riding bareback any more than you can riding with a saddle.
If he feels better bareback then the wow saddle obvisouly isn't for him, I personally have a panelled saddle which I swear by you should maybe try one if you like the idea of the wow.
 
Silverspring - what do you mean by a panelled saddle? I thought that all saddles had panels?? Have you got a link to one?
 
Though you may not hurt your ned you may hurt yourself! Some horses have bony spines and after a bit it feels as though you're sitting on a fence post! Stock up on Savlon or ask Santa for a treeless or a new saddle!
 
Nope. I often ride bareback! Hopped on the boy the other day, he was a bit shocked by it but went really well. I think its good for them
 
Hi,

It depends on the type of backside you have. If you have a good amount of natural padding and not very prominent seat bones, then you are less likely to produce localized pressure points. If on the other hand you have very little in the way of natural padding, and prominent seat bones...you will feel like a stilletto to your horse, and this sensation will still be there even if you use a treeless saddle. Can give you the number of a really good saddler who can expalin it all to you and she sells both treed and treeless, so no "bias", just honest info. BTW to check whether you have prominent seat bones, place you hands palm down under your derrier, tilt your plevis backward and forward, you should feel them when you are in "correct position" and they are most apparent.
 
As long as you don't sit too far back on his loins, and don't bounce about too much and are balanced it shouldn't be a problem, should think saddles cuase far more problems!!
 
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Silverspring - what do you mean by a panelled saddle? I thought that all saddles had panels?? Have you got a link to one?

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Sorry I should have been more clear, I ride in a free'n'easy saddle, the saddle sits on top of the two panels as a separate but attached piece. It offers alot more flexibility than a traditional saddle, the panels give to the horse movement and don't hinder them in any way. It also mean the saddle can be adjusted if your horses shape changes
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If on the other hand you have very little in the way of natural padding, and prominent seat bones...you will feel like a stilletto to your horse, and this sensation will still be there even if you use a treeless saddle.

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Sorry not sure I agree. As the (proud) owner of both a bony butt and a treeless saddle I don't have any problems.
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My physio checks the horses every few months (paranoid due to previous saddle problems) and there is no evidence of soreness whatsoever.
 
Reply to Booboos....perhaps you don't engage your seat bones as much as you think...or you are fleshier than you think...I have had long discussions with my saddler about what saddles suit builds of both the horse and rider, treed or treeless, padding sytems, etc...and always states that it has to be a combination of horse AND rider biomechanics...that is why what suits one rider and horse, may not suit another. If you know your horse, and know what is there normally and what isn't, how it behaves normally, and when it seems lack lustre...you can ususally put your finger on why. And besides, would you really work a horse as much riding bareback as you would saddled...don't remember the Indians of the West doing elementary dressage or jumping a 12 fence course of 5ft and over....more flat out war charge, shooting arrows and throwing spears...don't really need a saddle for that just a good fist full of mane.
 
Yes, you see that's what's been concerning me... I was wondering whether the higher head carriage was in response to me creating a pressure point...

As a size 8, I'm not over-padded but wouldn't say I'm bony either, & I don't bounce about that much in trot.

Why is nothing relating to horses ever easy & straightforward...or cheap???

Thank you everyone for your ideas...lots to think about!!

T x
 
A girl on our yard uses a bareback pad. It's made of sheepskin and it's got a sort of strap at the front to hold onto if needed. Used it once and it's very comfy
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Well since we're on this topic, I compete at th eolder horse Elementary/Medium dressage (Elementary qualifications for regionals, Medium we've only just worked up to) and hack him. He gets ridden 6 days a week otherwise he gets very fresh. The younger horse is only at Novice. Both horses are seen by the physio every three months and have completely clean bills of health (which they had never had with the treed saddles).

I am 1.60cm and weigh 47kilos (short and thin!) - funnily enough OH's pet name for me is 'bony butt'.

Each to his own and I don't think there is any reason for anyone else to go buy a treeless just because it suits me, but I just have not seen any evidence that bones can effect a horse's back through a treeless saddle with my horses.
 
Well, then you are the lucky one. For me and others, becuase I really am not the only one, we ended up with horses and ponies with damaged backs through extreme pressure points, rather large vets bills in some cases, and permanent blemish scarring, and co-incidentally all of us used the same brand, if different models. I was amazed at what happened with me, becuase I was told there was no way it should have happened, however, no one ever came to investigate, although a lady did turn up with a sub-standard replacement saddle and was sent away with a flea in her ear, and I wasn't doing anything wrong with their saddle, or padding system. I have returned to using a "traditional" treed saddle, simply because I never had any problems with it and have just tightened my pony's weight management program, however, using a treeless has had very negative effects on her back, which will now be with her the rest of her life. This annoys me becuase I have had her since she was 1, have always tried to do the best by her, and buy the best kit I can afford for her, and have always looked after her DIY so pretty much know every inch of her physically, know her behaviour patterns inside out, in fact there is nothing that I don't know about her and when she is behaving out of character I really take notice to see what she is trying to tell me, as she is never grumpy without cause.

But on the side of riding bareback...I do but its only pottering around at a walk. But riding bareback isn't the same as riding with a treeless saddle as you have purchase points with a treeless. Bareback...its all about balance and seat..which will need to be relaxed, as will every muscle in your back and legs in order to allow the horse to move and for the aids to be effective. Tensing your bum and driving your seat bones into the back muscle can only be uncomfortable for the neddy don't you think, unless its really thick skinned? You can be light in the saddle (of any kind) but you can't be light riding bareback
 
I'm really sorry to hear about your horse and happy it is all sorted now. I had the opposite experience - horrible problems with treed saddles resolved by a treeless. I would be really interested in knowing which make of treeless caused you problems, would you PM me?
 
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