Riding Bareback - warm up first?

[vicm2509]

Not that I ride bareback as my horse is far to big, bouncy and boney...but should you warm the horse up before riding bareback?

If I ride without stirrups I fully warm my horse up first as I dont want to put strain on his back before he is warm.

So would you warm a horse up with a saddle then take it off to ride bareback?

 

[samp]

I cringe now but I know as a kid we used to just jump straight on to our horses back and canter off and pop fences. Ponies were either really tough or I was so useless I never noticed any lameness. Oh the shame. I do not think I could ride my mare bareback she has too much of a prominent wither. However I would warm up properly.

 

[jemima]

I don't, but I do walk round plenty before working him harder and I can do rising trot with no stirrups so I can reduce the possibility of bouncing on his back. I also use a total contact saddle nowadays - precisely because mine is so bouncy and bony. It really does focus you on getting a slow smooth trot though!

 

[izzyxxx]

i never thought about it i guess my pony doesn't wana go fast anyway so mostly we walk round (because she is very sleepy)and she is very comfy(sp) in trot when she wants to trot hehe seems to listen to be when i am bareback but she is a strange little thing with selective hearing

 

[gladelpone]

I have to say I've never given it any thought and I've been riding my mare for over a year bare back. I only spend as long in walk as I would if I had a saddle on and since riding bareback her back has never been better (from her physio)!

 

[JoBo]

I have to admit I use to quite regularly ride my pony Ella bare back (usually when I couldn’t be bothered to put the saddle on, I know, I know). I never warmed her up as such but always started in walk etc. like I would when I rode with a saddle. I never had any problems with her back or lameness.