Riding bareback...

[Jericho]

Does anyone do it regularly, just out of interest? I lunged my mare today with the lunge line attached to cavasson and just a bridle with no reins attached and after we finished I thought 'why not?!' so clambered on and we had a lovely amble round the field with the leadrope attached the headcollar. It felt like I was 16 again (I am nearer to 40 than I like to think about!) - I havent ridden bareback since I was about 16!!!! I forgotten how nice it was to be actually connected with the horse and to really feel it move especially as my little mare was really responsive to weight and seat aids. Might make it more of a regular thing!

 

[Cadfael&Coffee]

I regularly school bareback, and hack on the land bareback too

After a near accident bareback a few years ago I won't go on roads or off the land bareback now, but I can often be seen razzing round the fields or schooling bareback in a headcollar and no hat (I'm bad lol!!)

 

[Tickles]

I used to school that way (started when saddle was sent away to be re-flocked). Will def do it again when I'm more familiar with new share. V good for realising how much you usually wriggle around and getting a nice subtle connection.

 

[pillion]

Love bare back, ride it all of the time, in the school, and hacking out, my three girls can ride bareback, in all gaits, and the oldest can now jump 3 ft saddleless

our instructor loves it, as we all have great seats and nice lower leg position, and very well balanced

and I love a hooooolie up the big hill on the common bareback (and even manage to sit the bucks lol!)

 

[emmaln]

I sometimes school and ridde up to the field bareback however my brother has taken this to another level and when he got his first horse (after helping me for 7 years) he was determined that he would ride bareback the majority of the time! He really had to learn the skill though and walked back from his hacks a few times after falling off! I bought him a bareback pad for his birthday and he now has one of the best seats on the yard! Our chiropractor thinks it's great for his horse as well she has really balanced up!

Me on my girl (sorry about no hat it is not something I advocate or do regularly)

My bro on his beloved cob polly

And with my lovely 2 yr old niece

 

[Miss-rose]

love riding bareback. I ride rose to and from the field in just a headcoller/leadrope and also try and school once a week bareback, this is more for my benefit as i sit wonky due to a bad back and find riding without a saddle really helps to straighten me up

 

[JFTDWS]

I love riding bareback too - the feeling of connection is unbeatable and it really does improve your riding - especially if you're a bit wonky It's also rather good fun

 

[SuperCoblet]

I ride bareback almost every day to get him in from the field just tie his leadrope each side of his headcollar, vault on(luckily gypsys only 13.3) and were off I also school bareback, especially in the winter when infeelnsorey for the poor chap to take his rug off and put a cold Leather saddle on his back! I also jump bareback as I feel like it's better for the horse a he can stretch a bit more I just live it, feels so natural and great with a cob with little withers to hurt you!

 

[BlizzardBudd]

i love riding bareback. i really want to do it more often with my pony on loan now

 

[tallyho!]

Yup, think you should Jericho! It's such fun and when you're just ambling about, it save the bother of putting tack on.

During a busy week, this is the only way I fit in a ride just as it's getting dark as it's a trek to the tackroom (on a farm y'see). His bridle lives on his hook outside stable door so I just grab that, whistle him down from up top and hop on. (Rug on as saves me getting a white bottom!)

Oh yes, and definitely schooling sans tack is quite helpful.

 

[OneInAMillion]

I do it very very often

 

[muddygreymare]

I love going bareback on my mare, it's so much better. I've done it on a hack before as well but prefer in the school just to be safe haha. I did it in the snow once, that was definately the best haha

 

[Boxers]

My daughter spent a whole summer just ambling around on her pony and jumping too. She loved it, and when she went for her PC lessons, the instructor was very pleased with her improved seat!

 

[horsey mad matt]

yup love it!! especially in the snow, although i am renouned for not wearing a riding hat would wrather keep my head warm with a woolie hat instead. i was lunging my boy in school today with bridle and roller and after a while decided to jump on. i had no reins with me so tied the lunge line onto bit and the bit of lunge line left over i tied to roller. climped up the gate and jupmed on with no hat!! had a couple of nice canters around the school!!! he was such a good boy!!

 

[xRobyn]

Well I had no saddle in the summer so had no choice but to ride bareback! but it was a fantastic summer, seeing us both improve and gain confidence and in fact I think he had more fun than any other time

 

[team barney]

I ride bareback more often than I ride saddled. I know that it isn't for everyone but I love the freedom of movement and expression. Have jumped over 4ft bareback and hack out and school like it, just wish I could compete bareback.

 

[Apricot]

I love riding bareback! I used to ride the pony bareback all the time, and I swear it improves your seat so much, even after just a couple of weeks! I think if I tried it now however, I would squash him Old horse I used to ride bareback because I couldn't reach to get his saddle on, I still sometimes get on him without a headcollar/bridle or saddle and we wander round the field, but he's a cripple these days so not proper riding...

My TB has very pointy withers And is also a wee bit more responsive than the others, not sure it is a good idea right now, but I would like to ride him bareback in the future, when we know each other better

 

[RolyPolyPony]

i've started to regularly ride bareback. i've gone for a couple of hack out but my lad has issues with the lane from the yard so usually walk him down that and it's not easy to get on a 17hh horse when theres very few places i can get on to then get on him!!

 

[Blaise]

I backed my youngster bareback She's off work injured again at the moment but will definitley be doing more bareback work when she's back in work. It did her the world of good to start with as i find her far more responsive to seat & weight aids now when i have a saddle than the vast majority of other youngsters i've rode/backed. Just started riding a 4 yr old traditional cob who rides like an armchair with a saddle, so cant wait to try him bareback!!

 

[kandm]

I've been riding a lot bareback recently as awaiting a new saddle. It's been great, it's improved my seat so much, and our trust. I've been hacking, schooling, even jumping. Been fabulous, don't think I want to go back to a saddle ...

 

[shorexhorse]

When my Welshie was 3 and unbacked I used to ride her bareback all the time, got her used to it by leaning on her more and more etc, then actually getting on her. It really helped I think, she was good as gold and didnt flinch at all when she started being backed with a saddle. I much preferred it to riding with a saddle.
Obviously I had to take it slow and be careful in an enclosed space etc but all risks considered I think it was a great part of her training and a great bonding experience.

I remember one time it started raining and I decided to get off her because it was a heavy shower, but it was quite brief and stopped after a few minutes. I dont know what possessed me to do it but I got back on and of course we were both soaking wet. I swear my bum has been numb ever since!