Riding Bareback?

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Jorel

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Ok, so I went through a period last year where I had no saddle for a few months and in order to ride I rode bareback. Murphy is a lovely horse with manners to die for but he worked very low and on the forehand, and had this horrid habit of turning sharply when he felt like it. I always found myself being "bounced" off of his back in trot (I'm very balanced usually) and this upset him and he just used to tank off if it went on too long (cant blame him really). Do people find that certain horses are more difficult to ride bareback because of movement or am I just a bad rider lol

Jorel
 
Some horses are harder to ride bareback than others. My TB has high withers and a bouncy trot - not a great combination for bareback! I can cope with walk and canter, but any trot faster than a jog = ouch! On a fattie/flat backed horse that doesn't have a big trot it's much easier.
 
Yeh thats what I found with Murph (shire X tb) it was the bouncing trot, and coming down from canter to trot. Very tempted to give Blue a spin when shes got abit more covering on her.
 
Yes definitely depending on the horse. I used to love riding my ponies bareback when I was a teenager. My cob I ride now has got a very "easy" trott too which would make it easy to ride bareback (haven't tried it yet as I would have trouble getting back on out hacking if I slide down :D)

But then my other horse has got a far too bouncy trott. Looks beautiful but not for bareback rding :D
 
I had that problem with murph (only rode him in the school) but when i fell off getting back on him at nearly 17hh was abit difficult lol Blues a much more respectable 14hh haha
 
I ride mine once a week bareback and she is seriously bouncy, I find if I start really steady just a jog trot nice and collected and then push out to a bigger trot once she is feeling nice and relaxed and working through her body it becomes much less bouncy and easier to sit to.

I do find my knees come up higher when I trot and canter bareback - does anyone else notice this?
 
I ride both of mine bareback, but only my mare I actually hack out bareback as she is comfy in all paces, my Friesian i only plod about on - wouldn't dream of trying to trot him bareback, would be bounced to the stars and back!!
 
Nocturnal said:
On a fattie/flat backed horse that doesn't have a big trot it's much easier.
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HAHA, then you get a different array of problems - it's slippery as anything on my highland, who's reasonably round (not fat, just lacking wither definition!) and cornering sharply can have dramatic consequences ;) My cob also has the bounciest, most ludicrous trot in the world (I learnt sitting trot on him and have since ridden all sorts, normally with the owner squeaking in surprise "but nobody can sit his trot!" when I do :o ). I still ride them both bareback a lot. I just hang on for dear life on the highland, and do walk to canter all the time on the cob ;)
 
I used to hack out a cob bareback because he was so wide, his saddle didn't fit and I found him very comfortable. Same with the next cob I rode although he did bounce me off in trot once when I asked for canter :D
My last tb was actually quite comfortable too, had good coverage over her back, not too much wither and very flat paces so it was fabulous.
I did ride others bareback but I wouldn't dream of trot after seeing how bouncy they were under saddle in trot :eek:
E.G my current horse I wouldn't DREAM of trying bareback purely for the fact that her trot, when she rushes, is hard enought to sit to in a saddle.. and if I gripped.. we would be GONE. Me on the floor and her through the wall of the arena :D
 
Bakeback trotting is easier if you lean back a bit (it's easier on the nether regions too!). Also keep your legs totally relaxed and dangly, don't worry about heels down toes up - the minute you start tensing your leg muscles you start to rise off the horses back. A neck strap is a great help as you can pull your seat down into the horses back - and it's good to have something to hang on to!
 
I ride my pony bareback a lot of the time, I ride to and from the field bareback, hack(with lots of trotting and cantering) and have jumped three foot bareback:). I love it, I really feel free riding bareback. She also has a short, prancy pony stride:p. I think it really helps balance and having a secure seat. It is so fun!:D Also if I feel myself tense I close my eyes try and to move with her, it might not work for some people though everyone thinks I'm crazy!:p:o
 
Yeah....unless it's on the cobby job...I don't do trot! Lol. Ride my TB bareback and you'll only get walk and canter from him haha. I sure ain't trotting on them withers! Perfects your directs transitions at least!
 
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