Riding bareback

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pixie

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I never had a problem doing this when i was a child, but haven't done it for 8 years (+ 3 years of not riding altogether) so am having a few problems at the moment.

I can do sitting trot ok, but after a few minutes I can deel my legs (thighs) coming upwards and my balance going. Especially round corners. Can anyone recommend how I can try and correct this.

Also, once he gets into canter he gets very forward going and VERY bouncy, especially when going back down to trot. Any hints on how I can sit this most effectively?

I can see myself flying out the side door if I don't get this sorted asap...
 
Having ridden a welsh sec A without a saddle, many years ago, only part broken and too fat to wear a saddle, I would say, use a saddle!
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I fell off the thing in canter everytime 'cos it always bucked when going into canter, never again
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I would like to be able to advise you on this one but I DO come out the side door every time!

I am always told to soften my hips and spine to go with the movement and not bounce out the door.

Easier said than done in my opinion!
 
Grab a good chunck of mane and cling on for dear life
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Sorry no tips... just comes naturally. What about really moving your hips to his rythm?
 
If you think of your horse being a clock, with his neck being 12 o'clock, his tail 6 o'clock and so on you need to think about riding from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock. So your horses hips are moving yours and your legs are swinging in time with his barrel. Also think of trot as 1, 2 1,2 1,2 rather than trot, and canter as 1,2,3 1,2,3. Sounds daft but it works!
 
Ah, not an easy option then
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I think part of the problem is that when you are a kid your proportions are different and ponies have different proportions from horses, different centre of balance.
 
How bout a bareback pad? Theyre going cheap on ebay and the handle and stirrups might help your balance?
I ride treeless, sitting trot is not fun atm
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I think that his owner has ordered one. However I'm not convinced that they are safe. Not sure how well the stirrups would slip off if you fell, if there isn't anything firm for them to slip off, if you know what I mean..
I guess practise makes perfect in this case. No pain no gain
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I've recently started riding mine in bareback pads instead of saddles and i absolutely LOVE them!!! They're SO comfy...horse can get a bit hot under them though. I was worried about the stirrups too, but they've not been a problem at all (apart from needing a few extra holes in the 'leathers', cos they were too long).
Mine are all comfy to ride bareback though, so i've never struggled...used to wobble a bit going from canter to trot, but i think i've mastered that now.
The strrups on mine are western'-type, just smooth plastic, but as long as you have rubbery-soled shoes, they should be fine and wont slip.
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I love that pic, is nicely framed
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I have the parelli Bareback pad, it's beautifully soft and very sticky... thing is I tend to ride bareback in the rain... (I do have a synthetic saddle but I'm a bit strange, I don't like riding in saddles in the rain.) Anyhow I won't allow myself (it's suede) to ride in the bareback pad in the rain so I have to go without. And I have a tb
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But another vote for bareback pads, deffinately help with stickability. Though do be carefull with the stirruped ones, as the attatching is a bit dodgy and shouldn't be ridden in rising trot, due to the pressure. Might be worth cutting the stirrups of as they kinda counteract the whole point of being bareback anyway?
 
I remember when I first started riding bareback - I was constantly bouncing out the side door and then having to find a tree stump out hacking so I could get back on again! my mare would just look at me like I was nuts! After a couple of weeks of perseverance my muscles had developed and I stuck like glue - even jumped 3' bareback quite regularly.
 
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I love that pic, is nicely framed
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Thank you! My boyfriend ran off through the forrest ahead of us, then took that as we went past!
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do be carefull with the stirruped ones, as the attatching is a bit dodgy and shouldn't be ridden in rising trot, due to the pressure. Might be worth cutting the stirrups of as they kinda counteract the whole point of being bareback anyway?

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Yes, i agree - there's a strap running from one leather, over the back of the horse, then joins to the other leather, so any weight in the stirrup pulls down the strip across the back. Luckily, i was taught to do rising trot bareback, so i'm ok!
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Are all bareback pads designed in this way with the strip across the back?
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My bareback pad has no stirrups, but I belive any bareback pad with stirrups would pull down over the back when you stood in them as there is no gullet to allow for the spine. If you wanted stirrups with no tree, a treeless saddle would allow you to feel the horses movement but keep the pressure of their spine. Alternatively I wonder if a treeless saddle pad under a bareback pad would help give spine clearance? Still wouldn't help with the pressure loading, it would still create a pressure point on the back, and not spread the weight (When your stood in the stirrups).
 
If you slow your trot down to a jog then this is easier to sit....either that or rise to his trot. With your transitions, can you teach him to respond immediately to your commands? I ride bareback a lot but all of mine have been taught that when asking to go from canter to trot to walk, this is all done very fluidly and in one stride.

Western riding is perfect training for bareback riding and although I'm not saying you should ride western, if you pick up some of the techniques you will find that it makes bareback riding an absolute breeze.
 
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How bout a bareback pad?

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I have to ask.....as I have never seen the point of these pads? What is the point of them?
 
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How bout a bareback pad?

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I have to ask.....as I have never seen the point of these pads? What is the point of them?

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Gives you grip, stops you getting sweaty if it's a hot day, stops you getting covered in fluff if it's moulting season. Usually have a handle so you can grab that instead of a chunk of your horses mane. I mainly use mine because its a lot more comfortable for both of us as my mare has high withers. Also stops you slipping of sideways if you happened to use too much show shine
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I have to ask.....as I have never seen the point of these pads? What is the point of them?

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Ha! Good question! Well, i just find them really comfortable. And taking the stirrups off is just the same as bareback, but with a cushion.
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taking the stirrups off is just the same as bareback, but with a cushion.

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Now that bit I understand.....just never did get the point of riding with the stirrups attached....sounds just like riding with a saddle and can't possibly help with balance or "feel" like you can bareback.
 
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stops you slipping of sideways if you happened to use too much show shine

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LOL!! Well if you read on your bottle it says not to put in saddle area ......
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stops you slipping of sideways if you happened to use too much show shine

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LOL!! Well if you read on your bottle it says not to put in saddle area ......
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Aww but it looks so pretty...
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