Dare to Go Bare?

Bareback Riding—Are You Ready?

The image of you galloping along the ocean’s edge with your arms stretched out, face to the sun, is something everyone dreams of who has ever read Walter Farley’s book, The Black Stallion. You and your horse are in harmony with each another and he responds to your every thought. His desire is your desire. His behavior is only for carrying you through fire if need be to keep you safe and away from harm.  

As you walk out to the barn with fierce determination to ride your horse bareback and bridleless you ignore the fact that you are 50+ years old, haven’t done anything athletic for 25 years, have gained those extra 20 pounds, and your horse spooks at the cat running along the top of the fence.   

Your inner child can’t wait to climb on and run with the wind! But it’s time you took your child by the hand and had a meaningful conversation about the wisdom of riding bareback. The most important part of any great experience is to be sure you are safe so that no matter how much or little you do, your experience is one of fun not fear.  

If your goal is to have a better seat and feel your horse’s movement it is important that you set up a safe, educational learning environment. If you are afraid you telegraph that fear to the horse. He may respond to your anxiety, putting you both at risk. Taking it slowly, in small steps, with breaks (even getting off) is the best way to be successful.  

To determine if bareback riding is right for you consider the following:  

Experience 

Riders come in three different categories: New to riding, returning to riding after a break to have babies or finish school, and lifelong rider. It’s important no matter which category you are in to consider your physical health. There is always the chance of falling off—especially when bareback. If you are a lifelong rider you probably have ridden bareback before so you can assess your ability now and choose an appropriate horse. If you have osteoporosis you may want to talk with your doctor before going further to assess your risk of injury. 

If you are returning to riding you may remember riding bareback with your childhood friends. But you are no longer that carefree person! You remember the good times, the natural ease and fearlessness, and may wonder what happened to that person. Fear has crept in while you weren’t looking because your center has shifted slightly.  Therefore depending on any injuries, childbearing, and fitness you may fall closer to the new to riding category.  

If you have never ridden or are new to riding, you should only attempt bareback riding under supervision on very experienced horse and with a ground person alongside. This is important for both your safety and that of the horse. Falling off scares horses, further adding to the potential injury you may suffer.  

Appropriate horse 

Not all horses are comfortable bareback. Horses with a high wither, prone to spooking, shying, or makes sudden moves, or are excitable, are not good candidates. Also, many OTTBs are not good prospects for bareback riding. Older, experienced horses that have broad backs, low withers, smooth flat gaits, that have little to no startle or flight reflex are great.choices.  

Environment  

It is very important to assess whether your environment is appropriate for riding bareback. An open field, with horses in the adjoining field is not appropriate unless you are very experienced and on a very reliable horse.  

It is best to start in a smaller space, such as a round pen or small paddock where there is little chance of the horse running away. Once you have mastered transitions to halt and circles and turns at the walk then you can progress to a slightly larger area where you can trot. Check for a quiet time where there will be little distraction so that your horse is not disturbed by horses being fed or turned out.  

Gear – Safety first! 

A riding helmet is a must since you are at greater risk of falling off. You only have one head, protect it!  

Use a neck strap around the horse’s neck to give you something to hold onto if you find yourself slipping so that you don’t need to pull on the reins.  

Use your bridle when riding bareback, especially when in more open areas. It is far better to cause the horse a little pain in the mouth than to be run away with no control, resulting in serious injury. Just as you would pull your child to safety crossing the street even if it caused her a little bit of pain, it is better than letting her get struck by a car. As you improve you can consider moving to some other form of headgear. Always go back to a smaller, more controlled environment as you decrease control. 

The idea of bareback is to ride without anything between you and the horse, however, there are also a wide variety of bareback pads that you can use. Some give you more grip while others simply keep your clothes clean. Whatever style you choose be sure it has two billet straps and uses a regular girth. Single-strap pads are unsafe because they can easily slip.  

Some bareback pads have stirrups. However, when riding bareback your leg will slip into the groove of the ribs. This will put your leg in a more forward “chair” position. To ride correctly with stirrups you need the support of the saddle to lift you up so that your leg can be underneath you. Therefore stirrups on a bareback pad may be counterproductive.  

Benefits of riding bareback 

Once you have assessed the risks and created a safe, educational environment, the benefits of riding bareback are that you can feel your horse without any interference from the saddle. The warmth of the horse’s body, especially in cold weather makes riding in the winter fun! You can feel the horse move underneath you and see what is happening. Riding bareback will improve your overall balance on the horse and sense how he immediately responds to your weight.  

You may find that you enjoy staying at the walk, and this is enough to give you a good sense of your horse’s movement. Trotting can be challenging to many riders especially if your horse is a bit rough-gaited, in which case you will find your neck strap very helpful! Cantering on some horses is smoother than trotting but be sure your horse goes smoothly into the canter before attempting this gait bareback! 

And always remember to enjoy the ride!