Mastering the Skill of Horse Riding Without a Saddle

It’s common to think of riding a horse without a saddle as a romantic scene in which the rider and the horse are one, but is it actually possible or simply a fantasy? We frequently get this question from our customers. So, we decided to throw some light on horse riding without a saddle.  Well, do you need a saddle to ride a horse? While it is feasible to ride a horse without a harness, it is not advised to do so repeatedly or for extended periods. This is because, unlike a traditional saddle, the rider’s weight is not distributed over the horse’s back.

Well, riding bareback is another name for horseback riding without a saddle. Since it lacks the stability and comfort that a saddle provides, barebacks depending may be far more difficult for beginners than saddled riding. However, being able to ride bareback can significantly improve your riding skills.

Valuable Tips for Horse Riding Without Saddle

The finest horses to ride are calm, have smooth gaits, and have healthy backs because it might be hard to hang on horses with high withers.

• It is far better to begin riding bareback if you are already comfortable with some techniques required to ride under saddle, such as stopping, turning, walking, sitting the trot, posting the trot, and canters and slopes.
• Since you won’t have stirrups to mount up too, the safest method for mounting your horse requires you to have a firm mounting block or have someone raise your leg.
• Once you are at the top and feeling at ease, you may finally adopt the most amicable position you have ever had and appear to be employing the saddle’s support system. Check your ear, shoulder, hip, and heel alignment after mounting.
• Finding your balance while bareback riding is crucial. Until you get acclimated to it, you can start by walking the horse down, turning around, pausing, and backing up. Additionally, by doing this, you can have a supporter who will also act as a guide for the horse.
• Since it’s something you’ve never done before and you don’t yet know the horse, you’ll need to focus and concentrate on it.
• You can now begin trotting or walking with a two-beat gait. Keep your knees, hips, and ankles flexible and springy during this portion to ensure that you can absorb the horse’s movements when riding on its back.
• Posting can be done after sitting on the trot in a very comfortable position by standing up on the trot beat and sitting down at the next moment. When riding bareback rather than in a saddle, trotting is more simple since you can anticipate or foresee the horse’s motions before adjusting your seat.

Here’s a Bonus tip

Cantering, a three-beat pace with a rocking action, occurs after trotting. You should sit comfortably and deepen your seat before moving your outside leg back and squeezing to transition from trot to canter.

Tips for Staying Balanced While Riding a Horse Without a Saddle

When mounting a horse without a saddle, you might sense impending catastrophe. Here are some bareback riding guidelines to keep you in command and feel more secure:

Be Loose; Avoid Becoming Rigid

When you first begin riding your horse bareback, you can feel yourself lose your balance and stiffen as a response. You can end up pulling the reins and bouncing on your horse’s back in discomfort.

Step Forward with your Heels

Even though you may have always been instructed to put your weight in your heels to keep your foot from slipping out of the stirrup, doing so also gives you a more secure seat and centre of balance. It will also stop your lower leg from grabbing the horse too tightly if you lose your balance.

Maintain Your Proper Riding Stance

You shouldn’t compromise your riding position if you ride your horse without a saddle. When riding, your posture should be the same whether you are in the saddle or not.

Have A Safe Riding Experience!

The most straightforward technique to help you build balance and muscle when you first get on your horse without a saddle is to take the time to walk the horse, do turns, and transition from halt to walk. If you’ve never ridden bareback before, these motions could easily make you lose your balance.

By performing these exercises regularly, you’ll gain the stability and balance needed to move on to other tasks. You can do the same technique within the trot as you advance to that gait.

So, it’s time to try riding your horse bareback while leaving your saddle in the tack room. Enjoy yourself and luck!

FAQs

Why is a saddle placed on a horse?

• To improve the rider’s comfort, safety, and ease of use while riding.
• To prevent the rider from rolling side to side and twisting their spine and accompanying muscles, which would endanger the horse’s back.
• To give locations for mounting tools and accessories like saddlebags

Is it okay to ride without a saddle?

Generally, NO. Nevertheless, a well-fitted saddle may make it simpler for a horse to carry a big rider since it disperses the weight over a wider area. However, an improperly fitted saddle is worse than even the imbalanced, unfit rider seated bareback.

The disadvantages include a higher danger of injury from falling off the horse, a chance of developing bad riding technique, and an opportunity of significant discomfort for both horse and rider due to the lack of a supporting tree and any padding between the rider’s seat bones and the horse’s spine.

Is it safe to mount an aggressive horse without a saddle?

Riding an aggressive horse is dangerous at all times. That animal is considerably stronger and weighs between five and ten times as much as you.