Bareback ridding help! please?

Question

I want to learn how to ride bareback better, I'm centered at a walk, but after I go into a trot I loose balance and fall forwards, or to the sides. I've never fallen off(partialy to the fact that if the rider isn't centered my horse will refuse to go on any farther), but I want to learn to trot better, any tips?

I also havent gotten brave enough to canter bareback. I figured if I can't trot well, cantering might be tricky as well. Tips here?

Answer 1

I hated trotting bare back and had the same trouble push him to a canter quickly you will find your 'seat' and it is much easier than a trot. Grip with the knees. I would rather ride bare back now than with a saddle.

Answer 2

bareback riding is fun. it can be a great experiance and if you do fall it's not that bad when your bareback, you just slide off. also it can be fun for a girl because there's a chance for a great orgasim

Answer 3

Don't canter until you can trot well! If you can't trot well and keep your balance, what if he decides to throw in a head toss into the canter, or a buck? A head toss can pull you off balance very easily if you're already a little shaky. Even if he's not usually a bucker/head tosser/etc., bareback will feel different to him. And don't grip with your legs. When you're that close to the horse he'll feel it and go faster, and that won't help you. Try to keep him at a slower trot, or maybe have someone control the speed so you can work on yourself. Keep your body moving as much as his body, this helps a TON. One of my horses has a SUPER bumpy, fast trot, but if I just move my body as much as he's moving his we do very well. Now, that doesn't look great, so after you've figured it out, start keeping that energy up but slow down your arms, shoulders, and just keep your hips moving with him. Hope this helps, let me know if you have anymore questions!

Oh, and a GOOD bareback pad does help. If you get a cheap one off ebay it doesn't help at all, but if you get a good, suede, thick, good cinch one with a sturdy handle it does help. Suede leather keeps jeans STUCK like glue and I've had little "Uh-oh!" moments with mine and I don't come off. Once you have your balance with that then you take it away and it's much easier. Or, if your horse is bony, just use it all the time! I'm in LOVE with mine. Be sure to find a good quality one though, probably about $130 (looks for Riders Choice suede with medical felt on ebay, someone sells very nice ones for about that price). Good luck!

Answer 4

Cantering is much easier than trotting.  It's so much smoother.  What I do to ride bareback at a trot, is hold on with my left hand to the mane. (tight) and use my right hand for the reins.  Grip tightly with your legs... and pretend like you're glue!!!  :)

Good luck!!!  And happy trails!!!

Answer 5

Slow down first! It sounds like your legs are too far back. Grip with your knees forward just behind his/her shoulders

Don't try to canter until you master walk and trot. Try different speeds of walk and then try trotting again. Get someone experienced to lunge your horse while you concentrate on balance. They can also point out your faults in posture too. Try rising or posting while trotting bareback as it will instill the same principles for you. Good luck.

Answer 6

well...i suggest flying. it means bridless but with a halter on. and no reins. make your horse canter and hold your arms out. keep them there until uncomfortable. it really helps balance. i can fly at a gallop easily now. try it but be careful.

Answer 7

until you get it down try a bareback pad.

Answer 8

hold one hand with the mane if you do use reins use 2 hands and keep your heels down and kinda in the side but not kicking

Answer 9

I rode bareback long before I bought my first saddle.  You do not...Not...grip with your legs when you ride bareback.  You relax your legs, don't think about your heels..and learn to feel the movement of your horse and balance so that whatever the horse does, your body adjusts to it without..again...without ever needing to grip with your legs.

Until you have this degree of balance, don't try to transition into a canter.  It isn't safe to ride bareback if you are using your legs to try to compensate for your lack of balance.

This is not like the arena version of bareback that instructors have you do while simulating you are in a saddle, and which is only for the purpose of teaching riding in a saddle.  this is the kind of bareback riding that you can do out in the fields, etc.

EDIT...on Bareback Pads...if you use a suede bareback pad, the constant readjustments of balance that are necessary as you circle or transition are interfered with because you can't slide your seat against the suede.

Answer 10

A bareback pad is a good idea. It's easier to grip to so once you've got the hang of trotting with a bareback pad, then you'll get it without the pad too. Doing the pad then just bareback will be a smoother transition than saddle to bareback. Same with the cantering. Once you're all good with the trotting bareback, try cantering pad, then you'll get cantering bareback.

Good luck, sounds like you'll have fun once you get it.

Answer 11

It's all in the seat and legs.  Have you worked in a saddle and no stirrups?  Also, have someone lunge you while bareback and put a neck strap around the horses neck so if you feel yourself slipping and losing balance you can grab for support.  It can be something as simple as a polo wrap or a piece of leather from a martingale or be creative.  Also, while lunging with a saddle and no strirrups work on riding with no hands on the reins to gain balance within your seat and legs...this can also be done bareback.

At the trot..at first just get the feel and work a a slow sitting trot and feel the horses movement and move with the horses movement...as you start to feel comfy then increase the speed into a posting trot.  It's a progression as everything we do with riding...it just takes practice and determination.  

before venturing by yourselof though if your horse has a tendency to stop as you state..doing this on the lunge with assistance from the ground person keeping him going when your"off" will help you to work through it instead of him quitting on you.

And, did I mention to practice!!

Also, are you riding the right horse to get you going...a calm horse with easy gaits that has been there and done that until you gain your confidence?

Also, be prepared for some muscle aches from riding bareback..it really stretches those inner thigh muscles!!