I have a horse riding lesson tomorrow!?

Question

i have a horse riding lesson tomorrow and i have to ride bareback!! can anyone give me any tips on how to stay on? thanks :):)

Answer 1

well if you are using a bridle its easy just squeeze with your thighs and dont worry coz the horse will sense you fear and will get tense and worried...

dont get so bothered over it itll be fine and its fun to i ride around my whole farm bareback i even swam in my estuary on the horse bareback dont tense up and remember squeeze with your legs!!!!!

if this helped please tell me

and vote me bvest answer please!!!

Answer 2

DON'T GRIP WITH YOUR KNEES! This is the last thing you should do, because that will tip you forwards and make you less secure. What you should do is at first, grab a chunk of mane and hold on, but don't pull back too much with your reins or you'll be tugging your horse's mouth too much. Sit with your back straight, shoulders back and elbows bent, chin up - like you would in a saddle! - and the MOST important thing about riding bareback, SQUUUUEEEEZE those calf muscles!!! Because you don't have stirrups you can't push down your heels, making this more challenging. Imagine your legs are wrapping right around the horse's belly, trying to touch your feet together. Of course this won't actually happen (unless you're riding a way-too-small pony), it's just a way to mentally get yourself to squeeze tight and stay on. If you do this, keep your shoulders back and hold a little chunk of mane, you'll be fine!!!

Good luck and keep riding!

Answer 3

Use your knees!

Answer 4

Yes, important to relax the thigh and bum muscles as much as possible. If you are tense, you'll bounce around all over the place. Visualise yourself sinking into the horse's back and becoming a part of him or her, that can help too.

Oh, and choose one under 14.2hh, the stride may be bouncier but it's not as far to fall!

Hope you have a great time!

Answer 5

It is not so much the squeezing to anchor yourself on that is needed, rather balance. Using your legs to stay on makes the horse go faster, and if your pulling it back at the same time it will only confuse your horse, and if your horse goes faster, its harder to stay on, especially at the trot.

Take it easy, and sit up straight. Don't curl up, or lean over, or slouch, which is what we as humans naturually do when were scared. Sitting up straight and moving your center of gravity with your horse will help you stay on.

Sit really really deep, and try to keep balanced, using those amazing uper thigh muscles we horseriders have. :)

Keep a hand on the mane, and try to balance yourself without gripping your legs too much.

Sit up straight, try and do everything the same, and just sit deep and move your hips with the horses motion.

Sit/slide back when your horse stops, as that is how your horses center of gravity moves, and if you match that, bareback will be much easier.

Sit/slide forward to get your horse to go faster, and try to squeeze rather than kick, as it is easier to keep your balance.

Hope this helps :)

Answer 6

If you get nervous dont quit! the best thing my traier did for me is put a strap around my horses neck, lead line I think she used and she told me when I felt like I was going to fall off was to grab it and get my center again. It worked wonders! you will do great just sit deep, let your legs dangle and have the ride of your life!

Answer 7

I've had the same problem but for some reason I have never fallen off! I usually hold the reins in one hand and hold the mane in the other when trotting. I use my legs to allow me to stay on.

Answer 8

Don't squeeze with your legs...let them hang. Don't go faster than a walk or slow trot for the first time. Good luck!

Answer 9

If you have to, hold on tight to the mane but don't grip with your legs too much, as this can unbalance you and make you fall off to one side. Keep pushing your heels down, and your toes up. Sit up straight and don't slouch, and try to move with the horse. It's back will move in a sort of figure of eight.

Hope that helped a bit!

Answer 10

Balence and keep your weight in your feet.

It's fun once you get ahold of it.

Answer 11

keep contact with your legs (especially lower) , lean back, and grab onto the mane to keep your balance.

good luck=)

Answer 12

IF YOUR WITHOUT REINS THEN I WOULD HOLD THE BOTTOMS OF THE HORSES MAIN AND GRIP THE NECK.

BUT IF YOU HAVE YOUR REINS IT'S MUCH BETTER THE WALK IS EASY BUT DON'T GRIP ONTO THE HORSE AS IF YOUR SCARED, OR ELSE THE HORSE WILL FEEL YOU SCAREDNESS AND START ACTING UP.

BUT IN RISING TROT (WHICH YOU PROBABLY WON'T DO IF IT'S YOUR FIRST LESSON) THEN HOLD THE HORSE WITH YOU KNEES LIGHTLY AND DON'T KEEP SQUEEZING OR YOU WILL GO INTO CANTER. GRIP GENTLY WITH YOUR KNEES AND USE YOUR THIGHS TO PUSH YOU SELF UP AND DOWN.

IN SITTING TROT LEAN BACK SLIGHTLY.

IN THE WALK JUST GO WITH THE FLOW.

IN CANTER KIND OF ROCK BACK AND FORWARDS GOING WITH THE HORSE.

I DONT THINK YOU WOULD DO GALLOP BUT IN GALLOP MAKE SURE YOU ARE BALANCED!

***HOPE THIS COULD HELP!***

AND DON'T WORRY IT'S WORSE IN A LEATHER SADDLE, TRUST ME!

Answer 13

just relax, sit deep and imagion you are still in the saddle insted of bareback. dont tense up because the horse will feel this and he or she will get worked up so if you just sit deep and relax your leg muscles then the horse will be fine which will help you stay on!! let your legs dangle really long so they can wrap around the horse to keep you balanced! dont worry about it of course you will be abit wobbley at first and it will feel wierd but after i few strides you should get the hang of it. try not to hold on my the reins though as this will hurt the horses mouth, if you feel unsure then just hold onto the horse mane! good luck with it!!

Answer 14

Start of slow then you can pick up speed. Use your legs and if you feel like you are going to fall off just grab the horses mane. Its a whole different feeling and at first you are going to feel strange. Once you get the hang of it , it can become way easier than ridding with a saddle. Just stay in your comfort level and dont push it to much the first time. Good Luck and have fun.

Answer 15

I think the most important thing you can do is learn to move with the horse.  Look the horses legs and think about the rocking motion as the legs move.  Then allow your hips to move with the horse.  This will help you keep your balance and help  you relax.  You can only squeeze hard for so long you know.  The more balanced and relaxed you are,  the better and longer your ride will be.  Also,  don't  try to hold on to the mane for support.  It can give you confidence, but your seat and your balance will do a better job.  Move with the horse, relax and enjoy your ride.

Answer 16

I love riding bareback but it hurts alot if your trotting so if i were you kid of inch towards the back of the horse so it dosent hurt as much

Answer 17

Wrap you legs around the horse... act/do what you do in a saddle... it's fun, you shouldn't have a problem

Answer 18

Firstly dont be nervous!

And expect it to feel uncomfortable, if your riding for a while you will get used to it, but it is quite uncomfortable if your coming from a saddle.

But make sure you head, neck, back, elbows and heels line up, to help with balance, and make sure that you heels are down and your toes are up.

Use your bum to push into the horses back like you would in a saddle.

If you have a bridle make sure you have a good contact so that the horse doesn't go to fast for you and your not slipping.

Use your thighs, knees and ankles to grip onto the horses sides and support yourself and lean back.

If you lean forward the horse will think you want to go faster and you may fall.

Hope this helps you,

and have fun!

Answer 19

who is your riding instrustor? is she/he nice? do you trust them? If you feel like your about to fall off, say slipping or loosing balance.I have been taking riding lessons for a long time. I am working on cantering now.I felt worried at first, so I talked to my instrustor about the problem.If you feel scared, ask if you can take a break, take a deep breath, cool down.No one should have to do something they dont want to do on a horse.Also ask if you can just walk at first, then try trotting. Maybe you could have reins to hold onto, or if the horse is nice,and you dont pull, hang onto the mane.                    REMEMBER always check your balance point when riding bareback

Answer 20

just wrap your legs around the horse and grip it with your kneesand lower leg... think of it as huggin the horse with your legs

otherwise its the same as riding normally and im sure your riding instructor will help you any way you need it

Answer 21

Well,

I agree with everyone about holding onto the mane with one hand, grap a bunch and hold on to it...it won't hurt the horse.

But, I don't agree with the hold on with your knees.  We have 8 you can ride bareback in just a halter, but if you hold on with your legs they will pick up into a trot.  I don't recommend getting on the first time you try it and gripping with any part of your legs.  If the horse knows any body cues it will think you want to move out.

IT takes practice, just walking around for the first few lessons bareback will help you feel more comfortable and gain balance.

Have fun, it is fun to pull a horse out, walk over to a picnic table, log, bolder climb on board and ride around.  The horses like it too....

Answer 22

hold on tight with at least one hand to the mane, grip with your knees if you can, assuming it doesnt goose the horse forward, best way is sit back on your rear, center your weight and move WITH the horse

Answer 23

wow, first of all i want to say that i cannot believe how many people are saying saueeze with your knees and legs.

DONT SQUEEZE WITH YOR KNEES! lol, thats all i can say. my last lesson i had to ride the whole thing without stirrups. keep your shoulders back and try to sit very deep in your seat and very deep in the horse's back. you should bring your shoulders back farther than normal and just behind your hips. keep your head straight and your eyes up. let your legs relax and hang low.

when i finished my lesson last week it was actually my stomach miscles (not my legs which i expected) that were sore for days, i felt like i had new 6-pack!

just remember to relax every muscle in your body and dont lean forward and tense up. plus, trust your trainer, im sure he or she will keep you safe and tell you exactly what to do.

oh and when your riding, this may sound kind of silly now, but if you think about it while you are riding it will help, think about the term "become one with your horse".

i hope this helps! good luck and have fun!

Answer 24

go with the flow of the horse...

Answer 25

Well the best advise i could give you is just to relax and try to cuddle your pony/horse (Use your knees though to grip the horses stomach) Good luck! =]

Answer 26

Sit deep and balance. Let your legs hang low.

Answer 27

sit really deep into your seat make sure you sit back,dont grip wit your legs because you will loose you balance,

HAVE FUN :)

Answer 28

Ok, riding bareback should be fun so  don't worry!

1. Don't squeeze with your knees, that could make the horse go faster and you could loose your balance

2. Do not show sheen your horse before! it gets very slippery

3. Sit up straight and don't let your legs hang low.. You want to stay in your normal riding position so when you go back to riding in a saddle it seems as if nothing has changed.

4. Sit back on your pockets but don't roll your back.

5. Hold onto the very last part of your horse's mane for extra support.

6. If your horse doesn't have a flat back (like my horse) use a bareback pad. PLUS that might make you feel a little more comfortable.

7. HAVE FUN!

Answer 29

The key to bareback riding and also riding with no stirrups is to relax.  Do not grip with your knees as it will cause you to tense up making the whole experience uncomfortable for both you and the horse you are riding.

Keep on breathing and try and merge with the horse, follow it's movements.  You should have a neck strap - if you don't have one then ask for one as you can use that to steady yourself instead of jabbing the horse in his mouth.

Try and find your seat bones and imagine that you have a £50 quid note in each of your jeans pockets, if you bounce or move away you'll loose these notes!!  This will encourage you to sit correctly.

Finally, don't do anything that you aren't comfortable with, don't feel that you have to do something you don't want to do, you have got all the time in the world so if you find that the others are trotting and cantering bareback and you don't want to do it then you don't have to do it.  

Good luck and enjoy!  I absolutely love the freedom of riding and or without stirrups.  When you do go back to using a saddle again you'll notice the difference.

Answer 30

Haha. Bareback. I swear, im a bareback pro.  Pretend that the saddle is underneath your rear.  Put your shoulders back, sit straight, and make sure you have a perfect line remeber this- ears, shoulder,elbow, hips, heels. Keep your heels down, toes up. And the hardest one

R-E-L-A-X(:

Answer 31

after all that info you will take to it,,or you wont,,i rode my arab pony for 3years in south africa with out a saddle many years ago,,,i even used to jump,,when i came back to the uk and went to teach in a yard i was dared to ride a certain horse bareback,,,of course i couldnt resist the challange,,,the horse refused at the first fence i went over the top,,got back on and rode the horse,,well a 14.2 arab pony again,,hence to say   relax,,remember evreything you have been taught,,remember a good deep seat and long legs still and i promise you you will have a great time,,,you will love it,,good luck and enjoy ok.