Riding a horse bareback verses a saddle - Pros and Cons - Rick Gore Horsemanship

[knowme400]

Bareback is not as bad as you're making it sound like... I rode bareback for an hour once, I was totally fine.

[horseawareness]

@knowme400 : IT is not about YOU, it is about the horse.

[usna2014e]

Hi, I ride western and sometimes i choice bareback on a relaxing day. I actually have a special bareback pad that supports the weight of the rider (me). Also it does have stirrups but, they can be taken off of the pad. Oh, it also has a girth so you won't fall off as easily. I do support you when you say that it is bad for the horses spine. My vet actually recommended the pad so that it has the same meaning of a pad and saddle. My nephew watches your videos all the time, and loves them.

[halfgoodhalfevil]

@usna2014e Could you tell me the name of the saddle pad? I think I may by one for the horses in a therapeutic riding program. Thanks.

[myhorsefancythat]

I ride english and don't have a thick pad so could I buy a bareback saddle pad that is really nice becaus my horse is 1,000 pounds and I only wheigh 62 pounds so would that be ok? please reply soon your friend+ subscriber Myhorsefancythat

[luvnluvn]

Rick is right. Bareback riding for more than a few minutes is not good for your horses back! Your weight is not evenly distributed and it doesnt encourage your horse to round. Either does putting your darn saddles on your horses shoulders! Saddle placement is important.

[kotek420]

try riding in a saddle with no stirrups helps with balance and leg strength plus if they spook or trip u still can grab onto the saddle if need be. its really a great leg work out. :-)

[damiekat]

06:04 looks caught red handed:)

[damiekat]

I have heard both about bareback riding. I think its fine everyonce in a while with a bareback pad

[horselover10157]

i think it depends on the horse i have an arabian qh mix that does better bareback than saddle. but i prefer bareback specially in winter so you dont freeze your butt off :) and it kinda depends on if your horse is clumsy or smooth or rough. i think every horse rider goes through a bareback stage. (im going through that stage in my life right now) i think teenage girls prefer bareback because its easier :D

[horseawareness]

@horselover10157 : easier for them NOT the horse? Horsemanship is about making it better for the horse, if you were a horse would rather a person bouncing on you with no stirrups and no way for the rider to help support their weight bouncing on your back or would you want a nice pad and saddle to distribute the weight across your back and so the rider could post or support their weight with stirrups? IF you were a horse the answer is simple.

[planes100]

nice videos . cheers from australia .

[OlliMSa]

Thank you! You just confirmed my suspicions on riding completely bareback. I use 3 saddle pads (English saddle pads are thinner) with the one in the middle being a foam insert that actually has a channel in the center to decrease pressure on the spinous processes. It's comfortable to me and comfortable to my horse. I never feel his spine and he cannot feel my ischial tuberosities dig into his back. This is temporary while I save some money to get a new saddle (XXW - he is a Haflinger).

[JasperIsaLittleHorse]

I made my New Years Resolution to ditch the saddle more offten. But this video still makes me have second thoughts. Problem is, the bareback pad i have is very uncomfortable. It's not very flexible(hasn't been used) and I can't feel my horse benieth me so i end up takeing it off because i rely on my seat to feel what my horse is doing. I want to ride bareback,and improve my balance but id'e rather fall out of a tree than hurt my horse. Any Suggestions? This does NOT mean all of youtube swamp me.

[sinclairl123]

what if you use a bareback pad?

[HokeeDokey]

Wonder how many people ride bareback out of ego? My boy is a big rangy horse with very high withers. Sitting on him bareback is like straddling a window ledge. I love him, but it's very uncomfortable---to both of us. I got a western saddle for TN walking horses that's made to accommodate his high withers and have a good pad. Better for his back and my backside. :)

[MsBabeandMe]

Great video, as always :)

[wintrrwolf]

Though I disagree with the 50# overweight person I think they actually have more padding I that area then someone like me at 115#, it hurts and is not fun!! I love what you did with that saddle pad and have one that I want to adapt to cinch it on. Where can I get that strap to sew on mine? Thanks

[OlliMSa]

@wintrrwolf I agree with you. Our ischial tuberosities are much closer to the surface than a fat person's ones. But they still can be felt in a fat person (I feel them because I'm a physical therapist). Their extra weight will drive them into the horse just as if they are thin. Hate to be graphic, but the fat just spreads to the sides. There is greater force with a fat person than a thinner one especially if they don't know how to ride well.

[peosfo]

I really appreciate you putting up this video. I do have a bareback pad and will always use that with the saddle pad as well. :)

[horsesLcool]

Nice video. However is there such thing as putting too much padding on a horse? I thought I heard that somewhere but I'm not sure. Anyways very educational video!

[09meandmyhorses]

wow! i never knew any of this!

i don't think i ever wanna ride bareback for longet than a few minutes again. (not a big fan of it anyways)

haha this video makes sooo much sense though!

thanks(:

[1997HighLander]

Buddy's so cute! Thanks for the info.

[ArablvrXoXo]

Buddy would make such a nice western pleasure horse!

[krs7g4]

Eeeew, you like those old cotton string girths!

[Mdequifever]

Thanks for the info on this! When i was growing up bareback was a common thing. Not gonna ride without anything anymore, never thought of it that way, but it's makes tons of sense. Started using a bareback pad when I got my own horse though. I'm gonna start using my saddle pad under my bareback pad now. :)

[TheCheyrose]

theres no problem with riding bareback!!! who cares about your (advice)

[SuperMelMan182]

Thank you for educating me on this, that makes a lot of sense. I was thinking bareback was a more natural approach but you're right, riding isn't natural and so we need to make unnatural accomodations. Thank you!

[smellslikeahorse]

Thanks Rick,this is interesting&useful.I have ridden bareback quite a lot in the round pen and getting her in from pasture to yard, but I'll not do this anymore til I get a pad made up I've tried various saddles on my mare&wonder how SHEfeels.I imported a Fabtron Ladies trail/pleasure Flex Tree saddle(USA),but not sure if it restricts her shoulder movement.Researched more,bought aBarefoot Treeless Cheyenne saddle from Germany.Watched this video,confused again. Love your vids, you make me smile.

[smellslikeahorse]

Thanks Rick,this is interesting&useful.I have ridden bareback quite a lot in the round pen and getting her in from pasture to yard, but I'll not do this anymore til I get a pad made up I've tried various saddles on my mare&wonder how SHEfeels.I imported a Fabtron Ladies trail/pleasure Flex Tree saddle(USA),but not sure if it restricts her shoulder movement.Researched more,bought aBarefoot Treeless Cheyenne saddle from Germany.Watched this video,confused again. Love your vids, you make me smile.

[midgetmidgetfat]

i fairly that by riding with a pad with a cirsingle tighly holding it down, not only puts unnessasery pressure on the horses withers, it also buts a sh*t load of pressure on their spine because the cirsingle only applies pressure to one particular spot. i also think that you should not be teaching any body the basics of horsemanship. also, do you get on from the ground?

[NoraPieterse]

@horseawareness i think you are wrong. Yes it can hurt a horse's back to ride them bareback but only if you do it wrong and if you are too heavy for the horse. This also counts for riding a horse with a saddle; if you ride it wrong you can hurt the horse, and if you are too heavy for it you'll hurt it.

I don't get your logic.

@SpookRunner 's comment is an example of how it does not hurt the horse if you do it properly. What people need is a video telling them how to ride bareback properly.

[meandu2r1]

Depends on the horse & rider whether there is pain or not. The horse will let you know if you listen. My short backed, rounded QH does not mind being ridden bareback at a walk, trot or lope if the rider is riding correctly. That said, you have a good idea with the 2 pads and a sewn on girth. A cheaper version of the treeless saddle. In my experience, treeless saddles work better on a shorter backed horse. I would not ride a long backed horse bareback or with a treeless saddle.

[stargazer2254]

heck it keeps my horse cooler instead of him being so hot in the summer

[jiterjit]

i agree with yo rick. there are times like in an emergency situation when you do have to ride bareback i.e fire! however the way i show people how a horse feels is i sit on them both bare back and with the saddle of choice. then i sit on them. it not only gives a person understanding of what it feels like but its a great teaching aid. if you would like i can send you a video as an example.

[SpookRunner]

I ride bareback all the time, except for when im in rodeos. I ride him for around 3 hours, like 4 times a week. I have vet cheak- up on my horse every two months and there is nothing wrong with his spine.

[EliseRox235]

i actually didnt kno tht till now (im 12 btw)

but my riding instructor bought a new horse had it for a week we went out on a trail ride for about an hour she rushed and jumped on the new horse bareback and tht horse hsnt been ridden for a year and tht was its first ride in a place he didnt kno with horses he didnt kno

and it was sooo stupid of her to do it wen shes a huge overweight person and this horse was VERY skinny

poor horse ;(

[iheartsrangerpony]

i dont ride bareback, but i was wondering, if u use a bareback pad with significant padding to protect the spine, would it b possible 2 ride bareback?

[Horsingabout1]

Some riders have more padding on their butt than there is on a saddle which is probably easier on the horse than an ill fitting saddle. When you consider nature never designed a horse to carry the weight of a rider on its back and if you are going to be completely altruistic then they shouldn't carry a rider at any time

[horsereader1]

I use a bareback pad with a theraputic saddlepad....thanks for the info I have changed the way I ride because of you......Thanks for all the good tips

[horseawareness]

@nanakla: You can disagree but you are wrong. Ride a bike with no padded seat. I could stand on your back with bare feet and it hurt more than if I put a thick pad on your back and then stood on it and if I stood on your back with rock the size of an egg on the bottom of my shoe it would dig into you deep and hurt. You like riding bareback, you think it is cool so you justify it for YOU. It is a selfish approach and it is not horsemanship - where the horse comes first.

[nanakla]

Agree with no spurs. BUT you don't keep any preassure on the spine when you ride. Your butt is padded, and you have a crack there you know, fitting the horses spine perfectly. However, sitting in a chair-seat digs your seatbones into the back muscles, And maybe yor tailbone or something. But any bone into the horses spine hurts you too. Your weight goes on your inner thighs etc. I like that you think so much on your horses wellbeing, but I firmly believe you're wrong on this (I'll continue)

[bramblesgirl]

i ride bareback all tha time and i see nothing rong with it and if you are woreyed about herting your horse then youse a bareback pad. it impruves your bond and is fun

[horseawareness]

@bramblesgirl : what it really comes down to is you think it is fun. It hurts a horses back, it is not good for them, but since you like it, that is all that is important to you.You are wrong but you like many other do things to their horses for them and not putting the horse's well being first. As for you comment about it makes you a better rider, wrong again. I know lots of people that can sit on a horse bareback and they still ride like crap. As for improving the bond, pain always does that.

[thescarlettemermaid]

@horseawareness ya it all depends on the type of horse 2. and i always make shur when i wanna get on that i lean over his back to ask him if hes ready so i dont take him by surprise. and you know you have to sit in the rite spot on the horse so it dosnt hurt them.

[thescarlettemermaid]

@horseawareness oh i totaly agree on the long distence thang. and yes you need to show and tell your horse that you can do this.

[1thankful]

@bramblesgirl WOW... get off your horse and get to school...ride later..ok?

[JumpingRider13]

@bramblesgirl I always love reading comments like yours because it proves why kids should stay in school...or use a dictionary and spell check.

[elinheartstristin]

i dont get why people even like spurs.

[weatherstorms]

If you ride english can you use a western saddle pad with an english saddle on top of it? More padding.

[bathtimefun111]

first off buddy is too cute. second I agree that bareback for long distances is not good. even if ppl didnt wana do the saddle pad thing they can drop there sturips or take them off thats what we always did. It's sad that people do stupid stuff with horses to look cool.

[LauraLovesMocha]

I'm defiantly not riding bareback again. well, I don't think I would on my pony ever again anyways. a few days ago I hopped on her bareback (just for a couple minutes), she took a few steps and jumped to the side (she didn't spook, she just doesn't like bareback). and I fell off haha. of course tho, I had to get back on, and did like one circle, and then got off.

[iluvmyfurkids]

Excellent video. I never thought of riding bareback as being painful but the way you explain it makes me feel awful for not thinking about it before doing it. I have an old blanket that I am going to have a strap put on like yours and use my saddle pad under it. AWESOME video.

[destinii101]

is it worse to ride english then? because english saddles dont have the padding.

[horseawareness]

@destinii101 : Ummm? an english saddle is lighter and has pads on both sides of the spine, some fit more on the horse and some sit high, so it would depend. I don't like english pads since they tend to be thin and do not give much support, so I guess the answer would be Yes it is worse in my opinion, but not as bad as bareback or or just a bareback pad, but not as much support as a good western saddle.

[destinii101]

@horseawareness i usually dont use an english pad, but i use a riser pad, a gell pad, and a wool pad, which cant be seen since its smaller than a regular pad...

[MsKenzie999]

cant you just use a bareback pad?

[horseawareness]

@MsKenzie999 : I thought I answered that in the video? If the pad is just fur it gives not padding or protection for the spine. You can ride a horse with nails in your pockets and you will feel what the horse feels, but our butts do not feel what the horse's spine feels.

[MsKenzie999]

@horseawareness ik i posted this before i watched the whole thing

[rupertbunyip]

When I swing up onto my pony, I put a lot less pressure on him than when I mount with a saddle. Granted I'm small and he's chunky. I agree there are people out there who do hurt their horses when they ride bare back but there are just the same proportion doing the same thing with saddles. Sorry about the essay! I really enjoy your videos (I'm going to try teaching my horse to bow!) and it's really nice to see someone truly concerned for horses well-fare!

[rupertbunyip]

Hi, I've been watching your videos and really enjoyed them until I got to this particular one. I can appreciate that if you have a bony horse or an unfit horse with little top line you should not ride bare back but I think you'll find saddles do a lot more damage to horses than bare back riders. 99% of horses ridden with saddles have scar tissue on their ribs from girths and a large proportion will also be putting up with poorly fitted saddles with riders who get on by pulling up on one side...

[TheMrFixitall]

Personally, depends on horse if spurs are needed. Again have to use your head before using spurs...

[BarrelRacinBlue]

yikes.. i ride bareback all the time. i didnt know if hurt him, i hope i didnt loose respect and trust :( i just bought a really nice saddle pad that fits him, ill use that under a bareback pad from now on. as well as spread the word to my friends :)

[honeyhearts27]

It’s amazing the stupid things people do to their horses on some Youtube videos. It’s very upsetting. Anyways, great video, as always, I learned so much.

[fashioncloset]

i really enjoyed this one, thanks for all your informative videos :) , buddy is one awesome horse :) brilliant colour with a brilliant attitude :)

[MegF142857]

Clever idea for a bareback pad.

[horseawareness]

@MegF142857 : and cheap too, only cost about 10 bucks to have that sewing done at a saddle shop. :)

[cyberg00se]

I look forward to the next video: Treats and Why I deserve them, by Buddy. :-)

[cyberg00se]

I'm generally just against spurs in general. It's a controversial opinion and of course I know that people with "loud" legs don't (I hope!) wear them. I get that they're cues, blah blah blah, but I also feel that if you're good enough to get results with them, you're good enough to get results without them. If the cues are too muddy without spurs or the horse isn't listening, it's an indication not that you need spurs, but more round pen work. It's not a popular opinion with my horsey friends.

[horseawareness]

@cyberg00se : Spurs is one of those traditions look historic give the image of the old rough West. Too bad too many have forgotten that back in the, you had to earn your spurs, which means you had to prove yourself and your horsemanship without spurs before you were ever allowed to wear them. Nowadays anyone can buy a whip, painful bits, big spurs and other cheats to hurt a horse from lack of understanding.

[Andrea9514]

Oh crap, I ride my horse bareback a LOT, I once went 19 miles :/ I never knew that it hurt him, I'm NEVER riding bareback without a pad from now on.

[HorseCrazyy197]

I agree, I ride my horse bareback like one in a while and only for like 10 to 15 minutes just at the walk, and only when its Winter in MN (brrr) hahaha and she is pretty fat :P

I see people ride bareback at the trot and im like ouchhh, poor horse]:

I agree with you so much Rick!!!! Thanks for raising awareness for horse people!!

[RodeoHorsey]

where did you get that saddle pad??

[horseawareness]

@RodeoHorsey : A good saddle pad will be curved like the horses back and will have a shoulder hole at the type of the pad. This one is a Professional Choice 3/4 or 1 inch all wool pad. A few companies make them, the are a bit pricey I think I paid 140 or 150 for this one.

[Wildxxhorses]

this was very very useful

[pix4434]

What about a treeless saddle?  Buddy was pretty entertaining this time! :)