There’s a lot of discussion about whether riding bareback is a good idea. Is it a great way of bonding, or simply bad for the horse’s back? We take a look at riding without a saddle.
It’s seen a lot in the movies, especially practised by young and attractive stars. This reinforces the idea in the leisure sector that riding bareback is natural and good for the horse. It looks cool, but we say “hold your horses!” while you take in some facts.
Riding with and without a saddle
The earliest saddles weren’t designed for riding, but as pack saddles for carrying goods. They kept the items secure and well balanced on the back of a pack horse, mule, or donkey. Most importantly they kept the animal’s back free from injury.
The earliest riding saddles developed from this basic type. They had wooden trees and just a little padding to offer some comfort to the rider. Often they were padded on top and underneath. Over centuries, different cultures with different styles of riding developed diverse saddles, from heavy jousting saddles to the “postage stamp” of the English racing saddle.
Whatever the style of saddle, the aim was then, as now, to evenly distribute the load, whether goods or rider, on the back of the horse. It was also to keep the weight clear of the horse’s spine. A good saddle kept the rider in place and well-balanced, without direct pressure points on the horse.
However, when we ride without a saddle the weight of the rider rests directly on the horse’s back, creating pressure from the seat bones. This can lead to long-term disorders and health problems, especially in horses with underdeveloped back muscles.
This is easy to experience for yourself: ask someone to press your back with the palm of their hand. That should feel fine, and the reason is that the pressure is distributed evenly throughout the palm and also over the surface of your back. Now ask them to press you with a fingertip, and you’ll experience how much worse this focussed pressure is.
Riding without a saddle – are you both fit enough?
First and foremost, consider the horse’s back. Is it strong and well-muscled? If not, don’t risk it. It can cause not only back problems but lameness too. Stick with the saddle and make sure it fits properly. Horses were never meant to carry riders and they can only do it if their back muscles are strong and well-developed.
It is true to say that a badly fitting or damaged saddle will cause problems for the horse’s back, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that riding bareback is better. Before starting, you should be confident that you have an independent seat. That means feeling confident and safe in all gaits and not trying to regain balance by grabbing with your hands and reins if you move on the horse’s back.
If you can’t ride independently in the saddle, you won’t be able to do it bareback. Yanking on the horse’s mouth to regain balance is the quickest way for your equine partner to lose trust, and all your dreams of bonding will disappear in a flash. You need to feel confident to go with the flow of the horse and not be bumping around erratically.
Is riding without a saddle harmful? Are there benefits?
If the rider can meet the coordination and skill levels in all gaits, and the horse is physically strong, fit and well-muscled, riding without a saddle is fine in moderation. Practise by sitting in a saddle and riding without stirrups to start. Then you can progress to using a bareback pad, which provides some protection for the horse’s back. The good side is that riding without a saddle trains the seat and gives you a much greater awareness of the horse’s movements. It helps to build a bond between horse and rider, and can certainly lead to a sense of “oneness”. Properly done, it is a fun and progressive way to create unity with your horse. Make sure you and your horse are correctly prepared to enjoy the experience of bareback riding.
