Are you familiar with horses without saddles, known as bareback horses? Some people may have curiosity, doubts, or a desire to challenge themselves. How does it feel to ride without a saddle? Perhaps it allows for a greater sense of unity with the horse.
Actually, trying bareback riding can make a significant difference for the rider. While only a few equestrian clubs offer the opportunity, challenging yourself if you get the chance is highly worthwhile.
Is Riding Bareback Dangerous?
Many riding clubs decline bareback riding due to the increased risk. We will explain why riding without a saddle can be more dangerous.
Reasons for Danger
When riding with a saddle, it’s easy to rely on it and the stirrups. At times, riders instinctively push against stirrups to stabilize themselves, and some may have successfully fallen and gotten back up. However, without stirrups, falling becomes easier and can lead to injuries, which is why bareback riding is considered risky.
Bareback Isn’t the Only Risk
Interestingly, without stirrups, there’s less risk of being dragged if you fall—since your foot isn’t caught in a stirrup, unlike in traditional riding where it could cause serious injuries or even be fatal if caught under the horse. Therefore, some argue that riding bareback can actually reduce injury severity by allowing falls to occur with less impact on the head and neck, as you tend to fall more on your side or back rather than your head.
Risks After Falling
Both saddled and unsaddled riders face fall risks. How you fall affects injury severity. Some instructors advise resisting the urge to cling to the horse’s neck and to try to avoid falling headfirst. Even if you avoid hitting your head, there’s a risk of being caught under the horse’s body, which can cause serious injuries like internal bleeding or fractures.
Enjoying Bareback Riding
While riding has its risks, it also offers immense enjoyment, especially in bareback riding where you can experience a unique connection with the horse that differs from traditional saddled riding. Here are some joys specific to bareback riding, so when you challenge yourself, remember to enjoy to the fullest.
Unparalleled Connection
Now, the bond between rider and horse is more direct without the saddle and stirrups. The saddle and stirrups are meant to stabilize the rider, but removing them increases the sense of harmony with the horse. The discomfort in sitting may increase, but communication through body cues becomes clearer, making the experience more intense. The exhilaration when jumping over obstacles is addictive.
Great Learning Opportunities
Bareback riding offers lessons in maintaining correct posture. Since you feel your sitting position more vividly, you can consciously adjust your posture. Once accustomed, try doing a ‘counterbalance’—if you can’t do it well on a saddle, it’s an even better test on a bareback horse as your balance is challenged. Additionally, you can observe muscle movements of the horse that are usually hidden under the saddle, deepening your understanding of horse anatomy and movement.
A Sense of Exciting Difference
Doing something different in daily life often brings excitement. For example, visiting a new store or trying new fashion or makeup. Bareback riding provides that kind of thrill—an experience that’s slightly different from usual riding. It can also induce a little nervousness, as the lack of saddle makes your posture unstable, raising the risk of falling. Moreover, the feel of riding varies depending on the horse’s conformation—leaner or with a prominent spine may cause discomfort due to friction, adding variety to your experience with different horses.
Skinship with Horses
With no saddle, you can also directly feel the horse’s body temperature. The average body temperature of a resting horse is about 38°C. In winter, you feel a gentle warmth despite the cold, while in summer, it can feel much hotter. Sometimes, this closeness results in wetness and embarrassment but enhances the joy of connection.
How to Mount and Dismount
When you decide to challenge yourself with bareback riding, you may wonder, ‘How do I get on without stirrups?’ Normally, saddles and stirrups are essential parts of riding. On a bareback horse, you need to grasp the reins and mane with your left hand, hold the saddle with your right, hook your left foot into the stirrup, and then mount. Disembarking follows the same method—no reliance on stirrups. Here are some methods of mounting and dismounting:
How to Mount
There are several techniques. Depending on the horse and rider’s characteristics, some methods might be unsuitable, so consulting with instructors is recommended.
Using the Elbow Method
Grip the mane and reins with your left hand, securely hold the horse’s withers with your right, and simultaneously slide your right wrist along the withers onto the horse’s back. Use your elbow strength to pull yourself up, then lift your right leg over the horse’s back. This method is comfortable but requires caution with horses that are not accustomed to being mounted or have weak front legs.
Using Both Arms
Stand at the lowest part of the horse’s back. Hold the mane and reins with your left hand, place your right hand on the horse’s spine, and pull yourself up with both arms. Once balanced, lift your right leg over the horse to mount.
Using a Platform
Stand on a sturdy platform. Place your right hand near the withers, swing your right leg up rapidly, and cross onto the horse’s back. Using a higher platform makes this easier.
Dismount
Gather the mane and reins with your left hand, lift your right leg over the horse, and jump down on the other side while leaning back slightly. Be careful not to cling tightly and slide down, which might cause you to land under the horse and fall.
Proper Riding Posture
Just like with usual riding, proper posture involves opening your chest slightly, looking ahead, and aligning your head, hips, and heels in a straight line. When riding bareback, it’s easier to notice if your heels are up or down. If they’re up, simply lower them—though this requires effort since there’s no stirrup. Strengthening the muscles used for this posture benefits your overall riding skills.
Summary
Bareback riding feels special. It’s often considered risky, but it offers a unique connection with the horse that you can’t experience with regular riding, along with excitement and many learning opportunities. The lessons learned from riding bareback will surely improve your overall riding skills. Given its魅力 is hard to experience just through imagination, I highly recommend trying it if you get the chance.