How to Ride Bareback on a Bony Horse

Make Riding Bareback More Comfortable

Most people ride with a saddle most of the time. Bareback riding، however، can be fun، especially in the summer. Some people hop on bareback because they can't be bothered to get a saddle or are only going a short way. Others might be planning on taking the horse swimming. Some riders may ride bareback because their saddle needs repair or they are looking for a new one that fits better.

The truth is، though، that some horses are simply better built to ride bareback than others. Cobs and draft crosses can be particularly comfortable. Narrow horses، however، often have a spine that sticks right up where you don't want it، and many Thoroughbreds and crosses have the infamous "shark fin" withers (associated with speed) that make saddle fitting difficult and riding bareback extremely uncomfortable.

Consult Your Vet

If your horse is boney، there may be a medical reason; always consult your vet and prioritize your pet's health and comfort. Riding a horse who is boney due to arthritis، for example، could be painful for the animal.

Use a Pad or Blanket

The obvious solution is a bareback pad، although these can be pricy. A bareback pad will give you quite a bit of padding. It will also buffer the horse's sweat and shed hair، which is helpful since riding bareback can soak your breeches on a hot day or cover them with hair if it's spring. When I was a kid، I used to throw a towel over the horse's back، although this doesn't help with padding much. If you do use a towel، use a thick one; they grip better.

Alternatives

If you don't have a bareback pad، then you can use a saddle pad، although this might slip. If you have a blanket surcingle، then the combination of that and a pad will work. However، since most modern blankets don't require surcingles، they can be hard to find these days. Some people ride on top of a blanket، but I don't recommend this: Modern blankets are often designed to slip easily if the horse rolls to reduce the risk of the horse becoming tangled. Riding on a blanket may also put extra strain on the straps and reduce the life of your blanket.