This question is a horsey question about bareback.?

Question

i saw someone wrote a similar question to mine before but they didnt really get a good answer. so i'll ask it again. Well i'll tell you my story. I am currently minding a horse for a friend. So I decided to go for a ride one afternoon last week. I decided to go bareback cause i knew I would not be out for long. As I was on my trail, I bumped into a walker, she had to squeeze by me cause the track is narrow. As she went by me she said to me. Do you know what you are doing is cruel to that horse. So I replied how?, She then said for starters that horse riding is cruel full stop. Then she said that because I am riding bareback, i am hurting the horse more. She said that the seams from my Levis are constantly rubbing off the poor horse as she said. I told her that it was nonsense and that I do it all the time. When she left, I was thinking she could be right. When I looked down at my legs and thighs I could see they do rub thehorse but I thought the horse skin was thick.Is this woman right

Answer 1

No it will not hurt the horse, it is actually more comfortable than a saddle especially an ill fitting one.

As long as your are in the correct position when riding bareback, that is further forward as close to the wither as possible.

Answer 2

I ride bareback all the time and any horse person will tell you that riding bareback is MUCH more humane and healthier for the horse!
A saddle adds to your weight. Also, if a saddle is a wrong fit, it can cause permanant injuries to the horse.
Riding a horse isn't cruel as long as you are gentle and kind to the horse--after all he is bearing you around all day, so be nice to him (and I'm sure you are, if you're this worried about your horse). Horses are happy to please, and they know that in return for you riding, they get food, shelter and love.
If he's hurting, I'm sure he'll tell you. If you're still worried after this, you can use a bareback pad. Just don't get the ones with stirrups, without a proper saddle tree they can slip and become dangerous.
The lady was probably mad because you were on the trail taking up space. Next time someone tells you something like that, ask if they've ever owned or ridden a horse.

Answer 3

Wow...that lady was a nutjob. Horseback riding is not cruel in general. (Of course there are times it is, like when people use severe training aids/methods, and push the horse too much) Regular everyday riding is fine. You are actually helping the horse because you are giving it attention, and making sure it stays in shape.

Bareback is not cruel. I think it is good because there is less weight on the horses back! It is also a good way to really feel how your horse moves, and to improve your balance. I do not think you wearing jeans would hurt your horse, unless you ride for hours and rub the skin raw. A solution is to buy a bareback pad, but I really wouldn't worry very much at all.

There are all sorts of crazy people out there. I was on a four wheeling trip in the woods with my bf (on a "abandoned" road). And some horses were coming down the trail. Everyone stopped and shut off their engines so they don't scare the horses. My bf has a big truck and there wasn't much room. He offered several times to move his truck to give the horses more room, he wouldn't have even had to start it. The stupid lady said no. The first one made it by ok. The second one wasn't so lucky. The horse slipped and fell onto the side of the truck, the lady ended up under the horse as it slid. Fortunately the horse got up (and so did the lady, but she deserved to be more hurt). She was stupid and risked her horse, riding on trails not fit (snow + ice), and riding unsafely. That is how riding is cruel, when there are people like that.

Answer 4

I find this halarious. Bareback is the best way to go, especially in winter or during times of slippery footing for the horse(you don't have risk of getting hung up in the stirrups if there is bad footing issues) Plus going without saddle is great for the horse. My instructor is endurence competitor here in northern Alberta Canada. She goes bareback all winter long and rides up to 50miles a day on her arabian stud. He is the best mannered and well rounded trusting horse on earth, I don't see him going that well if she was hurting him. If your worried about rubbing get a bareback pad, simple enough right? Seems to me people have problems no matter what you do so why bother. If you think your jeans rub the horse then get a pad and not worry about what anothers opinon is. You walked away wanting more information so look on the bright side, your better educated now about the whole thing. Next time you can debate with her if your feeling really frisky about the whole thing, otherwise, take the knowledge and let it go...

Answer 5

I'm sorry but that woman is talking crap, if the horse was in any pain or discomfort then I'm sure you would have been eating dirt by now. In fact I think that riding bareback is better for the horse because it has more freedom of movement and you are allot lighter on his back too. You just need to be sure that you are not sat too far back on his loins and sit as near to the wither as poss so you don't bruise his kidneys. She's probably just jealous that you can ride and control such a big animal with little effort! I love riding bareback I feel more of a connection with my horse!

But If you must ride bare back please wear a riding hat it's allot easier coming a cropper bareback and you don't want to be a vegetable for the rest of your life do you!
Take care and be safe!

Answer 6

The woman was an idiot -- as someone said, she was probably a member of PETA.

BUT... Riding bareback can actually be harder on the horse. I don't think it's really painful to them, but when you ride bareback, all of your weight is concentrated in one small area. A saddle spreads your weight out, making it more comfortable for the horse. This is why Western saddles are often considered more comfortable for horses than English saddles. In spite of being heavier, they do spread the weight out more and that is better for the horse's back.

Of course, all saddles should fit properly.

Jumping on a horse bareback now and then is fine, especially if you don't weigh too much. But saddles are definitely better for longer rides.

Answer 7

What aload of c**p. I used to jump my Arab bareback, its all about the ability of the rider and yes weight does play a part if you were a 13 stone rider on a 14 hand pony then i might have some reservations....... If you rode bareback all the time then yes you would start to rub but not the odd occasion. It is probably more comfortable for the horse going bareback believe me if you was hurting him you wouldn't be up there very long, he would soon have you on the floor!

Answer 8

I think you get the idea from all the answers. If you're really concerned about the seams on your jeans, throw some chaps over them. They keep your jeans from getting diry anyway.

Bareback is no problem at all. After all, the Indians rode like that most of the time. Also, even a good fitting saddle will limit the movement of the horse's shoulders (that's why racing saddles are so small).

Trust me, if your jeans hurt the horse, he/she would let you know the same way they let you know if there's a burr under the saddle.

Answer 9

there's no way you're hurting that horse if you're sitting far enough forward, and you're not too heavy for the horse - if you're 300 lbs on a v. small horse, that's not exactly kind. if you're average-size on an average-size horse, though, bareback's a million times better than a poorly fitting saddle, or a saddle on a blanket that's got straw/sand in it.

as for horse riding being cruel "full stop" - that's thoroughly unreasonable. as long as you're not beating the horse, or riding him too hard, your size and the horse's are a reasonable match, and you're bareback or using a saddle that fits, you're not hurting the horse. you aren't even hurting the horse's feelings. they're social animals, and if you have a relationship with them (rider and caregiver to horse works fine!) it's all good.

Answer 10

She sounds like an idiot who doesnt know very much- the saying a little knowledge is a dangerous thing was made for people like her. She probably thinks that being an 'animal lover' is enough knowledge for her to be right.... does she honestly think that if horse riding was cruel, all the millions of horses in the world, who are way bigger and stronger than we are, would let us ride them?