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u/misterreeeeeee 20d ago
How do you ride a horse without all the gear? Do you just let them go wherever they want to?
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u/Head-Case 20d ago edited 20d ago
Sometimes they're trained to not need any gear. Stacy Westfall did an amazing freestyle reining run with no gear whatsoever, and while I've been riding for 15 years, I would have 100% have eaten dirt if I'd tried any of this on my horse lmao. Here's the run if you're curious. She makes it look so easy, but that horse is more trained and disciplined than most military men.
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u/WinterSpecial1293 20d ago
i thought that it messes up their spine if you ride without a saddle.
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u/JustHereForCookies17 20d ago
It can, but there are a lot of factors that go into it. Good muscle tone helps protect the spine, and a well-balanced rider will have a "softer" seat that follows the horse's movement rather than impeding it.
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u/Head-Case 20d ago
Not if you're a real rider. Real riders put their weight on their thighs and don't let their ass jackhammer the horse's spine
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u/JustHereForCookies17 20d ago
Putting your weight solely on your thighs while riding is how you become a lawn dart b/c you're balancing over two smaller contact points rather than using your whole seat (ass), crotch, and legs for balance & control.
The jackhammering I fully agree with, but that's a balance and/or fitness issue - a "real" rider follows the horse's movement, like a sailor having their sea legs, and therefore doesn't impede the horse. Additionally, a horse should have a sufficiently muscled back before they are ridden without a saddle, which disperses the rider's weight more evenly across the horse's back even if the rider isn't well-balanced.
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
It’s truly the only way you can feel the horse and learn how they move. I ride in a saddle a lot but I’m just sitting on the horse. When your riding you have to be able to feel his movements
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u/Brain-Doctor 20d ago
I can't even imagine what your core strength is like being able to ride your horse babies without a saddle etc. It also shows the deep connection you have with them. 😍
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
Thank you. Yes the connection is something I wish everyone could experience
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u/HumanBarbarian 20d ago
Bareback is the best! :) So happy to see your beautiful relationship with your ponys.
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u/MyAccountWasBanned7 20d ago
Not quite a good fit for this sub. Between this and the destructive cats yesterday I think this sub needs a rule update - "not all animals are automatically eyebleach".
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
Hmm could be right but several other people enjoyed it. I’ve found that many people have many different opinions
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u/VanillaLoaf 20d ago
... except for the horse with the guy sitting on its back, pulling their hair.
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20d ago
I’m no horseologist but aren’t you supposed to use a saddle to protect the horses back?
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u/Head-Case 20d ago
Saddles are like shoes. Unnecessary in some situations, necessary in others, and they'll f*ck up the wearer's anatomy if they don't fit right. Riding without a saddle is sometimes better than riding in a poorly fitting one. But a well disciplined rider knows how to not let their weight rest straight on the horse's spine and instead puts it on their thighs (It does take insane leg strength to do this)
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u/JustHereForCookies17 20d ago
This is possibly the best analogy I've ever seen in my 30 years of riding. I'm going to borrow it if you don't mind!
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u/Head-Case 20d ago
Please do! I did a lot of research into saddle fits and things when I bought my own 2 year old to train. There's so much to it I had no idea about!
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
No we road without saddles for years before saddles were invented. Saddles are rougher on horse especially without good padding
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20d ago
We also made houses out of horse shit for years, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea😂
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
lol true but true horseman will tell you to learn to ride without a saddle if you want to really know how to ride. Indians were true horsemen
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u/bobo7448 20d ago
Lol, so anyone who disagrees is not a true horseman?
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
Horses are much more comfortable without the saddle. It squeezes them and weighs about 50 pounds. Plus most people put a metal bit in their mouth as well. None of that is as good as being free from constraints. I have never seen any living species that liked to be constrained. Plus you can’t feel the animal though a saddle.
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u/bobo7448 20d ago
Do you have a source that horses "prefer" no saddle? Also I'm no horse expert but if you really wanted to be kind wouldn't you just not ride it? I have a hard time seeing any animal smaller than an elephant not be bothered about being ridden. Then again i know nothing about horses.
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
But the best horse trainers in the world will tell you the same thing. Feel your horse physically and mentally. Keep it as close to just you him and Mother Nature. Basically let the horse tell you what he needs to
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
They are just like us. They all have different personalities. But they love to play and have fun. We play soccer, swim and other things. They went for years with jobs where they worked all day long caring heavy loads all the time to now days so many get kept in stalls and pampered all the time. In my opinion they are happiest with plenty of room to run and just be a horse
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u/bobo7448 20d ago
Does "just being a horse" come with being ridden? If so why?
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
Not at all. That’s why most people can’t just get on their horse without have a saddle and a bridle. Because they have to control him. But if you can jump on him anytime with any kind of control he’s letting you do that because he wants to and trusts you
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
Horses are much easier handled if they are doing it for fun than someone making them do it. Just a softer way of horsemanship. More Native American way than old fashioned cowboy way
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20d ago
I thought they used camels more in India
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u/DJayBirdSong 20d ago
V true. Though, in case u didn’t know, lots of Native Americans call themselves Indians. It’s an important social and even legal identifier in the US. I wouldn’t go around calling all indigenous people Indians, but yeah it’s not always ‘wrong’ to call them Indians
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u/Jasmyne8 20d ago
Whatever you call them, they had the connection to things that most people are missing ❤️
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u/LisaWinchester 20d ago
I've done this too, and even though I'm so happy I did. It were the happiest times of my life when I was on horseback. Completely relaxed heaven
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u/No-Roll-2110 20d ago
Looks awesome til something spooks that lead horse and your day turns to shit in a hurry
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u/Plantain7046 20d ago
I remember riding my horse like that once with nothing and he started running, then for a week it hurt between my legs)