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When riding bareback, there is no saddle or blanket. The bareback rider sits in the hollow of the horse's back and stays there mostly through the rider's ability to balance. It's an especially uncomfortable seat though less so at the walk and the slow canter pace.
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Before stirrups and saddles were invented in ancient Central Asia, everyone rode bareback. Feet dangled and upper thighs griped the horse for security. Early soldiers rode bareback with nothing to hold them onto their horses but talent, will, and possibly the terror of falling off in the heat of battle.
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Some today can tell you about bareback riding for the lack of the means to afford a saddle. Children on the farm are most often in this group that have the spunk, resilience, and especially the desire to ride no matter the bounce or lack of control. Seen in the movies, it is always an exciting, heroic looking spectacle.
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For those that learned (or had to learn) that way, they may tell you it was a blessing in disguise to start out the hard way to ride a horse. When a saddle became available, and they pursued the sport of horsemanship, the game of balance had already been mastered years before.
I would not recommend anyone purposely begin to ride that way. However, riding your horse bareback on occasion can help your seat and balance if you are new to riding. Also, pressure sores and saddle galls can occur to horses ridden in poorly maintained or fitted saddles. Sometimes the girths or gear are excessively tight, or inadequate cushioning is used under the saddle and girth.
Notwithstanding, your horse will still require exercise. Therefore, riding slowly bareback style will keep your horse fit during his recovery. When you do ride bareback, use a bareback pad. It's a cloth pad held onto the horse's back by a cinch belt that encompasses the horse's belly. The pads are available at tack and feed stores, in catalogs, and on the Internet.
There are a few other advantages to riding bareback. Firstly, getting your horse ready for a ride is easier when you're going bareback. There's no saddle to haul out of the tack room; just put on the bareback pad and you're set for a ride. You can also ride without a pad, but be aware that your horse will especially sweat where your legs touch him. That sweat can leave you with big, embarrassing, horsehair-covered sweat marks on your seat and the back of your legs!
Secondly, riding bareback can make you feel more at one with your horse. No leather gets between you and your mount. You'll experience the movement of the muscles in your horse's back and sides as you ride. You also feel a bit wild sitting up there without a saddle to hold you or stirrups for your feet.
You can ride bareback in any discipline. If you normally ride English style, you can use the same bridle on the horse even though you're riding without a saddle. The same goes for western riding. If you're a western rider and you dare, you can even compete with your horse in bareback classes at horse shows. In any case, when riding bareback, make sure your pad is tightly cinched and doesn't slip as you ride. Also, it may be unwelcome advice for western riders, but it is a good idea to wear a helmet in case you and your horse should happen to part company.
If you are new to riding and have an instructor, ask him first for the go-ahead before you try bareback. You will have less to support you, so you need to be skilled enough to stay on the horse on your own. Your instructor can tell you when you are ready.
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