by Steven Easley

Created on: July 30, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2009

Imagine riding bareback at a gallop with the wind in your hair, sun on your face and a magnificent animal beneath you. Whether you're a beginning rider or an accomplished horseman, there's nothing like riding bareback to make you feel like you are one with the horse. The strength, power and sheer beauty of bareback riding will carry the rider back into a distant time and place where horses were wild and people were adventurous. Ride with the free spirit of the Native American peoples of the old west.

Riding bareback does require some preparation and you'll want to consider a few things before just trying to jump onto the back of any horse. First you may want to see about finding an experienced instructor, who is familiar with riding bareback. Riding bareback is an exercise in learning to maintain your balance and to have a more personal connection with the horse. As a precaution and to improve comfort you might want to consider starting with a horse with a wide back and low withers. This will provide for better comfort and increased stability. Another good idea is to practice riding at a walk, canter and a trot in a saddle without using the stirrups before moving on to trying bareback.

Learning to maintain your balance, remember to never clench your calves or suddenly drive your heels in the side of the horse as this is a trigger to the horse to pick up the pace. If you try to grip the horse in this manner to keep from falling, you'll actually prompt the horse to speed up, which could result with a fall. In the event you find that you are going to fall, always try to roll away from the horse's hooves. If you can manage to roll during a fall you will reduce the likelihood of an injury. Practice pressing your heels into the horse's side to keep yourself balanced on the horse's back. Use the balls of your feet to help keep yourself straight on the horse's back. When you're not riding practice with a simple exercise or two, to make it more natural to you to dig your heels in deep without spooking the horse. Try practicing by placing your foot on a step with the balls of your feet on the edge. Then press downward so that your heels go below the balls of your feet and extend your feet. Repeat the process over and over so that it will become a natural act and improve your riding skills. Again, you don't want to clench your heels or calves into the side of a horse. Another exercise you should try while actually riding is to the ride squarely on the horse's back and keep

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