Breaking bareback....

chappel16 · 10-18-2007, 08:19 PM

I have been going back and forth on breaking techniques. I have a young one who I want to try to ride bareback for the first few rides. I am thinking I can bail quicker, but I also have an advantage to feel if she is going to do something before she does it. I have seen several people take their first rides on an unbroke one bareback. I have also seen them take their first rides under saddle.

So, does anyone who breaks horses, ever take the first few rides bareback? Does it seem to work better than under saddle? What are your thoughts on this and breaking in general?

CowhorseGal · 10-18-2007, 08:24 PM

My daughters first few rides on most of the horses she starts (she's 15) are bareback and with a rope halter.. Hasn't been bucked off so far.. She follows Clinton Anderson methods for preparing the colts to ride and lays over them and what not, but that is where she just ends up riding them... usualy walk and trot on the first ride and I have seen her lope them off as well.. I say go for it..

Quarters N Paints · 10-18-2007, 08:28 PM

We start all our young stock bareback with a halter and lead rope tied around as reins, have for several years and it works great..............

We don't just jump on mind you, we do it all in stages/steps...........

Have a March 2005 gelding who I have been riding ( walk, whoa, back, turn, and now jog) bareback with a halter and leadrope all summer about 2 to 3 times a week for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

The colt has all the basics down and when we tack him up this winter he will be ready to go on with his training, being very comfortable with a rider and the basics of ques...........

paige5785 · 10-18-2007, 08:29 PM

I broke Cody bareback. Not that his lazy tail bucked, or even thought about bucking, but the first few months I rode him it was always bareback, with a halter and leadroap. Then we did bareback with a bridle and O-ring snaffle, saddle with halter/leadroap, and finally saddle wih O-ring snaffle. Step-by-step, and months later, I've got myself one awesome, and broke, two year old. I couldn't be happier with him!

paige5785 · 10-18-2007, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quarters N Paints

We start all our young stock bareback with a halter and lead rope tied around as reins, have for several years and it works great..............

We don't just jump on mind you, we do it all in stages/steps...........

Have a March 2005 gelding who I have been riding ( walk, whoa, back, turn, and now jog) bareback with a halter and leadrope all summer about 2 to 3 times a week for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time.

The colt has all the basics down and when we tack him up this winter he will be ready to go on with his training, being very comfortable with a rider and the basics of ques...........

Tehe

We were posting at the same time. We have the SAME exact training techniques.

**gbarmranch** · 10-18-2007, 08:37 PM

We broke out our Zippo stud bareback a few years ago - did all the ground work first, and he was so quiet, hopped on him and rode off... But he was born broke I believe..

If you are young and agile, I think it is a great way to start horses...

paige5785 · 10-18-2007, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbarmranch

But he was born broke I believe..

Cody was, too. It's rare to get those "easy" ones.

CowhorseGal · 10-18-2007, 08:39 PM

I agree with the young and agile part..

I just don't think I would bounce as well as someone half my age!

**gbarmranch** · 10-18-2007, 08:40 PM

Yes - Muffin was so easy, by ride 5 he was yielding to the leg.. Hannah was close, but I am getting toooo old for the bareback buck.. so I do start then with a saddle now..

paige5785 · 10-18-2007, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gbarmranch

Yes - Muffin was so easy, by ride 5 he was yielding to the leg.. Hannah was close, but I am getting toooo old for the bareback buck.. so I do start then with a saddle now..

Cody is already bending for me like he's done it his entire life!

**gbarmranch** · 10-18-2007, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CowhorseGal

I agree with the young and agile part..

I just don't think I would bounce as well as someone half my age!

I know I don't - which is why I like doing all the ground work and a round pen ride or two - and then send them out for 30 days..

chappel16 · 10-18-2007, 08:56 PM

I would be SO up to doing it, and I may still be, if I had a roundpen. We had a tree fall in a lightning storm and flatten our roundpen. We have a small arena which is about 2 roundpens big, so I may do it anyways, but be a LOT more tuned into her, than I would in the roundpen(not that I dont pay attention 100%, but I know she doesnt have far to go...

)

paige5785 · 10-18-2007, 09:01 PM

I love riding bareback! You really feel "one" with your horse.

But I have come to learn that riding bareback gives you bad habits. If I hadn't rode in a saddle my entire life, I think I would fall off everytime I mounted one saddled up. When I rode Cody bareback for so long, I got in the habit of squeazing with my legs and when I rode in a saddle, doing this made my stirrups fall off.

cascy · 10-18-2007, 09:29 PM

I started my mare and most horses I work with in a rope halter and bareback. Usually when I get on the first time or two, I'm just sitting up there to let them feel me and get used to it all anyway. So far so good. You can definetly feel the horse better and I think it can be more reassuring to them since they don't have all the saddle and padding to distract them along with thier human on them instead of beside them

ricoman · 10-18-2007, 10:07 PM

I used to start everything bareback. In depth ground work would come first and then I'd climb up on the round pen and throw a leg over first and then slide on and just sit. I'm old and decreppid now so there's a saddle involved now!!

horses-n-greyhoundz · 10-19-2007, 09:46 AM

I'm just now training my first horse, but I have made sure, because I love to ride bareback so much, to spend time riding in the saddle and bareback. I probably do ride more right now saddled, but River's first few times were bareback.

princesskristin · 10-19-2007, 09:52 AM

When I first started to break my horse, I first got on him bareback then continued bareback until I felt he would be ready for saddle breaking. I didn't do anything too much bareback but I got him used to weight and shifting bareback. Now I ride in a saddle and I ride bareback.

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10-18-2007, 08:19 PM
chappel16 Long Yearling Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oviedo Florida Posts: 1,072	Breaking bareback.... I have been going back and forth on breaking techniques. I have a young one who I want to try to ride bareback for the first few rides. I am thinking I can bail quicker, but I also have an advantage to feel if she is going to do something before she does it. I have seen several people take their first rides on an unbroke one bareback. I have also seen them take their first rides under saddle. So, does anyone who breaks horses, ever take the first few rides bareback? Does it seem to work better than under saddle? What are your thoughts on this and breaking in general? __________________ www.sunlitstables.piczo.com

10-18-2007, 08:24 PM
CowhorseGal Weanling Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 385	My daughters first few rides on most of the horses she starts (she's 15) are bareback and with a rope halter.. Hasn't been bucked off so far.. She follows Clinton Anderson methods for preparing the colts to ride and lays over them and what not, but that is where she just ends up riding them... usualy walk and trot on the first ride and I have seen her lope them off as well.. I say go for it.. __________________ The more I know men the more I like my dog

10-18-2007, 08:28 PM
Quarters N Paints Yearling Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Monterey Michigan Posts: 790	We start all our young stock bareback with a halter and lead rope tied around as reins, have for several years and it works great.............. We don't just jump on mind you, we do it all in stages/steps........... Have a March 2005 gelding who I have been riding ( walk, whoa, back, turn, and now jog) bareback with a halter and leadrope all summer about 2 to 3 times a week for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time. The colt has all the basics down and when we tack him up this winter he will be ready to go on with his training, being very comfortable with a rider and the basics of ques........... __________________ http://quarterpaintranch.homestead.c...AINTRANCH.html RIDE LIKE A PILOT NOT A PASSENGER

10-18-2007, 08:29 PM
paige5785 Kid Safe Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 5,264	I broke Cody bareback. Not that his lazy tail bucked, or even thought about bucking, but the first few months I rode him it was always bareback, with a halter and leadroap. Then we did bareback with a bridle and O-ring snaffle, saddle with halter/leadroap, and finally saddle wih O-ring snaffle. Step-by-step, and months later, I've got myself one awesome, and broke, two year old. I couldn't be happier with him!

10-18-2007, 08:37 PM
gbarmranch Administrator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mayberry Posts: 29,575	We broke out our Zippo stud bareback a few years ago - did all the ground work first, and he was so quiet, hopped on him and rode off... But he was born broke I believe.. If you are young and agile, I think it is a great way to start horses... __________________ Quality Foundation Quarter Horses http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

10-18-2007, 08:39 PM
CowhorseGal Weanling Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 385	I agree with the young and agile part.. I just don't think I would bounce as well as someone half my age! __________________ The more I know men the more I like my dog

10-18-2007, 08:40 PM
gbarmranch Administrator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mayberry Posts: 29,575	Yes - Muffin was so easy, by ride 5 he was yielding to the leg.. Hannah was close, but I am getting toooo old for the bareback buck.. so I do start then with a saddle now.. __________________ Quality Foundation Quarter Horses http://home.earthlink.net/~vpgann As you slide down the banister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction.

10-18-2007, 08:56 PM
chappel16 Long Yearling Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Oviedo Florida Posts: 1,072	I would be SO up to doing it, and I may still be, if I had a roundpen. We had a tree fall in a lightning storm and flatten our roundpen. We have a small arena which is about 2 roundpens big, so I may do it anyways, but be a LOT more tuned into her, than I would in the roundpen(not that I dont pay attention 100%, but I know she doesnt have far to go... ) __________________ www.sunlitstables.piczo.com

10-18-2007, 09:01 PM
paige5785 Kid Safe Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 5,264	I love riding bareback! You really feel "one" with your horse. But I have come to learn that riding bareback gives you bad habits. If I hadn't rode in a saddle my entire life, I think I would fall off everytime I mounted one saddled up. When I rode Cody bareback for so long, I got in the habit of squeazing with my legs and when I rode in a saddle, doing this made my stirrups fall off.

10-18-2007, 09:29 PM
cascy Kid Safe Join Date: May 2006 Location: arkansas Posts: 6,404	I started my mare and most horses I work with in a rope halter and bareback. Usually when I get on the first time or two, I'm just sitting up there to let them feel me and get used to it all anyway. So far so good. You can definetly feel the horse better and I think it can be more reassuring to them since they don't have all the saddle and padding to distract them along with thier human on them instead of beside them __________________ To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

10-18-2007, 10:07 PM
ricoman Weanling Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 440	I used to start everything bareback. In depth ground work would come first and then I'd climb up on the round pen and throw a leg over first and then slide on and just sit. I'm old and decreppid now so there's a saddle involved now!! __________________ Resistance is Futile

10-19-2007, 09:46 AM
horses-n-greyhoundz Long Yearling Join Date: May 2005 Location: North Central Arkansas Posts: 1,121	I'm just now training my first horse, but I have made sure, because I love to ride bareback so much, to spend time riding in the saddle and bareback. I probably do ride more right now saddled, but River's first few times were bareback. __________________ If you can't be a good example -- then you'll just have to be a horrible warning. My house is where I live, but I'm at home in the saddle.

10-19-2007, 09:52 AM
princesskristin Coming two Join Date: May 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,596	When I first started to break my horse, I first got on him bareback then continued bareback until I felt he would be ready for saddle breaking. I didn't do anything too much bareback but I got him used to weight and shifting bareback. Now I ride in a saddle and I ride bareback. __________________ Sometimes you just got to take a ride of faith. Last edited by princesskristin : 10-19-2007 at 09:56 AM.