Riding without stirrups!

I rode without stirrups today and it was really fun! Are there any tips for me to use next time? I did fine walking and trotting, but is cantering without stirrups harder? Thanks! (-;

It's really not as bad as you'd think.. It took me forever to be able to canter bareback with confidence, until I had my new instructor teach me. The most important thing is to remember to relax. That helps you moving with the horse. Remember to open up your hips, keep contact with your lower leg, and don't lean forward.
Have fun! :)

I didn't find it hard but then when I started cantering I would draw my legs up and lose my stirrups immediately, so I spent all my time trying to canter with stirrups and so going to back to not having them was easy.

If you're worried, have someone put your horse on a lunge line so you don't have to worry about steering or getting the horse going, you can just concentrate on yourself and then when you are comfortable, you can go for it on your own.

I find that riding without stirrups is absolutely awful, but I can jump just as high and do everything else bareback as I would with a saddle. Try borrowing someones bareback pad and cantering then. It's grippier than just a saddle plus it doesn't kill your legs from the flipped-up stirrups on your saddle. Once you can canter with a bareback pad comfortably, take it off and ride just plain bareback.

Cantering without stirrups is a lot easier than trotting without stirrups. Trotting is bouncier and harder to sit.

yea I agree but I guess it depends if the horse has smooth or bouncy gaits. My horses trot is not to smooth but his canter is much easier bareback than the trot.

Thanks everybody! The horse that I ride has a pretty smooth trot. And his canter is smooth too (But that's with a saddle!)

Riding without stirrups is an excellent work out. Keep at it, build your muscles, and you'll start finding it gets easier every time. You'll feel more balance the more you do it...and don't forget to post at the trot without stirrups!

I did a full gallop bareback for the first time ever (outside) through the snow a few weeks ago..... soooo much fun..such a thrill : )

When I first learned how to barrel race my trainer, took away my stirrups. It made me appreciate them. Haha. It helps with balance and gives them legs a work out!

That what bareback is for. :)
I used to only walk bareback. But with my lessons, I am trotting. Saturday was my first lope bareback without falling off. It was only 5 paces but hey! I did it.

So tips: Moving with the horse, squeeze your leg.. Gosh I just do it, sorry no much help..