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Bareback Pad... HELP!

10K views 17 replies 8 participants last post by  Haylee 
#1 ·
Okay, so during the winter for pleasure riding I love to ride my horse with a bareback pad. I Love my bareback pad, however for some reason I cannot figure out how to put it on so that I do not have to have someone on the other side holding the stirrup to let me mount; just so I wont just slide right off. Does anyone know how to put a bareback pad on correctly? I know my horse pushes his belly out so I cant tighten it up right away, but I am normally able to Try to tighten it beforeI mount, but I fail. I also thought that another reason for the pad to slip and slide is because I have his blanket on underneath it, but Im not sure if that is the reason. Id just like to be able to go for a ride without having someone else out there to help me get on... Its kinda humiliating and makes me feel helpless...


Thank You all who can help. :D
 
#3 ·
Have a picture, or can you find a picture of something that looks like your pad? I may be able to help you figure out how it works.

Bareback pads are gonna slip no matter what, because they have no support structure. I reccomend mounting from a fence or other high place. Don't use the stirrup (I personally don't like stirrups on bareback pads anyway); just hop up there without it.

Sorta like this, only have someone hold your horse and do it from a mounting block without the running start . :wink: Unless you really want to try the running start. It's fun stuff.

 
#6 ·
Have a picture, or can you find a picture of something that looks like your pad? I may be able to help you figure out how it works.

Bareback pads are gonna slip no matter what, because they have no support structure. I reccomend mounting from a fence or other high place. Don't use the stirrup (I personally don't like stirrups on bareback pads anyway); just hop up there without it.

Sorta like this, only have someone hold your horse and do it from a mounting block without the running start . :wink: Unless you really want to try the running start. It's fun stuff.
Make sure if you decide to do a running start jump (which is pretty easy once you get the hang of it), you do a few practice runs where you run at the horse and stop so he knows what you're doing or he might spook/kick you. I'm not trying to scare you or anything, just desensitizing.
 
#5 ·
I would recomend you chunk the stirrups on it in the trsh. BB pads have no support structure, as previoucly stated, so when ridden with stirrups, you put all of your weight on one spot on the horses back and it causes pressure much like a saddle that doesn't fit.

As for mounting, I am a permenant bare back rider and I'm only 5'3 and can NOT jump. lol. I always find a low spot in the ground, a fence, a stump, etc.
 
#9 ·
Those are like my pads. I am tall but can't seem to mount from the ground regularly. What I do is grab a lock of the main(do not pull on it...its just for balance) and try to put my leg over the backbone. With enough leg power and momentum I usually make it up. Think of it as a take off :)
 
#10 ·
just on the note of not slipping, I have a bestfriends bareback pad and it NEVER EVER slips...no stirrups though! I've been building mounting blocks of snow lately!!!!
 
#12 ·
I don't want to hijack the thread, but any suggestions on figuring out how to jump that high??? As far as technique goes, I mean. haha for some reason I just can't seem to get up there without a very high mounting object. Running starts aren't an option for me personally, my horse would run away from me faster than I could run toward her.
 
#13 ·
The running at her and stopping would help her from running away, or have someone hold her if a running start is what you need. But really, it just takes practice. Poseidon's got a decently swayed back and she's about 15.1hh, so I've smashed my left boob on her withers more than my fair share of times. Or just smashed into her side and slid down.

After some practice, I could jump up from a standstill and swing myself over.

Sorry for hijacking!
 
#14 ·
yeah...desensitizing and all...she's just a hypersensitive horse so I don't know if it's really a good idea. I've worked SO hard to get her so that I can even touch her face, and move normally around her. Still a ways to go, it'd be easier if she were younger. Where she's 13 everything is so ingrained....anyway, thanks for responding! I just feel like I must be doing something wrong haha...seems so impossible!
 
#16 ·
My mare is going to be 8 in June and I'm fairly certain has never been ridden bareback in her entire life. If I so much as put my arms on her back and add weight she gets all..defensive? if that makes sense. She doesn't know what I'm trying to do. So my bareback experiences are from older horses that I work with in the summer.

I have to get a bareback pad some time and hopefully that will help her understand and transition down. I want to swim with her in the summer!
 
#17 ·
I know what you mean by defensive. My mare does the same thing, jumps back, kicks out, snaps her teeth...and I want to swim as well!

I love bareback pads because my mare's coat just seems too smooth and I slip a lot without them!
 
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