Trail Riding Saddled or Bareback?

My mom harps on me, as well as my barn manager, about how dangerous it is to go out on on a trail ride without my saddle, but I feel unbalanced in the saddle, I feel like I'm flying all over the place. What are your opinions about riding on the trails saddled versus bareback?

I would say saddled if your horse spooks


Bareback if she's almost completely bomb proof lol I did that once with this horse I just jumped on her out in the feild no helmet of course stupid me I know but it was a ton of fun riding around bareback just a lead rope

Abby, I would say it depends on the horse. I think barebackin without a saddle is fine as long as you take in consideration that anythin can happen on the trail and that you are more likely to fall off of the horse than if you where in a saddle.

I think ridin bareback is fun, but lol abit painful...

Haha I've been on trails a few times bareback...my mare's great bareback- I actually find it more comfortable. :) It's a personal preference, & depends on the horse.
But normally I ride with a saddle. Gives me more balance.

Considering that you feel more comfortable bareback, that's all that should matter right?

I think if your horse spooks and you're bareback, there's nothing you can get caught on and you just come right off, which could be good or bad, depending on where you trail ride.

I think that if you are by yourself (and theoretically in control of your horse ;) ) - I say bareback all the way.

If you are riding (even with one) other person/people, I say saddle all the way (you don't want to have to rely on other's capabilities to keep you safe :) )

Personally? I'm a barebacker at home and a saddler away :)

Whichever way you have a better seat is the way to go, IMO. I go bareback and I think I have a good seat. Actually, a couple of times when I've been bareback, she has acted up on me with little bunny hops and rears, or shied from something. I've had no problem with it at all.

The other side of the coin is that it might be easier to get off w/o a saddle in an emergency and if you do fall off, the horse is better off w/o a saddle on in the bush.

My horse is pretty bombproof, I mean not much will make him spook. Even when the other horses spook and run off, he just gets high headed, he doesn't run off or jolt, balk, or something. I tend to not ride him with a saddle because I rode him bareback since the day I got him and joined up with his movements that way and he feels weird under a saddle, and I feel funny in one when I ride him, I can't sit right and I fell forced to sit in a position that is not comfortable me. I've tried different saddles and they all feel goofy. Maybe I'm not a saddle person?

I don't think it is dangerous, I wear a helmet and all that good stuff. I'd much rather ride comfortable and risk falling off more easily but safely than risk being hung up.

Hehe well I went out to the beach heaps bareback, my horse technically wasnt the greatest one to do it on proberly either ....and I did fall off a couple times because of that :roll: but dam I had some good times too.
I found my boy was more careful when I was bareback any way
( unless you went really fast then he kinda forgot the no saddle bit and tries to buck out of excitment, hehe )

I think it totally depends on how safe you feel and how well you know your horse.

I remember this lady who had the most craziest blimmen part arab. She rode it bare back almost every ride. She had a dam good seat that was for sure, but she obviously felt she could handle it...and she could from what I saw....heh altho she was a crazy rider too...like no fear in the least .

Whatever is more comfortable for you. I prefer bareback