Trail Riding Saddled or Bareback?

I say it depends on the type of trail ride you are doing and how far from home you are going. If it is short, bareback is not as big of a deal, but the farther you get away, you run into complications such as: your horse getting you all sweaty (yuk :) ), not having anywhere to carry helpful trail gear, having a lot farther to walk home in the event you do become unseated and lose your horse. :)

I tend to use a saddle for longer rides and go bareback on shorter ones.

I will say that I had one experience a few years ago where my young horses took off, and because I was bareback, I could not get the leverage to pull him into a stop...I ended up having to jump off - ouch. :) I no longer combine bareback trail with inexperienced/younger horses. :) We live and learn... :) :)

When I go trail riding I have a saddle, mainly because i'm not a good enough rider (in my opinion), to go bareback for a three hour ride. Not only that my qh cross gets excited when we go trail riding, and he tends to sort of jig a bit. But if you trust your horse, go for it!

Abby I've not ridden in much in the last 25 yrs, but when I was a teenager and I did ride I never learned how to bare back ride and have always wanted too.


I'm so jealous that must be wonderful not having to saddle up all the time. :)

I usually always ride in a saddle....for me it's harder to keep my balance bareback than it would be if I was in a saddle.
I perfer trails in a saddle (perferably a western saddle, but I'll use an English if I have to)

Last week I went on a trail in a Western saddle...it was my friend's, it had no horn. ;) It was soo comfy! :P But I like going in English better...I guess 'cause I'm used to it.
The good thing was, we did some jumping out there & there was no horn getting in the way!

That doesnt make sense? If you feel that uncomfortable in tack then why ride with tack everywhere else but on trails??

I don't ride with my saddle every where else hehe, I don't ride with it at all. I used to only use it on the trail but I started feeling unbalanced/uncomfortable in it the more I became used to riding bareback so I stopped riding in it completely and that is why the issue is arising.

Personally, I like to ride with a saddle better... but bareback if fun and just fine if i'm taking the horse swimming or not planning on being gone all day.

I agree that it all depends on the horse that you are riding and the situation....I wouldnt want to go out on a green or inexperienced horse bareback! Lol Lesson learned after one time or another. But, on my paint quarter horse, I can't ride her in a saddle. I have ridden her too much bareback and I am not used to riding her in a saddle. It teaches you good balence and cordination. Plus, it gets you more "in tune" to what the horse is doing under you, and may get you a better feel for when a horse has gone lame, thrown a shoe, ect. That is how I found my one qh mare was really stiff in her back leg and has a weaker stifle. Additionally, it strengthens your leg muscles and thighs and makes you learn to sit tight. Once you can sit a horse bareback through anything, you can definitely sit one in a saddle, fo sho.

Yeah, my old horse...he wasn't so good bareback...not as smooth. Saddle for sure with him! But Lexi? Pshh...bareback all the way. LOL, sometimes anyway.