Ok, I'm disabled and CANNOT use stirrups (feet bones messed up since 2004). Thus, I've been competing in endurance (on and off over the years) in a basic bareback pad. (think square western pad with a nylon overstrap) I train in an even more basic bareback pad. (not even pockets, shaped like...

A bit of back story... With two years off of riding and quite a bit of weight gain due to medical problems, I lost a lot of my muscle and riding skills. It has now been about four months back to riding and I am progressing along slow and steady. With the horse I am leasing I have mastered the...

Is there any disadvantage to riding western without stirrups? I had a lesson today and was trying out a new saddle on my lease horse. Well, I am only 5 feet tall and yes... you guessed it... the stirrups were too long. I kept losing them and started to become pre-occupied with keeping my feet...

I've heard that I should ride bareback to improve my position, and ride in my english saddle without stirrups to improve my posture. Does either work better than the other? Or do they improve 2 different things?