Bareback pads

[lovesfortune]

Does anyone use them? With stirrups or without? I am thinking of getting one since I seem to be doing all of my riding bareback lately. I do have a saddle that fits well and I like it, but bareback is better for me.

Which brand is nice without spending a lot of cash?

[alittleoffkey]

Don't ride in a bareback pad with stirrups, it puts a ton of pressure across a horse's withers and will make them SORE. I can't really ride in them, but I do own one with stirrups to put on young horse's so they'll get used to stirrups before I put my precious saddle on them. :D

[cloedoll]

Having stirrups on a bareback pad is terribly unsafe and just gives you a false sense of security. It doesn't have a tree to stabilize anything, you could very well just roll right under the horse, clearly that's no good. Also, as Emily mentioned, it makes the horse extremely sore - it basically anchors all your weight/motions/etc. right onto the horse's wither, ouch! So, definitely no stirrups on a bareback pad! =P I will go find some links of my personal favorite bareback pads, although I do prefer no bareback pad. :D

[vicklynn]

I figure if I need a pad, I need a saddle. So its either bare back with no pad, or a saddle, no in between for me.

[Blue]

The only time I use a bareback pad is when I'm wearing jeans. I HATE having jeans with horse sweat on them! I'll ride bareback with nothing if I'm in shorts or something, but not with jeans! lol, I'm picky. :D

[lovesfortune]

Okay, I didn't know that about the stirrups..so now I'm thinking like Vick... whats the point of a pad then?

[cloedoll]

Okay, I didn't know that about the stirrups..so now I'm thinking like Vick... whats the point of a pad then?

Keep yo' bootay clean. :D

[WashingtonBay]

Keep yo' bootay clean. :D

And maybe a little padding between the seatbones and the back, for both of your comfort. :)

I'll just pound one more nail in the "no stirrups on bareback pads" consensus. They are unsafe because pads aren't stable enough for that kind of side pull. If the pad starts rolling around the horse, you won't be able to get your feet out of them, you're going around with it.

[mypaintpony]

I started out riding bareback on my horse without a pad but found it pretty uncomfortable as her withers are weird and it's like sitting on a narrow twig. :rolleyes:
I found that a bareback pad helps me have more grip (depends on the fabric most likely)and it keeps my pants clean too! I have a tacky too bottom on my bareback pad. I remember I got it off of horse.com a long time ago.

[Cat]

No stirrups, but a suede seat is nice. Suede gives a little extra grip.

I have one pad that really does add some padding and is really comfy on any horse. Then I got a dover pad used from someone - a fuzzy purple thing, and it has no padding and really doesn't stay well on the horse. I don't like it at all. The one I do like was one I bought on e-bay 4 years ago. It was homemade and came with a matching girth and breast collar. I've seen similar ones on there since, but they all have stirrups. Mine does not.

I would like to eventually get the bestfriends bareback pad in western style. That one even comes with a water bottle holder & pocket, which is nice for out on the trail.