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Discussion on Bareback pad-can it not "fit"?
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New Member:
fritzp
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Posted on Monday, Nov 26, 2007 - 10:31 am:
This is a ridiculous sounding question, but I ride my Peruvian Paso mare only with a bareback pad any more, yet I still get a dry spot on her spine where I sit. My understanding is that a dry spot indicates pressure and possibly an area that could become sore. What do you do when your butt doesn't fit your horse?
I started out with various saddles on her and did have fitting issues due to her shoulder movement and elevated spine. One thing led to another and now I love my bareback pad and am no longer comfortable with a saddle and stirrups. We do a lot of trail riding and she is a heavy sweater. I love the bareback pad but I am concerned about the dry spot. She doesn't seem sore when I palpate the area and there is no change in hair color. Should I just ignore this, get a butt fitting, or what?
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Member:
ekaufman
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Posted on Monday, Nov 26, 2007 - 11:48 am:
Hi Patricia,
So this is why treed saddles (and now some treeless) have a gullet-- to direct our butt pressure off the horse's spine. So you could get yourself some special butt-displacing riding pants, or an actual saddle with a gullet, or ignore the problem if everyone is happy.
If the horse isn't sore and is using herself correctly, muscling well etc., then this may be a non-issue. If not, then not!
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Member:
dove2
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Posted on Monday, Nov 26, 2007 - 12:27 pm:
Patricia, This really is not at all a ridiculous sounding question, particularly since I've heard various views on riding bareback. I was once told, by a well-known horseman, that riding bareback is bad for the horse's spine. It's apparently also quite bad to tightly cinch up the bareback pad, when there's no padding between the pressure on the withers/spine/bloodflow and where the bareback pad has been cinched. I'd be curious to hear comments to support or dispute this. Meanwhile, I've found that some dry spots on my horse were as a result of air getting to that spot and actually keeping it dry. Is there some way to monitor where the dry spot occurs?
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New Member:
fritzp
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Posted on Monday, Nov 26, 2007 - 2:44 pm:
This is interesting because I guess I always assumed riding bareback would be best (most natural) for the horse. The dry spot is always where my pelvis contacts her backbone. And after a really long ride believe me I feel the pressure there too. Part of the issue probably is that her spine protrudes (she is not thin, it is just her conformation). I really would like to continue riding bareback because it is so easy and comfortable (for me).
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Monday, Nov 26, 2007 - 6:46 pm:
Hi Patricia I just got a cashell soft saddle this fall...it is a well padded barebck pad and I LOVE it. My horses love it to and your butt is not sore when done. I have not had any dry spots.
https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=4391b8f0-0436-4f01-816e-ee30e6b78 15d
There also some reviews of it in here'
Or have you considered putting a pad under the bare back pad?
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Member:
ekaufman
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Posted on Monday, Nov 26, 2007 - 8:08 pm:
I'm not sure there is any evolutionary process that could support the idea of bareback riding being more natural for the horse, though this thread does cast doubt on Intelligent Design as applied to the conjunction of the human posterior and the equine spine. 
Remember that padding does not redirect pressure.
Most trees are designed today so that, if you could view them from the tail of the horse, they look like the side-struts of an "A" with the pointy top cut off. This is exactly to redirect human weight away from the spine, and towards the part of the horse that is most able to bear weight.
Once again, if the horse is fine and works well, I personally wouldn't worry about it. If she is uncomfortable, you can try more padding, but it may not resolve the problem. You'll have to experiment to see.
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 27, 2007 - 7:46 am:
Having read much on treeless saddles, which to some is like riding bareback, my thoughts are that on most horses you don't sit directly on their spine. It's different than say if you give you kid a "horsey back ride", the horses barrel is more rounded. I think the pressure is distributed onto the rib cage, is it not?
Of course a "flat" bottomed person on a horse with a protruding spine, that would be different. Probably painful to both of you!
A treeless saddle or a bareback pad, if the pad has stirrups, you also have the stirrups to support your weight. Granted we don't use the stirrups to hold ourselves up continuously, but they are there to help if needed.
Does your pad have stirrups? Some of the older ones did. Now I think only the Natural Ride comes with stirrups and I would not recommend that one.
I wouldn't worry about it myself. I think saddles cause more issues than riding bareback ever could.
Sounds like you have a very free & fun way of riding!
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Member:
annes
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 27, 2007 - 12:24 pm:
Angie, may I ask why you would not recommend the Natural Ride? I've had one for years and still ride in it a lot. I love the dense pad, very close contact and that the stirrups attach separately from the pad. Maybe I've been lucky, but never had a problem with it. Thanks...
Ann
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Member:
ajudson1
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 27, 2007 - 2:26 pm:
Ann,
If we are talking about the same pad, I cannot stand how far forward the stirrups are. I ride Western in a treeless saddle myself, not English so maybe if you ride English otherwise it is easier for you. I've tried it many times on different horses and just can't get comfy in it. I do use it for ground driving sometimes, or if I know I am only going to ride at a WALK! I think I like my stirrups set farther back than some people maybe?
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Member:
annes
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 27, 2007 - 4:19 pm:
Maybe we are thinking about something different because the stirrups on mine swing so freely I can't imagine them feeling too far forward or back. I mostly ride Western. It is hard to believe but I've had it for nearly 15 years. Until I got my Circle Y Flexlite saddle recently, the Natural Ride was usually my first choice for all 3 of my horses. I wish I could figure out a way to wash it since the front has brown suede. I use a thin pad to keep it from getting so dirty.
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New Member:
fritzp
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Posted on Wednesday, Nov 28, 2007 - 3:02 pm:
Thanks for the replies everyone. I went to the bareback pad because of the whole "saddle fit" issue and now I would like to stay with it if possible. I have tried more padding which is nicer for me, but doesn't help my mare much as far as the dry spot goes. I think maybe I will try a pad with the spine cutout. I have looking at the Cashel soft saddle too-good to hear success stories with it. I will keep experimenting I guess.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Thursday, Nov 29, 2007 - 7:42 am:
Hello Patricia,
One clue this is just normal for this horse is if when the horse first starts sweating this spot is dry and remains dry. A dry spot from excessive pressure would first be wet then go dry as time goes on.
Consider the physics and anatomy problem of this situation which is much different than a saddle. Since you are in nearly direct contact with the horse whatever force you are applying to the horse in this area is also applied to your own ummm... "corresponding anatomy". What you feel is what the horse is feeling. Combining this thought alone with the fact that the horse's tissues are much thicker and tougher in the "corresponding area" does it seem likely you are hurting the horse in this area?
DrO
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Member:
fritzp
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Posted on Friday, Nov 30, 2007 - 12:15 pm:
I love your answer Dr. O-it totally makes sense. I was thinking yesterday after about 2 hours of riding that if I am not hurting on that rather sensitive pressure point, how could she be? Thanks for the insight.
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Member:
gailkin
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Posted on Friday, Nov 30, 2007 - 8:39 pm:
I also ride bareback almost all the time since it is the most comfortable for me and my horses. Luckily, they have very round backs and are so comfy to ride. I have found the contoured Best Friends western pad fits my horses the best and has room for water bottle and food, hoofknife and keys. My one complaint is that it is hot in the summer and they sweat a lot with it. My second complaint is that the buckles rub a little and I have tried putting socks around the buckles to help that. I have tried many others and some treeless saddles. The worst ride I ever had was in the Cashel soft saddle. I had sat on one before and thought it was too cushy and high off the horse. Then someone I was riding with had one and offered to let me try it. Well it didn't feel good in the parking lot, but I thought I should give it a fair try. I rode a 2 1/2 hour loop I often ride in trees and some hills. I went slower than usual because of the other horse so we only did a fair amount of trotting. The saddle is so soft and cushy that you slip from side to side as you walk and I found myself bracing trying to keep from going sideways several inches at each step. You can slip side to side without even moving sitting on the horse! I was so sore and miserable, I stopped using the stirrups and tried to hold on bareback about half way out, but still had the same problem. By the time we were done I could hardly walk and was in so much pain. The saddle had slipped off center on my horse too. As a very experienced bareback rider, it was not my balance that was the problem, but the cushy too soft foam.
When I ride, I make sure I tuck my seat bones under so that they don't dig into the horse. If you sit upright in a chair, put your hands under your seat bones and you will feel them dig in to your hands. Then tuck your pelvis and they take the pressure off the bones and feel better on the horse's back. Since I ride that way, my horses both prefer bareback and it is much more comfortable for me too. I have a sweat mark pretty much where my pelvis and legs sit. The only drawback is that my horses have to side up to trailer, rocks, trees, etc. in order for me to mount. I have tried the Bareback Buddy and it works but seems too bulky to have to take along. Does anyone have a nifty contraption to mount bareback? Hope you keep enjoying your rides Patricia. If you check your Paso's back after a ride and there isn't any flinching, etc., your mare is probably fine.
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