From: Taylor
Dear Jessica, I love horse-sense and I hope you publish my question. I am nine and I have a great pony Marty. He does whatever I want him to. I like to ride him bareback. Don't worry, I always wear my helmet.
Would it be okay to use a bareback pad on Marty and would it make it easier for him to carry me? Is it better to have a bareback pad with english or western stirrups?
Taylor
Hi Taylor, I'm glad you love horse-sense! Marty sounds like a very nice pony, and I'm really happy to know that you always wear your helmet when you ride. ;-)
Saddles make it easier for horses to carry riders because the saddle tree is designed to keep the rider's weight off the horse's spine. Bareback pads don't do this -- although they can cushion the rider's bottom, and keep the rider's pants clean(er).
Some horses don't like the sensation of the strap that fastens a bareback pad -- most such pads don't have real girths. And since the pad won't help Marty at all, why bother with it if you're comfortable bareback?
As far as the stirrups are concerned, FORGET THEM! Bareback pads should not have ANY stirrups at all. With no tree to provide stability, bareback pads can slip sideways quite easily, and the last thing you need is to get your foot caught in a stirrup, English or Western. If you do get a bareback pad and it has stirrups attached, the very first thing you should do, before you put the pad on the horse, is to cut the stirrups OFF.
I'm glad you asked -- have fun, stay safe, and keep wearing your helmet!
Jessica
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