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With all the articles and blogs about poorly fitting saddles and the discomfort they cause horses, it would seem that the alternative—riding bareback—would be an ideal choice for owners who want to avoid making their horses uncomfortable. Not necessarily so, according to conclusions from a study conducted at Michigan State University. Hilary Clayton, who led the study, is an experienced veterinarian and an expert in the biomechanics of equine gaits in sport horses.

In the study, seven horses were ridden with and without saddles. The saddles had been checked and determined to fit the horses. Pressure-sensitive mats were used under the saddles, and riders sat on the mats for bareback riding. The same experienced rider rode each horse at a walk and a sitting trot, both with and without a saddle. Data on force (amount of weight) and pressure (where the weight is concentrated) were collected for all rides and color-coded scans of the horse’s back were produced in each situation. Previous studies had determined the level of pressure that could potentially cause muscle damage by crushing capillaries, interrupting circulation, and resulting in bruising.

The scans of bareback rides showed small areas where pressure reached a level that could cause pain and tissue damage in the horse’s muscle fibers. This was particularly true where the rider’s seat bones contacted the horse’s back. Scans of saddled rides showed that the force and pressure were spread over a wider area, so the impact was lower for specific spots.

So, do bareback enthusiasts need to give up this style of riding completely? No, according to Clayton, who indicated that occasional bareback jaunts are unlikely to cause significant pain or damage. Very long bareback rides, repeated bareback rides over several days, and bareback riding by heavier riders (who produce more force) might be more problematic.

This study did not look at the influence of bareback pads, which provide cushioning to both the horse and rider. The relatively small sample of seven horses also did not explore differences by horse breed or conformation; body condition of horse or rider; or rider’s skill level (combination of big-strided horse and unskilled rider might add up to force being spread over a considerably larger area of the horse’s back). Take-home message: think about limiting the number and duration of bareback rides, and monitor your horse’s back for soreness in the days following bareback riding.

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