When I was a kid, my great uncle and aunt, who lived just over a mile away, had a couple of ponies. Their grandsons would ride over to see us fairly often and we'd sometimes get a ride out in one of our fields.

One day when I was about 11 or 12, they arrived riding without saddles so I was game and agreed to give it a try. I must have nudged the pony a bit too much but it suddenly took off. That pony was always an ornery beast and I was surprised, so he didn't respond to my feeble attempt to rein him in.

Next thing I know, I'm bouncing up and down trying to hold on with my heels, which probably made him run faster. Then I was bouncing at an angle, then trying to hold on sideways, and finally hitting the ground, hard. There were no broken bones and no serious cuts, but lots of scrapes and bruises.

And that was my last attempt to ride without a saddle.

Hey Pipe Smoker - I was thinking of this thread last night. Our daughter had been working one of the horses after dinner and it was pretty dark by the time she finished up and I heard her out in the pasture. It was actually pretty dark - the sensor on the iPhone's video makes it look lighter than it was.

She had hopped on Pilgrim with no saddle, bridle, halter or lead rope to get a ride back She's a nut.

that's how I learned. My dad and his friend would take off at a dead run. My Shetland pony would follow them at a rough trot. And I would eventually fall off.

In my teenage years I preferred riding bareback. Less work involved saddling them.

My dad used to ride draft horses at age 4-5 by jumping on their heads when they ate and then sliding down there neck. then just sat there while they walked around the pasture!

quote:

Originally posted by BamaJeepster:
Hey Pipe Smoker - I was thinking of this thread last night. Our daughter had been working one of the horses after dinner and it was pretty dark by the time she finished up and I heard her out in the pasture. It was actually pretty dark - the sensor on the iPhone's video makes it look lighter than it was.

She had hopped on Pilgrim with no saddle, bridle, halter or lead rope to get a ride back She's a nut.
<snip>

She’s awesome!