Riding bareback is one of the most effective self-improvement techniques a rider could ask for. Bareback riding promotes the balance and feel essential for developing a secure seat in any discipline, and that improved security increases your overall confidence as a rider. You can fine tune your communication with your horse when his responses and your aids are not muffled by inches of leather and pads. 

Now the main drawback of riding bareback is getting dirty, sweaty and smelly- besides some horses just don't have the ideal back. A bareback pad helps keep us clean and pads the horses back, for both his comfort and ours. 

So we set out to design the ultimate bareback pad. We've hand-crafted it out of a sueded pigskin - it's extremely durable and also provides a wonderful grip to help maintain your seat. Heavy duty saddle fleece is used for the padding- plus there is double padding in the seat area, to protect your horse's back and provide greater comfort for you and your horse. Our bareback pad is one of the few available that is actually shaped to fit the contour of your horse's back. This not only gives a better look and fit, but allows you to cinch it up better to minimize slippage. It features a hand-hold in the front center of the pad [although this should not be depended on to maintain one's balance]. Use the hand-hold only to help achieve a deeper seat while you are improving balance. 

We do not have stirrups on our bareback pad - it is our opinion, that the addition of stirrups to any bareback pad sets the scene for disaster. It is normal for riders to step into one stirrup or the other if the horse makes a sudden move and a loss of balance will probably result, causing the bareback pad to roll , possibly resulting in the rider taking a fall. 

Your bareback pad can be ordered with a matching leather girth backed in fleece or order it without, and use your own Western style girth.

Bareback pad w/girth $ 200

Bareback pad only $ 175

We offer the Bareback pad in these colors:

Brown with maize fleece [as shown on Cherokee] Brown with black fleece Black with black fleece

RIDER BEWARE ! Safety should always be foremost and riders should keep in mind that riding bareback, with or without a pad can never provide the safety and security of a well made saddle. Bareback pads are not saddles. They have no rigid tree to keep them from slipping on the horse's back. In no event should bareback pads be used by an inexperienced rider. Use with extreme care as serious injury can result from misuse. There is no warranty or guarantee on these products and any implied warranties are specifically excluded.

PHOTO caption: Cherokee Cowboy wearing a Brown with maize bareback pad