I like going bare back riding. You don't have to saddle up, just put on the bridle and jump on. It is hard to just jump on my horse Rebel. He is just over 15 hands and he is pretty big. I would like to learn how to just jump on without having to get on top of the water trough or tree stump. Even though it is more comfortable with a bare back pad I use both bare back pad and just jumping on. We are thinking about getting a hackamore instead of a bit. I think it might work but we will probaly stay with the bit for now. I got a brand new saddle never been on a horse last month. It's a Sedona pink ostrich skin saddle. The funny thing is we went to the auction to sell our 2 goats and we were just going to buy a hog or 2 and they had chickens first which we wanted to get some but we are going there next month to get some and then they started to sell of some junk when the auctioneer said 'well we got a barrel racer there' and my ears perked up. The person out a black saddle with pink on the fence rail. I was all ears they started biding. It started at 100$. No one was bidding so they drop it to 80$. Still nothing so he droped it all the way to 40$! I was shocked and looked at my dad with some face because he tossed his hand up. Then some one else started bidding againest us. My dad asked me if I wanted it I said it would be nice and he kept on going finnaly it got tight. The auctioneer said one more time, one more time and it's yours. He nodded his head and we got for only 86$. That's not bad for a brand spanking new saddle. The only thing is it is a little to big (18inch), not leather, and could use more padding but is great for a begginer/intermidate rider. When we got it the auctioneer said to my dad 'you'll look great in pink'! LOL That was funny, everyone there chuckled. We locked it in the pick-up and went back in then the hogs came. There wasn't much of a choice but we got 2, 8 week old duroc boar (Pork and Beans) but they were cut. But the saddle I love and can't wait to show it off! the horse we have now though is a gelding so the pink just brings out his eye color. Ha ha. We are getting another horse though and when we do I am hopeing for a mare because the pink will go better with her.