Riding a horse without a saddle, sitting directly on the horse's back.
Simple compound of 'bare' (uncovered) and 'back,' first documented in the 1500s. The term is straightforward—riding without the covering of a saddle.
Bareback riders actually develop incredible balance and core strength because they feel every shift in the horse's weight distribution—modern studies show bareback riders have stronger postural muscles than those using saddles, making them literally better at sensing motion.
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