Bareback troubles

The DOR was planning on a short bareback ride last night. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans of mice and DORs...the ride didn't happen.
The DOR tried to get on me and I thought she wanted me to walk forward when her right leg squeezed me while she was trying to get on. Needless to say walking off was not a good thing. The mounting block is too low for her to use without squeezing me. So the SCC said he would get on and off me just to make sure that it was a mounting problem and not something else. Turns out it is something else.
The SCC eased himself on to my back and my eyes got all buggy. You see I have never been ridden bareback, it feels weird to have a rider and no saddle. I could feel every muscle in the SCC's legs and butt. At first my legs refused to move, I didn't think a rider could be on me without a saddle let alone want me to move. The SCC got on and off me several times to help me get used to that. Once I was at ease with that the DOR lead me around. I walked really tentatively, the DOR said I looked like a horse carrying a rider for the first time...in a way I was. I carried the SCC in a 16 foot circle twice while the DOR lead me, she said I did good and we called it a night. I am not sure about this bareback stuff. The DOR says we will work in an English saddle to see if that helps some. She is also thinking of getting a treeless saddle. The DOR and SCC are going to keep helping me get used to having a rider on me with no saddle, maybe someday it won't feel weird.

The nice thing about the DOR is that no matter how good or bad our arena work has gone she loves me. I always get a big hug at the end of our time in the arena and told that I am the best Jack ever. It is nice when things don't go the way the DOR has planned she still enjoys our time together and appreciates my company. She thinks a bad day with horses is as wonderful as a good day with people...go figure.
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR