The Bareback Rider by El Compañero

If you have ever wished the saddle would simply get out of the way, The Bareback Rider by El Compañero answers that wish. It is a handmade suede bareback pad built to put you closer to your horse than a saddle ever allows, yet steadier than riding bare. The full-sized soft-top suede skin drapes over the horse's back and reaches down toward your calf, conforming to the contour of each individual horse so that the fit between rider and horse feels like one continuous line.

Every pad is handmade in the US A from soft-top suede leather that varies in shape and contour, which means no two are exactly alike. A patented design hides a removable foam padding pocket secured by Velcro, so the cushion that sits between you and your horse can be lifted out, adjusted, or swapped. A branded feather mark at the front center gives you a clear point of reference for placing the pad squarely and keeping yourself balanced over the spine.

What makes The Bareback Rider different from a saddle?

A saddle lifts you up and away from the horse. The Bareback Rider does the opposite: it lets you sit down into your horse and feel every shift of muscle and rhythm, while still giving you the security and comfort a bare back cannot. Riders describe the change as going from a stool to a couch, and the company puts the experience plainly: you will stick like glue to your seat, experiencing center and balance, and ride in closer rhythm and harmony with your horse. For mounting without stirrups there is a "getup" strap, and additional D-rings let you add stirrups if you want them.

How is each pad built and fitted to your horse?

The construction is honest, hands-on leatherwork. Inside the pad, the removable foam sits in a Velcro-secured pocket so you can fine-tune the cushioning for your horse and your ride. The girth system is reinforced with stainless steel D-rings, and you can order it two ways: a Western setup with a nylon billet and cinch strap, or an English setup with four billets made of Ohiothane, a plastic-coated nylon webbing that is very strong and easy to clean. Leather and chrome-plated conches with saddle strings finish the pad. El Compañero recommends placing a Western blanket or pad underneath, and offers the pad in English Toast brown, black, and turquoise.

Where did The Bareback Rider come from?

The Bareback Rider was created by Patrick J. Liquori, who was inspired during early-morning trail rides on his Tennessee Walker, Dolcinea. In his words, "Through a great longing to become 'One in Spirit' with my Tennessee Walker, Dolcinea, I was inspired to create El Compañero Bareback Pad." To capture that physical sense of oneness, he looked to Native American horsemanship: "To create the physical sense of oneness, I had only to think of the Native American, using just a piece of leather to achieve this sense of union." El Compañero is Spanish for "the companion," and the company's motto, "Be one in spirit in flight," carries that idea forward. Alongside Patrick, his partner Beth, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, helped shape the venture's focus on serving both able-bodied and disabled riders.

What do riders say about The Bareback Rider?

Linda Little Wolf, a Lakota historian, calls The Bareback Rider "a unique interpretation of the pad used by my ancestors which truly gives the horse and rider the ability to move in unison." Gary Convery of Ontario, Canada, says "The Bareback Rider is very comfortable and it is easy to stay in a good, safe, balanced riding position," and Laura describes the upgrade simply: "Going from the saddle to the pad was like moving from a stool to a couch, the pad is so much more comfortable!"