Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mowaca 01-10-07, 06:09 PM	I can't find anywhere in the core rules where it describes the consequences for riding an animal without a saddle, or even if this is possible. Anyone know where this is? Also, some of the monsters in the MM (i.e. Hippogriff) specify you must have an exotic saddle to ride them, but others (i.e. Dire Bat) don't.
Kradlo 01-10-07, 06:33 PM	You can ride a horse bareback, i.e., without a saddle. It is more difficult that riding in a saddle, as there is no saddle horn or stirrups. I've heard it's harder on both you and your mount than riding with a saddle, that the saddle (and saddle blanket) in effect cushion your bottom and the horse's back. More experienced horse riders will be able to say if this is so or not. As to riding a flying mount without a saddle, the exotic saddle used for a hippogriff or other flying mount includes a set of straps to secure the rider. Falling off a normal horse can be injurious to your health (look at Christopher Reed), but falling off a flying mount is certain death, barring a Feather Fall spell or other magical agency. I suppose you could try to bareback a giant bat or hippogriff, but you'd probably have a minimum -10 penalty for the attempt.
Mock26 01-10-07, 06:37 PM	I do know that you couldn't effectivelly fight from the back of a mount without a saddle.
Cifer 01-10-07, 06:43 PM	Well, the second problem of riding bareback would be that you don't have stirrups, which are one of the little gimmicks that you can brace against for some more impact when charging with a lance - all the speed and force of the horse won't do you much good when you haven't got something you can hold onto. Stirrups were one of the major things that made cavalry practical.
Sarella Starshine 01-10-07, 06:59 PM	ridding without a saddle imposes a -5 penalty to your ride check. It says so in the discription of the ride skill on page 80 of the PHB.
Tiberia 01-11-07, 05:48 PM	ridding without a saddle imposes a -5 penalty to your ride check. It says so in the discription of the ride skill on page 80 of the PHB. The Ride skill is when riding under difficult circumstances. Going down the road on a trained horse with all the fixings doesn't require a check. Riding into battle, riding an untrained horse, riding an unsaddled horse, riding on uneven ground or any other difficult circumstance requires a check. The price for a horse assumes a trained riding horse or a trained war horse. Untrained horses are cheaper; but you must roll more checks or fall off.
Ruslanchik 01-11-07, 06:03 PM	without stirrups, fighting from horseback in any way is practically impossible. When saddles didn't have stirrups, the saddles were either very constricting or required the rider to hold on with one hand. Ever wondered why the Mongols were able to dominate many of the most powerful nations in the world? It's because they invented stirrups and were able to shoot bows from horseback. It would take a very skilled rider to overcome the challenges of fighting on horseback without a saddle--this is reflected by the -5 penalty, but I think the penalty should be higher for trying to shoot an arrow without a saddle. But that's just my opinion.
mowaca 01-11-07, 06:16 PM	Thanks. Its interesting the srd (d20srd.org) says instead: If you attempt to ride a creature that is ill suited as a mount, you take a -5 penalty on your Ride checks. ...and nothing about a saddle. Maybe its in an Errata somewhere. I guess I will continue riding my ill suited Tiger w/o a saddle.
Cifer 01-11-07, 06:23 PM	You might want to read the whole article... Special If you are riding bareback, you take a -5 penalty on Ride checks.
Skrymir 01-11-07, 06:36 PM	My nuts say: take a saddle.
MogliGrimTooth 01-11-07, 06:58 PM	In regards to just riding a horse it depends on the horse... some horses, mainly bigger ones can be just as easy to ride bare... its much of a muchness... But if you plan to fight from the back of a horse, i agree it is much harder to do so without Stirups..... only a very very well trained rider could do so..... I offer this a someone who has spent some time on horses, both saddled and bare.......
Mock26 01-11-07, 07:05 PM	In regards to just riding a horse it depends on the horse... some horses, mainly bigger ones can be just as easy to ride bare... its much of a muchness... But if you plan to fight from the back of a horse, i agree it is much harder to do so without Stirups..... only a very very well trained rider could do so..... I offer this a someone who has spent some time on horses, both saddled and bare....... As far as I know, the even plains indians in America used stirrups, having taken the idea from Europeans.