When riding bareback, riders sit a bit more forward on the horse than they would in a saddle. They must rest their legs more forward, along the crease between the barrel and the shoulder muscles to have a secure position without excessive gripping. As a rule, to make proper use of the rider's calf muscles, bareback riders keep their heels lower than their toes, riding with a flexed ankle and heel down, just as if they had stirrups. Riding with the toes down can lead to clutching at the horse with the lower legs or digging into the horse's sides with the heels, both often interpreted by the horse as a leg cue to go faster.