# Why does Western riding appeal to me?



## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

It was pretty much the same thing for me, except reversed. You know the story  Been western all my life, blah blah blah, but I always had a thing for watching English riding. I actually enjoy watching English events more than most Western. So, I have an english saddle, pad, and girth. 

Do both. There is no reason why you have to choose one or the other! Most of my riding in the past 3 months has been English, but I still loooooooove my western saddle, roping, barrel racing and riding one handed


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

Didnt know you got into English! And i dont think i can do both, id have to go to 2 different barns to do lessons  and English saddles to me aint that comfortable after a while and posting drives me nuts! May just be a bouncy horse when i comes to posting. And the only English eventing i like is jumping and endurance riding is what id do. And id have to get use to riding with one hand LOL


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I think you should take some lessons first. I remember when i wanted to get into eventing. I almost sold my pleasure horse for a big nice warmblood. I took jumping lessons and dressage lessons for about 3 months. I even entered in a CC competition with my quarter horse. I decided it wasn't my thing and that i enjoyed pleasure much more. Its always good to tests the waters before you dive in.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I started off in dressage for the first three years and then moved to a hunt barn. I rode hunter/jumper for a gazillion years and then, I don't know why... I just felt the urge to switch. I moved over to western pleasure and to me, it's actually a lot harder.... But I really love it....

Sometimes we just need a change...


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## VT Trail Trotters (Jul 21, 2011)

Pony, why do you find western pleasure more difficult?


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

It's easier to speed a horse up than to slow it down! 

I just got into English back in November or so, after 9 years of Western.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

QHriderKE said:


> It's easier to speed a horse up than to slow it down!


I know quite a few horses who would prove that statement wrong!! It takes a good while to teach a horse forward motion.


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## QHriderKE (Aug 3, 2011)

.Delete. said:


> I know quite a few horses who would prove that statement wrong!! It takes a good while to teach a horse forward motion.


True... but they's lazy. 

The challenge is to be collected, forward and slow at the same time.


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## attackships (Jan 12, 2012)

if im trotting im usually posting in my western saddle haha. only one of my horses has a nice slow jog. all my horses and i were trained for "english", so for me personally the difference is only the saddle, and depending on the individual saddles you use it's not necessarily more comfortable. it should be fairly easy to switch or to do both, since same horseback riding skills are required for both disciplines.


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## KGolden (Feb 7, 2012)

Riding both is good for you and the horse . It's calledcross training . Maybe you're riding English on a trail and you need to open and close a gate ; having side passing and turning that is used in Western trail in good even when you're in an English saddle or you're on a trail in a western saddle and you jump our horse (not recommend but we all know that accidents like not seeing a ditch happens) and you and our horse know what to do without killing eachother . I ride both, more Western though, and it helps a lot  I grew up Western and plan to stay that way !
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

KGolden said:


> Maybe you're riding English on a trail and you need to open and close a gate ; having side passing and turning that is used in Western trail in good even when you're in an English saddle


Meh....those aren't "western" skills.

Side pass, leg yields, and turns on the forehand are basic horsemanship that every rider should know. Any good basic dressage or flat work lesson at an english barn will include those.

I do everything in english tack, including trail riding, and I have yet to find a need or use for a western saddle. I don't work cattle, so the lack of a horn is a non-issue for me. 

I've spent three hours straight on the trail on a Wintec 250 all purpose saddle at all gaits with zero discomfort the day after. And I can ride with one or two hands on the reins, horse still goes where my leg and seat cues tell her to.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

mildot said:


> I've spent three hours straight on the trail on a Wintec 250 all purpose saddle at all gaits with zero discomfort the day after. And I can ride with one or two hands on the reins, horse still goes where my leg and seat cues tell her to.


Im so jealous, my knees kill after i ride in an english saddle for too long. I love my english saddle and i would love to ride more in it. Sadly, i can only pull it out on show days i can barely walk after i get off :?


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

.Delete. said:


> Im so jealous, my knees kill after i ride in an english saddle for too long. I love my english saddle and i would love to ride more in it. Sadly, i can only pull it out on show days i can barely walk after i get off :?


Lengthen your stirrups a bit. Ride without stirrups for a while to give your knees a break. Don't force your weight down on the heels, let it flow down naturally by relaxing hips, thighs, and knees.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

mildot said:


> Lengthen your stirrups a bit. Ride without stirrups for a while to give your knees a break. Don't force your weight down on the heels, let it flow down naturally by relaxing hips, thighs, and knees.


Thank you, i will try that!


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## DejaVu (Jul 6, 2011)

I think it's definitely worth getting a lesson or two to try it out.

What are you thinking of doing though? Western pleasure, horsemanship type stuff, just fun trail riding, competitive trail, barrels...? Just make sure you get a lesson in the type of western riding you're most interested in.

I show in western pleasure, horsemanship, and trail. Soon western riding, once my horse smooths out his lead changes enough to where I feel it's worth showing.

I started english, with dressage, then I moved to hunters. Now, I still ride english as much as I do western, I just do the Equitation, HUS stuff.

Western was actually a rough transition for me. I was so used to being so close to the horse, and leg cues straight to the point. I had to re-learn all of that. I felt confined in all the leather surrounding me. Now, I'm just as comfortable western, as I am english, but that's partly just from finding the right saddle that I feel balanced in. 
It's nice though, once you get into it.


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I ride both. I'm more into western but I find english excellent for working up some leg muscle. I like bareback for that too. I feel like my horses benefit a LOT from crossing disciplines.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Silly VT, of course western riding is much more comfortable...and more fun....and less uptight :wink:.






Just kidding everyone!!! Though I do ride western and couldn't imagine anything being more fun for _me_. English riders have their dressage and jumping and eventing, we western riders have our reining and cutting and roping. They all are exhilarating, they just require different skills .


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## Fort fireman (Mar 5, 2011)

I started out riding western and did for several years. Then I got a job at a hunter jumper barn and worked there for about 8 years. There I learned riding english. I would still occasionally slap a western saddle on and just hack around and trail ride but majority of it was english. I can honestly say it was good for me. I really learned to use my seat and body more. I ride western again pretty much full time . However it is not uncommon to see me post a trot in my western saddle. Especially if Im wanting to cover some ground. My point is give it a try and see for yourself. It is good to broaden your horizons, especially with a sport like this. There is soo much out there.


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## WesternBella (Jan 7, 2012)

Western FTW 

Posting a bouncy horse = way better than sitting it, even in a western saddle.

You should try it, you're not gonna be stuck with it if you don't like it.

Silly Seth, of course western is better... 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

FWIW, my Aussie-style saddle is a compromise between English and Western in how it rides. Easier to post in than a western saddle, but deeper and more comfy than my jump saddle.

Regardless of saddle, I use the reins and bit western. Unless I forget to grab a bridle that day...


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## jagman6201 (Mar 13, 2009)

I ride western because it's fun and competitive. I also love the expectations of horsemanship that comes with being a western rider. I am appalled sometimes when I go to photograph hunter jumper shows, or grand prixs, or what ever and their horses literally walk on top of them. MANNERS! I've just found that ground manners are just expected for a western horses and to me, that's thinking about the whole package as a partner, not just a riding mount.


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## WesternBella (Jan 7, 2012)

*I say try it!*


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