# Am I western?



## Paintlover1965 (May 22, 2009)

I would say you're a Western rider. I'm a primarily English rider but I enjoy Western riding as well. So, I'm an English/Western rider. I love the different aspects of both disciplines and the similarities.


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## horsecrazygirl (Apr 23, 2012)

I would love to try english as well, but just for now i was wondering what i would be considered.


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## Joe4d (Sep 1, 2011)

I ride western, but eventually I have to turn around and head eastern to get back to the house.


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

Joe4d said:


> I ride western, but eventually I have to turn around and head eastern to get back to the house.


Joe, you're at it again. lol :lol:


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## EthanQ (Sep 5, 2011)

People focus on stereotypes way too much. Ride how you want, and don't listen to what others have to say.

I ride bareback mostly, doesn't make me an Indian.


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## WesternRider88 (Oct 30, 2012)

I would say you're a western rider. I've never ridden in an english saddle either, but I would really love to try. I mostly just trail ride, but I love learning about all the different disiplines also.


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## TexasBlaze (Oct 4, 2010)

Why not just be a horseman? 

I ride english, western, and bareback. Ive seen too many english riders who cant stand the "hillbilly cowboy" riders and too many western riders who couldnt stand the "snotty english" riders. Its just a saddle. A good horseman is a good horseman reguardless of tack or horse breed.


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## Phly (Nov 14, 2012)

I ride a TB "western" all cow horsed up. That sends both sides into a tiff! Ha!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SorrelHorse (Apr 9, 2009)

I agree. I don't like saying "English" or "western", or "riding style."

Selena has schooled training level dressage tests a good amount. She is a finished reiner started on cows. She is a barrel horse. If she was conformationally correct to jump without killing herself, I'd probably do that too. You stick her in a western saddle and she looks like a cow pony. In an english saddle she looks just like a little hunter pony.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Phly said:


> I ride a TB "western" all cow horsed up. That sends both sides into a tiff! Ha!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


You'd be fine in the northern mountain states. Most of our ranch horses are TB or TB crosses, and then a few do double duty in the summers doing both cattle work and polo. And don't doubt the talent of the horses in either or the skills of their owners in both jobs.

I'm of the "a good horseman is a good horseman" regardless of style. Go for that and get in with the others who feel that way. Promote that respect in your dealings and you'll make a positive impact on your world.


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## horsecrazygirl (Apr 23, 2012)

I don't really like stereotyping either. Horsemen/woman makes more sense.


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

I would say you're western. I think it's just based on what your main riding style is. Like maybe what you ride the most in, not necessarily showing or anything. I ride western - never touched anything english and I don't really like english riding.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I ride in a western saddle a lot, but I always direct rein, post the trot and prefer a real canter to a lope, and real trot to a jog. H m m m......


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> I ride in a western saddle a lot, but I always direct rein, post the trot and prefer a real canter to a lope, and real trot to a jog. H m m m......


You're just all confused, aren't you, tiny? ;-) :lol:

I'm neither western nor English. I ride in an Aussie saddle, direct rein in the arena, don't rein on the trail (we always follow, we ride in a hack so direct reining is tricky, and Aires is pretty much point-and-shoot on the trail), sit the trot (but only because Aires trot is almost gaited horse smooth) and wear a helmet. I am a horsewoman, plain and simple.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Tayz (Jan 24, 2009)

Ive always ridden in an english till a couple days ago I got a western saddle. I've had 3 people jump down my throat about it so far. One declared disgust in it and made a big thing out of how I will never be able to jump in it and ill become a western pleasure rider (oh no! XD) Another girl had a whine about how I wont be able to do pony club (Well I couldnt keep my english saddle and use it for outtings now could I? No that would be unacceptable..what am I thinking, using two different types of saddles for two different types of riding) I believe whatever your comfortable riding in is the way to go. I call myself a horserider. nothing more nothing less. I wear jodphurs and western boots. I wear my akubra on the ground and my helmet in the saddle. Theres gonna be snobs everywhere you go i dont bother trying to fit into a catergory anymore.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

I'd say you're a Pleasure Rider.
The important thing is you are riding and it's a pleasure. : )

Many of us ride using equipment that does not fit into a specific category. Trail riders use what works best. I ride in a plantation saddle but for 20 years rode in a dressage saddle. As long as everything fits horse and rider, you practice good ridership and stay safe, it doesn't matter what you call it as long as you can call it fun.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Hmmm...

Bitless in this picture. Aussie-style saddle. English blanket. Western stirrups. Helmet, and jeans.










However, if I need to split between western & English, I'd ask:

1 - Neck rein or direct rein?
2 - Constant contact with the bit, or not?
3 - Seated 'on your pockets' or not?

On the whole, I think it has more to do with your approach to using reins than to your choice of saddle...


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## Jennakaaate (Feb 26, 2013)

I've only ever used western tack..Except for my dressage whip. However, I ride in a barrel racing saddle, using barrel racing reins. While I'm not actually a barrel racer at all. Those are just the things that I feel the most comfortable riding with. I tried using a roping saddle, but it was extremely uncomfortable, and I got saddle sore easier. However, my dad never rides a horse without his roping saddle, and swears by his split reins. I hate split reins. 
The way that I use the reins depends on the horse. If the horse was trained to neck rein all of his life, then of course I am going to neck rein. However, with most of my horses, they were never taught to neck rein. So, I had to go with direct reining (with my family, they call it "plow reining"). All my life, I have been taught nothing else but direct reining, so when I got a horse that would neck rein, it took me a while to get used to the fact that I did not have to move my hands as much. 
To this day, I still do a mixture of the 2 when I'm riding.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

It isn't really important to label yourself "Western." If you like all of the showy tack and showy western clothes, you can call yourself "Western." If you start studying different styles of riding you'll discover that very little differs between them. All horses started correctly are direct-reined. Everybody that owns their horse for a decade will occasionally neck rein on a loose rein, perhaps a hunter/jumper/dressage horse being walked cool. I have always trained my horses to be ridden on a snaffle or a curb, direct reined or neck reined. No one style is better than another. Only good trainers and poor trainers.
Don't mind the western saddle, but I don't cut cattle and have no use for the horn. Most people who trail ride have no use for the horn, either. Don't quite know why the hornless western saddle didn't catch on?
The ONLY thing I don't like about _some_ western saddles is that they teach the rider to brace on the stirrups and ride with a chair seat. The old bucket saddles had a triangular tree, like a McClellan, without swells. Some manufacturers are now making the bucket seat saddle, again. Or, at least a hornless type.
http://www.crestridgesaddlery.com/images-saddles/ovationSB2012.jpg


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## Jennakaaate (Feb 26, 2013)

Corporal said:


> Don't mind the western saddle, but I don't cut cattle and have no use for the horn. Most people who trail ride have no use for the horn, either. Don't quite know why the hornless western saddle didn't catch on?
> The ONLY thing I don't like about _some_ western saddles is that they teach the rider to brace on the stirrups and ride with a chair seat. The old bucket saddles had a triangular tree, like a McClellan, without swells. Some manufacturers are now making the bucket seat saddle, again. Or, at least a hornless type.
> http://www.crestridgesaddlery.com/images-saddles/ovationSB2012.jpg


Here is a nice hornless western saddle. It's only $400, but it's out of stock. I would definitely buy this for trail riding.
- Western Horse Saddles - Saddle Online


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