# Western vs. English



## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

I've noticed that A LOT of people ride English, but I can't ever find anyone around where I live that does ride English. I'm just wondering what everyone rides mostly and why they like it more than the other.


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## Brandon (Jan 17, 2008)

I prefer western, because i think i would break my back if i did English style ridin..


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I live in southern Alberta and English is my primary, however I worked as a barn manager for a dude ranch last year, which was all Western, and I have been known to compete in western pleasure events as well


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## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

I took lessons English for two years and then took a 6 year break.... ugh.. horrible years..... now I'm getting back in the saddle on a regular basis but strictly western.....even though I rode English w/ a huntseat/dressage prospect.....it was still in a Western Saddle though....


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I have ridden in and owned an english saddle, I don't think thats the same as riding english :lol: I trail ride and think the western is a little more secure for that. My husband likes an endurance saddle (no horn) I'm not sure what that would be concidered.


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## tim (Dec 31, 2007)

Well, I used to ride english all the time. I started with western, but I wanted to expand my abilities, so I went into things like hunter jumper and a little bit of dressage for about two years. 

I've since gone back to western mostly. I think it's good to be experienced in both though. One of the reasons I joined this forum was to re-expose myself to english conversation, since my horse really isn't made for english riding.


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## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

i prefer english, although i do ride western if need me. I started out in english so i'm more comfortable in that, but i'm comfy in a western too. My fiance rides western, tried english didn't work out too well. His horse likes to stop abruptly and um yeahh. He didn't like it.


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## Abby (Nov 26, 2007)

I did English for three years and I thought I loved it until I rode Western hehehe... I like them both but western is my primary.


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## AKPaintLover (May 26, 2007)

I mostly ride western, but also ride in some english and dressage classes.


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## Equina (Jul 28, 2007)

Wow, Western is whoopin butt on this poll! 

I've always ridden English. My first real role model in the horse world was a dressage rider, and I somehow maneuvered on over to huntseat. 

My only Western experiences have been dude ranch style trail rides and a few shows through IHSA where I kept having to have someone show me how to hold the reins properly! It was my lucky day when I drew a young horse in a snaffle that was ridden 2-handed!

My horse is a Paint, so he has that Western look to him and I've been intrigued by Western for quite a while. I bought my first Western saddle a few weeks ago...but I haven't tried it out yet. Those big stirrups are quite intimidating!! :lol:


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I ride both. My horse does both.


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

Wow, I had no idea there were so many western riders on here! I rode western at Girl Scout camp many many moons ago! Other then that my experience is nothing but English. I just can't get used to the thickness (or heaviness!) of western saddles!


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I ride western mostly. I plan on team penning my horses and it's certainly more western than english kinda fun.


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## mell (Sep 5, 2007)

i have only ever ridden english, i do want to try western someday though.


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## horseylover1_1 (Feb 13, 2008)

I voted English, but I usually ride Western. It depends on my mood... in the summer (long and lazy) I like riding Western. (Or bareback) But when I want to get a good workout, shed a few pounds, I think English is more appropiate. The stable I ride at only does Western, but English is fun b/c of jumping... 

I like them equally.


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## Sissimut-icehestar (Jan 20, 2008)

I´ve never even been near a western saddle ! :lol: 
we don´t have any western in Iceland and I think our saddles are just a little bit diffrent from the typical english saddle, but it´s mainly the same deal !


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## moonflame994 (Sep 8, 2007)

I am a jumper and I have always rode English, I don`t like riding Western, this may sound weird but it make me feel like im sitting in a Box.  Even when I have to exersize one of our Western horses I just ride bareback. :lol:


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I think its always good for English people to learn to ride Western and Western people to learn to ride English. It helps balance and understanding of other types of riding styles. But thats my opinion


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

I started out riding Western, but then I switched to English a bit ago. 
I love English more, to me it's more comfortable. & jumping rocks!!  But that's just me.


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## Abby (Nov 26, 2007)

Everyone says English is fun for jumping? heck I jump with my western {endurance!} saddle and sometimes my regular western saddle, since the horn is actually real low, I jump with that if its a low jump. I know nothing about jumping, I just know I like it.


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## Gypsy29 (Dec 4, 2007)

I mostly ride in a western saddle. But I also do english hunter classes with my pleasure horse. We are still at the local competition phase so she can do both. I am comfortable in either saddle, but I could never imagine chasing a cow or running barrels in an english saddle. Oh, that wouldn't be good. I'd probably end up sitting in the dirt. I also think my horse would be confused because my legs would be in a different position so the cues would be different. But I like using my english saddle on trail rides because it is lighter for the horse and it is comfortable for me.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I ride english,
But western isn't as popular in Australia.
I do barrels and stockwork and camprdrafting in my english saddle,
i think it teaches me to have a really strong secure seat.
I'm not a fan of western saddles they ar just so big and I feel like im sliding around and can;t use my leg properly.
I'm saving up to buy a handmade stock saddle :]


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## moonflame994 (Sep 8, 2007)

i do barrels in my English saddle to I race at some little shows my 4-h group has I just go into two-point


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## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

.Delete. said:


> I think its always good for English people to learn to ride Western and Western people to learn to ride English. It helps balance and understanding of other types of riding styles. But thats my opinion


AMEN!! That is soo true.... that's why I'm glad that I have experience in both, but it's been a while since I've ridden English.... I think it's exciting to mix it up


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## AngelGurl (Jan 22, 2008)

I've always ridden western, but I'm selling my western saddle, as I'm ready to try english


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## horseylover1_1 (Feb 13, 2008)

AngelGurl said:


> I've always ridden western, but I'm selling my western saddle, as I'm ready to try english



For how muches? 8)


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## Abby (Nov 26, 2007)

I actually kind of don't ride either now that I think of it. The last time I rode in a saddle was about 2 weeks ago and I only rode for about ten minutes before I unsaddled and climbed on bareback. I started riding bareback to get balance and now I've grown addicted. I have an English saddle and a Western saddle but I mostly ride bareback with a halter-bridle I tied up myself... I say halter bridle because its a halter... but I added rings to the noseknots so its more like a sidepull but theres no bit? I don't know what you call them but yea. so I guess I'm neither even though I voted western earlier.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

moonflame994 said:


> i do barrels in my English saddle to I race at some little shows my 4-h group has I just go into two-point


In 4h you have to have the proper equipment (tack) or else you will be disqualified. Atleast thats how it is in Ohio


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## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Abby said:


> I actually kind of don't ride either now that I think of it. The last time I rode in a saddle was about 2 weeks ago and I only rode for about ten minutes before I unsaddled and climbed on bareback. I started riding bareback to get balance and now I've grown addicted. I have an English saddle and a Western saddle but I mostly ride bareback with a halter-bridle I tied up myself... I say halter bridle because its a halter... but I added rings to the noseknots so its more like a sidepull but theres no bit? I don't know what you call them but yea. so I guess I'm neither even though I voted western earlier.


I have a friend like that, she feels very uncomfortable in a saddle of any kind. She does cowboy mounted shooting which is sort of like barrel racing with a gun and doing different patterns. She does it all bareback. I'm in awe of her :shock:


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## Abby (Nov 26, 2007)

Vidaloco said:


> I have a friend like that, she feels very uncomfortable in a saddle of any kind. She does cowboy mounted shooting which is sort of like barrel racing with a gun and doing different patterns. She does it all bareback. I'm in awe of her :shock:


Sounds kind of like me, I ride bareback nonstop hehe, I won't go faster than a canter in a saddle but on bareback galloping is my favorite speed.

Saddles are okay, and I use them once and a while but I'd rather not use one if I don't have to.


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## mlkarel2010 (Jan 27, 2008)

I wish I could ride bareback..... once I get my trainer's horses into the swing of things I'll probably start


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## brittx6x6 (Mar 4, 2007)

I ride english because that was what I was taught. I did ride western last summer for about a month in a half when I was helping to train horses on Macanak island in Michigan. I had to get up everymorning and I helped take groups of people out and trained horses. It was fun but I was happy to get back into my nice english saddle ha ha ha


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## chelssss(: (Jul 22, 2008)

I perfer english. But my great uncle; he had a horse, that is now my grandmothers, Major, that was a champion roping horse and i did do roping with him a couple times down in florida, western is fun, but im more into the hunter/jumpers.


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## AQHA_MHonora_Pleasure (Jul 13, 2008)

I do both equally


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## VAHorseGurl (Jul 22, 2008)

I'd like to cast a vote here, but there isn't an option for BOTH. 

While I grew up riding English and still do from time to time, I am now riding Western with Pete. 

But then, we are working our way into Side Saddle down the road a bit.  

~Kerri & Pete


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I do both but I prefer western.


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## Vegashorselady (Jul 21, 2008)

I rode english growing up and I prefer it. The past couple of years I have been trail riding mostly and so I use a western saddle for that. When I first bought the western saddle I had to have someone show me how to cinch up the horse, lol. English saddles are much simpler and lighter. :wink:


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## Arrow (Jul 21, 2008)

I rode 90% bareback and 10% English as a kid. When I got Arrow, I had an English saddle for awhile, but it bridged on him. I rode in a bareback pad, no stirrups, for 10 months, but he's high-withered and I worried about the band around his spine. I've switched over to western since the bars distribute weight over a larger area, and I weigh about 155. I'm currently eagerly awaiting a saddle that I had custom built just for his hard to fit back that will be endurance style--the one thing I hate about western is that darn horn hitting either my wrists or my stomache. Horns are meant for hold cows only, I think!


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## **Pleasure** (Jul 23, 2008)

I´m a enthusiasted westernrider  

I did some english riding 4 years ago but I didn´t like it that much
I prefer Western but I like english too


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## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

where I live its 90% English. I would have to drive 45 minutes to ride western (on trails) and even further than that for a western lesson. Needless to say I grew up riding English. I find Western saddles to be extremely uncomfortable.


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