# Numbers of female riders



## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

About a year ago a (younger) friend of mine made a statement to the effect that I must have been one of the few boys riding horses when I started riding.
Actually it was quite the reverse. When I started riding there were more boys than girls mounting up at the stable. Initially at a rate of 3 to 1 (2 girls and 6 boys) and the 2 girls were amoung the first 4 to quit.
Today, as my friend so astutely pointed out, riding horses has become a decidedly female past time. I thought about the times I had visited area stables to watch friends take lessons or just watch them ride and I realized that she was right. It was rare to find a singe boy, but plenty of girls. Of the adults there are some males, but we are still significantly out numbered by the females. (Not that I'm complaining. As a single male I'll never complain about having more females to ride with  )

I was just wondering what brought about this change over the past few decades? Use to be that girls loved horses and the idea of riding, but weren't too keen on actually getting on them. Todays the boys just don't seem to be interested and the girls are riding all over.

Just wanted to throw this out there and see if anyone knew of something being put in the water, or a meteor shower that deposited a dust cloud in the atmosphere or perhaps some relatively recent mutation of the male genetics that has caused a, what to me seems like a reasonably dramatic, drop in the number of males really interested in riding horses.

BTW: Keep riding girls. The boys that do ride will NEVER complain about being in the minority


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## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

I think alot of men stopped riding because it didn't seem manly enough, which is completely wrong. I mean come on. Don't they know girls everywhere are attracted to cowboys? Have they ever seen The Man From Snowy River, Tombstone, Lonesome Dove, or American Outlaws? I personally think more men should ride. They don't know what they're missing.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Don't encourage them. I rather like the current status quo )

Yes, I've always thought it was a more masculine activity, but my idea of a fun time riding still isn't something a lot of women are into. Although there are more than I would have ever thought would do it at one time. Not really a lot of men who do it either. i.e. riding long distances for days. Riding couple hundred miles over a few days is heaven to me 

Once my new filly finishes growing and I complete her training I plan to see if we can pass the old Cav test of going 300 miles in 5 days and still be fit.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

its lbs not miles said:


> About a year ago a (younger) friend of mine made a statement to the effect that I must have been one of the few boys riding horses when I started riding.
> Actually it was quite the reverse. When I started riding there were more boys than girls mounting up at the stable. Initially at a rate of 3 to 1 (2 girls and 6 boys) and the 2 girls were amoung the first 4 to quit.
> Today, as my friend so astutely pointed out, riding horses has become a decidedly female past time. I thought about the times I had visited area stables to watch friends take lessons or just watch them ride and I realized that she was right. It was rare to find a singe boy, but plenty of girls. Of the adults there are some males, but we are still significantly out numbered by the females. (Not that I'm complaining. As a single male I'll never complain about having more females to ride with  )
> 
> ...


Not too long ago boys grew up watching westerns. John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Boonanza, Clint Eastwood, etc etc. My dad calls it the "Cowboys and Indians phase". Back then horses recently stopped being a means of transportation and cars were something only the wealthy had for quite some time. So horses were still some what viewed as we view "cars" or "trucks" today. Instead of The Fast And The Furious it was John Wayne riding up on a horse guns blazing. Boys looked up to what they saw on TV and at the time it was westerns. They wanted to be that bad *** cowboy riding in on his faithful horse causing trouble or fighting crime. This is feel got the initial interest. But now with horses being replaced by tractors, cars, etc. Westerns slowly are fading and cartoons/shows now show super cool robots, cars, futuristic type things. Horses are not really seen as "cool" anymore.

Along with back then horses were more livestock more of an actual business rather than a recreational hobby. My personal theory is that girls being the more "emotional" and "mushy" gender. As horses transitioned into being viewed more as a pet from being replaced by modern machinery. Girls got more and more interested. Along with media certainly played a big role with movies such as Black Beauty or Flicka. Girls now are growing up watching movies and shows like Horseland or Wildfire. Were its mostly girls in the show and they have this insane crazy bond with a "wild" horse. Girls want that, they want the mystical black horse that only trusts her and would do anything for her. Girls are more inclined to watch something that makes you go awwwww. Rather than action packed gun slinging adventures. 

So now that is it a female dominated industry males are more likely to view horses as "gay". They are a girl's thing. I go to a equestrian dominated college. There are very few guys at our college infact the ratio is 7 girls to every 1 guy. Most of the straight guys are taken, or major players. Now a days cowboys are mainly viewed as "players" because they are constantly surrounded by girls that are pining for their attention. Which can cause problems in a relationship :wink: Anyways, thats my views on it.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Qualifier: That's 300 miles with full gear in 5 days and still be fit.
Full gear would be roughly 90lbs (saddle, food, equipment, etc... everything except the rider)


Back to the thread. Still can't figure out why there aren't more young boys doing it. You would think that it being masculine and with all the girls doing it that they'd be lining up to take lessons.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

When I was a kid and riding, there was only one boy riding with us. There were 6 girls and 1 boy. 

With the group I ride with now there is still more women riding, about 10 women and 6 men. This is more or less the "core" group with other people riding on our organized rides. Lots of couples but also some of the women ride but their husband's don't and same for a few of the men. 

My cousin, Bruce, rides but he is roping and competing. The majority of us are trail riding strictly for pleasure. One of our group is an eventer and another is giving an eye towards endurance. There is another group of people that sometimes ride with us that is pretty much all men so we kinda balance out!!! They do quiet a bit of team penning and hubby is interested in doing that - more guys doing that than women.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Unless your in horses you don't really know how many girls are in it. Most the guys I talk to seem to think only gay men ride horses and they dont want to be viewed like that from other guys. Horse related media is more geared towards females now and them being viewed as pets/hobby. I find males are much more business like. Horses are no longer viewed in whole as a business's anymore. Just a pet or an expensive hobby. They don't see the money in it, cause there is none lol. Along with they don't grow up watching westerns. So horses aren't viewed as "cool" by the general public.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

I think the breeches has something to do with it! hahaha ...It seems there were a lot more guys at the shows when I was growing up then there are now. Trying to get my son interested in riding, but he's more into video games. When we do go to shows, he's following the little girls around though! So maybe there's hope yet?!?!?!


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Ah yes! Video games also have played a big role. I completely forgot about video games.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

"So now that is it a female dominated industry males are more likely to view horses as "gay". They are a girl's thing."

I guess there has been a social shift, media driven that could acount for a lot of it. I started riding in Germany, so I didn't have as much of that "cowboy" show influence. By the time I came back to the US I was so deep into riding that when give a choice of a dirt bike or horse for my 15th birthday I went and picked out a little QH filly. Even in that farming community few girls rode *unless it was behind their boyfriend  *

Heaven help the boys, now that girls have taken up driving trucks )
My daughter drives a Chevy Silverado (but she doesn't ride horses) )
"Silly boys
Trucks are for girls"

There are some seriously wrong thinking males out there. ) The guys I do see riding are certainly masculine. If any are gay you certainly wouldn't know it. Most are helping out the girls (and making points with it ) ) And they all find out at some point (if they ride long enough) that there is nothing mushy, girly or "aaaw" inspiring about handling a spooked horse that gone into "flight" mode.


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## QOS (Dec 8, 2008)

There are lots of boys riding in competitive sports like roping, bull riding,etc. I know of some boys riding but the only young fellow riding with us is one of the couples we ride with has a teenaged son that goes with us sometimes. 

When we went team penning a about 6 weeks ago there were several young fellows. Seems they are more into western type competitive riding.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

I'm a proud diesel truck driving female aswell  if I wasn't into horses I'd be a diesel technician. 

There is alot of grey area on just why there has been such a change from male to female.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

None of the guys I know who ride are complaining. Horses have not stopped being the girl magnet they always were, even in my youth. I know there have been women who's first interest in me was almost certainly as a result of a horse.

I guess I'll just remain amazed at how so many men are missing the boat. Even with the media though, you would think the boys would have watched something like "The Two Towers" and the charge in "Return of the King". They can't say that the charge wasn't masculine (even if there was one women who rode in it). And the "Kingdom of Heaven" (they might have missed that one). And, as DrumRunner pointed out "The Man From Snowy River", "Tombstone, Lonesome Dove", etc.... I guess the last one they saw was "Brokeback Mnt"  I guess that could acount for it.

Well, as I always say when someone doesn't one of the dishes made for a big family meal..."just more for the rest of us". )


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

I must say that all the men I know that ride are excellent horsemen (except for hubby, but he tries and I'm appreciative that he does ride with me time to time). Can't say that for ALL the ladies I know, but most are good horsewomen.


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

Interesting discussion and good theories. 

Now that I'm thinking back there were a lot more male riders when i was younger. Quite a few even in farmville, usa that rode english. There wasn't a single boy in the beginner hunt seat classes at our local fair this year and they were good sized classes (20-30 avg). 

I do currently have 2 boys that take lessons from me. The last male student I had prior to these 2 was 6 years ago. When I was a kid I remember my mom's students being closer to a 50/50 ratio.


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## CanyonCowboy (Apr 30, 2010)

I think Delete has it pretty correct. Westerns and the old "Cowboys and Indians" games are not currently popular (and Cowboy's and Indians's is politically and ethically inappropriate) in today's society. I grew up with horses and lived in Texas during the Urban Cowboy fad of the 1980s. LOTS of people claiming to be big cowboys then, but it faded away. "Big hat, no cattle" we used to call them. In some Texas bars there were areas where they sent the "drugstore cowboys" while the regulars were dancing (Texas Tea House for one).

As a kid, I was all over my father to learn about horses. I spent hours looking at my Dad's books on horse husbandry, paging through Western Horseman, dragging empty halters around the yard, having a rodeo on a saddle stand, etc. This then evolved into working more and more with the horses. By high school, one of my _best_ dates was taking a girlfriend to ride horses. Spending a day in the saddle and being together.

Today, I can't seem to get my 13 year old boy interested at all. He likes girls, and I keep trying to sell the "most riders are girls and you can meet them on horseback...". I keep trying to figure out ways to get him involved, but he would rather sit on a bench playing with his DS while I work horses than be involved in handling the stock.

I think the instant gratification of video gaming has also taken away from riding for males. It takes a lot of hard work to set a good foundation and make a good horse and rider, and (IMHO) most kids today aren't interested in making the investment to really develop that relationship. They can grab a copy of Halo and be playing online with their friends within the hour.

I will also, at the risk of appearing chauvanistic, offer what I think contributes. When I was a kid, you just got on a horse and learned to ride from your parents. Most people I knew and grew up with never had a formal lesson, or saw a professional trainer work a horse (my Dad was our trainer). If a person was in training, they were typically female. Boys rode, or did rodeo, or roped, etc.; but didnt' spend time riding the long oval. Today, most parents don't have the experience or time to really spend with their kids teaching them horsemanship (I mean this for the 'general' public, not the people on this Forum). They put their kids into classes. At those classes it's mostly english (ok, probably an over generalization, but bear with me), and you're in tights and high boots, with a helmet. Not really the image of the Marlboro Cowboy riding the range.

Coming from the very Urban Southern California area, I see it in my rural neighborhood. Kids from the urban environment are taking classes, riding jumps, dressage, arena work, WP. The kids in our neighborhood, who grew up with horses, spend hours just sitting on the horse, taking them up and down the road, "playing" on and with them. The kids that will ultimately probably enjoy a lifetime of being with horses are those who grew up around them. The "schooled" kids will have it on their resume of things they did growing up like Soccer, Little League, Football, band, etc. But they won't grow up and start owning horses (for the most part).


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## outnabout (Jul 23, 2010)

This reminds me that there was a young man who visited our barn last week wirh a boarder friend (female) who looked like he was in his 20's. He was being chided by his friend for being afraid to get on a horse because he thought he would be bucked off. I spoke with him later when he came around and asked me about my mare Nessie and he told me that he rides BULLS and loves it! Says he would like to learn roping but he is afraid to get on a horse :shock:

Interesting topic, though. The men around here who ride are into western competitive sports or work ranches. I only know one gay cowboy. Female western riders outnumber males except in sport and trailriding. I don't know of any male English riders.

I grew up in Ft. Worth and had a fantasy when I was young of marrying a cowboy because I wanted to live on a working ranch. It was more about the working ranch than the type of man, though. These days if a man isn't into horses, there is no way we could ever be together since it is so much a part of my time, money, energy.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

outnabout said:


> This reminds me that there was a young man who visited our barn last week wirh a boarder friend (female) who looked like he was in his 20's. He was being chided by his friend for being afraid to get on a horse because he thought he would be bucked off. I spoke with him later when he came around and asked me about my mare Nessie and he told me that he rides BULLS and loves it! Says he would like to learn roping but he is afraid to get on a horse :shock:


Not saying this is the case BUT...

There are alot of boys out there who walk around with store bought belt buckles, wranglers, flannel, department store cowboy hats, and boots. Who "claim" they are bull riders just because of the stigma behind it. :roll:

I personally have never met a bull rider who was scared to get on a horse because he is worried he will get "bucked off". That just sounds silly to me.


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## Calmwaters (Aug 24, 2011)

He gets bucked off bulls but does not want to get bucked of a horse? Somethings funny there I mean at least most horses will not go after the rider were as bulls sometimes do.


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## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

I think it also may depend on what you are doing with horses as to where the numbers will be. Here horses are still used in feedlots and cattle ranches and a good cowboy needs a good horse. I would say in my daughter's school there are more cowboys than cowgirls.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

On bull riding. Been there. While I was waiting for my birthday QH filly to grow up (she was under a year when I got her) I did break my uncle's bull. Use to ride him around the pasture with a halter. Easier to break than to ride. Have to pull their tail to get them going.
After I broke him he was the devil to catch ) Not that he was easy before, when he'd do the whole "I'm tough bull and you better back off" routine. After I started riding him he would run if he saw me coming with a bit of rope. Not really a great ride though. Just something to ride while my horse matured. I still did a lot of ground work with her.

On the subject of boys not taking lessons while girls did. I'm not sure anyone on the side of the county I lived in took lessons. I didn't see a round pen at all or a paddock that wasn't larger than 1/4 acre after I returned from Germany. My grandfather and some of the old timers gave me pointers and tips and watch over me. Of course I already knew how to ride. Most of the tips were for training. I doubt if any of them knew what a riding helmet was. People born in the late 1800's didn't know of such things. But the did know horses (and cattle, pigs and virtually anything else they could raise).

I knew a couple of girls at school who rode English, but they came from the other side of the county, so we didn't see each other riding much. Looked good in those pants when I did see them 
I started out English in Germany and had no problem with it, until I decided that I liked to ride long distances. Found out two basic things (well, I was told them by some of old time horse mentors and discovered them to be the case). If you're going to spend a long day (or days) in the saddle a western style seat is the most comfortable for the rider. If you're going to make those long rides your horse will prefer the larger Western style tree vs the smaller English one (distributes the rider's weight over a greater area, so it's easier).
Never did like the horn though. Love the endurance and plantation saddles they have now. Had an old McClellan back then as a spare saddle, but the tree didn't fit my horse very well, so it didn't get used much.

But I digress off the topic.


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## Lakotababii (Nov 28, 2010)

its lbs not miles said:


> On bull riding. Been there. While I was waiting for my birthday QH filly to grow up (she was under a year when I got her) I did break my uncle's bull. Use to ride him around the pasture with a halter. Easier to break than to ride. Have to pull their tail to get them going.
> After I broke him he was the devil to catch ) Not that he was easy before, when he'd do the whole "I'm tough bull and you better back off" routine. After I started riding him he would run if he saw me coming with a bit of rope. Not really a great ride though. Just something to ride while my horse matured. I still did a lot of ground work with her.


This made me laugh out loud!!! :rofl: 
That's so funny!! I definitely don't understand why more men don't ride. Men who ride are awesome, and the ones I've met have a lot to offer. The trainer who helped me with my gelding is male, and he has a gift with horses.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I don't know how the switch happened, but I think it is past the breaking point. It is tough to make the pitch that riding is masculine when the magazines are all about what shirt to wear to match your tack, and what is the latest color in barrel racing saddles.

And if the guy doesn't know how to ride, and he is in a place where learning on his own isn't an option, he's screwed. :-x I haven't met any male instructors. The group lessons I sometimes take are otherwise 100% female. In my 50s, I don't give a rat's rear...but a 15 year old boy isn't going to want to have 12 year old girls show him up riding horses. Yet many 12 year old girls are experienced riders, and you can be an excellent athlete in other sports and not be fit to ride well. Running, for example, left me tight in all the spots I need to be loose for riding.

So yes, there are pretty girls taking lessons - and the boy will look like a dork in front of them until he gets up to speed. How many 15 year old boys are willing to look like a dork in front of pretty girls for 6-12 months just because his parents say it would be a good way to meet girls? :shock:


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I don't know about anyone else, but I saw a major shift in girls riding more than boys when I was little (so, the mid-80s). That's when things like "My Little Pony" came out and when Barbie and friends decided that riding horses was cool. Suddenly, little girls became all about having a pony and little boys definitely didn't want to do what little girls were doing. I do have to say that growing up in a ranching community, I know probably as many guys that ride as girls that do. One of the guys I house-sit for has two geldings that he is training as roping horses. In high school, the guys with horses were the cool ones, the ones without had to be on the soccer team to get any attention from the girls. 

There aren't any boys in the more visible show rings, true, but in the rodeo arena and out on the trail, there are plenty. My BO's son is 9 and has two horses that he rides quite regularly. We have several men at the barn that are avid trail riders. In fact, I'd say that there are just as many men at our barn that ride their horses 3-4 times a week as there are women...maybe more.

The show ring has become the woman's domain, though, because, as someone stated, it's become all about your shirt matching your tack and your tack matching your horse and all about being pretty. Last I checked, when you were roping, it didn't matter if your shirt was green and your saddle pad was fuchsia and blue...it mattered how you rope. So men, who I have found are generally fashion-challenged anyway, tend to gravitate more toward the side of horses where they don't have to be pretty.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

I'd never say never )
40 years ago I'd have said there's no way you'll ever have more girls riding than boys. And back then we were all riding before we got into high school, except some of the girls I went to high school with (the ones who looked good in their pants). Sad memory came to mind. One them lost her mother to a riding accident in the Summer after graduation. Her neck broke from fall. Her head was protected though.

What the girls thought wouldn't have matter to me when I was in Germany. Even if we'd had more of them in the class. I just wanted to please my instructor. She was a very pretty lady. Her daughter was my age and also my girl friend for a brief time, but she didn't want to keep taking lessons from her mom, so we didn't see each other so much after that.

I guess times have changed. Was a time when it wouldn't have matter if she rode better. It was about being around them. And if it did matter, then the drive was to become better. My youngest son did that all through high school. Competing with girls, but was for grades. Even for SAT scores.

Now he wants to learn how to take care of a horse. Not interesting in riding, but he's figured out if he knows everything about taking care of them he can catch plenty of the girls at the local stables.


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## Calmwaters (Aug 24, 2011)

I just want to say some of them cowboys look awful good in thier jeans without much thought about it. LOL


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## Heelsdown (Jun 5, 2011)

Well according to the movie Toy Story, astronauts replaced cowboys when the first man walked on the moon. Little boys then wanted to be astronauts. Don't know if there is any truth to this though!

It seems in the United States, English barns and riding is predominantly female. I know in my area, it's literally like 90% female riding English style. If women stopped riding, I don't think English barns wouldn't be able to stay in business. 

When guys do ride in the US, it's western. I think that is a leftover fantasy of being a cowboy. However Western riding seems very split to me. Probably a bit more men than women, but definitely a fair share of women. 

So overall between women dominating english riding and western being so split, yeah, it does seem women are running the horsey world right now. I think we spend more money on our horses as well. Everything from the clothes to the tack. The guys I know who are into riding, seemed more frugal about it. I have a feeling the horse world would be really hurting if they lost their female crowd.

If anyone has a different experience in other parts of the US, then set me straight! I'm going by the east coast. I've lived in NJ, FL, VA and CT.



> There aren't any boys in the more visible show rings, true, but in the rodeo arena and out on the trail, there are plenty.


Definitely! I don't know if trail would fall under Western or English riding because it seems it's own thing. I guess it would be western. But anyway, yes, plenty of men on the trails!


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

Where I am it seems like everyone rides. Or ropes or rides bulls or broncs or ..... If you ride English I guarantee you are a girl or thought to be gay. They used to try to get my husband to show because I taught him how to ride huntseat. Used to say they'd give him a blue ribbon just because he was a guy riding English, LOL! He just never wanted to work at it enough to really go showing. Maybe some day though. 

I've ridden all my life, started out western riding whatever Dobbin was out in the pasture, then stable nags that you rent for an hour, then went Huntseat and Jumpers, tried team penning on an English saddle, loved it but the cowboys were all aghast that I was so 'suicidal'. Never did understand why they thought penning on a hunt saddle was so dangerous. Then I started doing lots of trail rides and some CTR, still all English. Now I'm doing trail rides and showing Western Pleasure. Would like to learn to show Trail in the horse shows but gotta get my stallion a little more schooled and experienced in Western Pleasure before we go try that. I never have ridden saddle seat. Back when I was a kid showing the open circuit I only saw a very few saddleseat riders and thought they just looked wierd, posting straight up and down, daycoats and bowlers....now everyone tells me it's lots of fun but it looks like too much work for me at my age.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Moon landing had not effect where I was. I didn't start riding until after that anyway. And it was at least 75% male at our stable. Different instructors there with their own classes. We had the most girls with 2 out of 8 to start. About 2 months later it was all male.

I started out English. Went to Western with great resistance, extreme duress and just short of kicking and screaming *laugh*. My older, and far more experienced family members and neighbors told me I'd prefer it for the kind of riding I was going to be doing. I was forced to try it. NEVER admitted they were right (but didn't have to since I didn't go back to English *laugh*).
What they were right about: If you're going to be riding pretty much all day for days the Wester seat is so much more comfortable for the rider and a proper fitting Western style tree is more comfortable for the horse (distributes your weight over a larger area). So they did know what they were talking about. Oh, and reining turned out to be (as they said it would), so much easier and more functional (great always having a free hand to use *smile*).
Always hated that horn though (more than once really wish it hadn't been there and felt like cutting it off). I was loaned the only remaining McClellan saddle in the family, and it was nice, but the tree didn't fit the horse like it should, so it didn't see use but a couple of times.
Today I'm more into some of the endurance and plantation designs. No horn, but the comfortable seat and large tree like the Western. A lot of them are based on the McClellan, but more padding on the seat.

Based on how I was, guys might be a lot more resistant to change then girls. 

Have to agree that girls are where the money is for stables. I think it would have a bigger impact on instructors than stables. A stable's expense is based on it's horses. If they don't have as many boarders, then they'll have less income, but also less expense. Of course if they rely heavily on rentals, then they will certainly be hurting without the girls.

Guys may also be more frugal. The only thing I don't look for a big cost savings on is the saddle. And that's because I know it's going to cost to have the custom tree made for her back. Of course if I never planned to ride more than a few hours a few days a week, I'd probably shop more frugally, since there are off the rack trees that would come close enough.

I use to find it interesting how many women were into long distance and endurance riding, since it's not the easy Saturday or Sunday trail ride for a few miles. But taking into account the % of women who are riding I should have expected it.

I just wish more girls had been riding when I was a kid. Might have had someone better looking than my horse (not that she wasn't lovely *smile*) on my 30+ mile rides, or even just my 5 mile workout rides.


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## Heelsdown (Jun 5, 2011)

Women really drive a lot of the economy when it comes to clothing, shoes, etc. You can see it in malls where women to men stores are a good 5 to 1. And department stores always have a much bigger women's selection than men's. I guess it does make sense that the tack shops and catalogs have more things for women. I know I love getting the catalogs from Smartpak. I just got another one called Back In the Saddle. I guess is't just an online store. Tons of cute things for Western and English riders. 

Anyway, it seems like the guys are either drawn to the rodeo type stuff or the trails. 
I did see a guy at my barn taking lessons but he was there with his two daughters. I thought now there's a great dad! The girls were doing way better than him, lol. 

BSMS you are totally right about a boy not wanting girls to show him up. He really would need a lesson barn that is strictly western riding to get other boys there. And from what I've seen, the English lesson barns seem to outnumber the western ones. 

Is that the same for other people or has that just been my experience?


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## Dresden (Jun 24, 2011)

I also run into more English lesson barns than western. I board at a western barn(and ride English. Stick out like a sore thumb lol) but there isn't much in the way of lessons. They offer them but I never see anyone in a lesson. 

I rarely see guys ride including when I was first riding back in the late 80s, early 90s. The few boys I have known who ride tend to ride western and much more "rodeo" style events, roping, etc. The one guy I know who rides saddleseat/english is in fact gay so that probably isn't helping the stereotype 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Heelsdown (Jun 5, 2011)

Dresden that's how it was at the barn where I used to go trail riding in Florida. It was a western barn that did offer lessons, but you never saw anyone taking lessons now that I think about it. 
It was all just trail riders. I've been taking English lessons for a year now and I feel like I just barely scratched the surface of what entails hunter/jumper. 
The western people I knew were really kind of self taught. I knew a few people who did some barrel racing. My aunt does team penning but she's self taught as well.


Silly question coming from a silly American who has never left the US.....do people in other countries refer to English riding as English riding? Or do they just say riding? 
Because I know IME, dealing with non horsey people, if you say riding, they immediately think western saddle it seems. Not one person who isn't into horses knows even remotely what I'm talking about when I say hunter/jumper or English riding.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

QOS said:


> There are lots of boys riding in competitive sports like roping, bull riding,etc. I know of some boys riding but the only young fellow riding with us is one of the couples we ride with has a teenaged son that goes with us sometimes.
> 
> When we went team penning a about 6 weeks ago there were several young fellows. Seems they are more into western type competitive riding.


Agreed. Around here there are plenty of guys still riding (even at my age), but they're out on the trail or working cows, not hanging around the stable or the arena.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Heelsdown said:


> Silly question coming from a silly American who has never left the US.....do people in other countries refer to English riding as English riding? Or do they just say riding?
> Because I know IME, dealing with non horsey people, if you say riding, they immediately think western saddle it seems. Not one person who isn't into horses knows even remotely what I'm talking about when I say hunter/jumper or English riding.


 
Not really a silly question. When I was riding in Germany we refered to style (e.g. hunter seat), but that may have been because we were expected to be sitting it correctly and not all seats are the same. But Western was called Western over there. And I know that there were some people who rode Western there in the 70's (our "Wild West" was romanticized over there almost as much as it is over here) I never saw any in person.
Can't say about today though. It's be 40 years since I rode in Europe.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Ooops. Hunt seat....not hunter )
Need my morning cup of tea.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

People label it by discipline -- hunter, dressage, Western, etc.


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## coffeeaddict (Jun 18, 2010)

When I was a teenager taking lessons there were no boys at my barn, hardly any boys at the shows and if you found one roaming around you could tell he was not in his natural habitat and wasn't too happy about being made to take lessons. 

I will say the few men I've found that ride, are often HOT. There is only one man at my barn right now, he cannot ride to save his life but he tries and I enjoy watching his attempts because he's easy on the eyes. 

There was one guy at my previous boarding stable (very good looking...see a pattern?)who has two mares and a different girlfriend every month. He must have dated every girl at the barn, maybe some more than once. It was like shooting fish in a barrel for him. 

I got hit on by a local riding instructor a few months ago when I was looking for a dressage trainer, and he was also very nice to look at it and seemed quite accomplished. Only reason I didn't take lessons from him ( and accept his offer of dinner) was because his personality sucked. Player through and through.

Whoever said a lot of the men that ride and ride well are players seems to have a point. Not saying it's all of them but the few I've run across usually know they look **** sexy on a horse and take advantage of the fact that they are in a highly sought after minority. Can't say I really blame them, they have the market cornered for sure.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

So it hasn't changed in 40 years )
Wonder the US habit of calling all disciplines either English or Western?


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

coffeeaddict said:


> know they look **** sexy on a horse and take advantage of the fact that they are in a highly sought after minority. Can't say I really blame them, they have the market cornered for sure.


My point exactly. Can't comment on the player side though. It could be that a guy is going through so many girls because he just hasn't found the right one that doesn't want to give up. I've known women who have a new guy every month, or 2 or 3 or 4 ), but I digress.

While almost all the males I know are riding some form of Wester (with or without a horn ) ), they represent a significant minority in what Lt. Pete Mitchell (Maverick - "Top Gun") would call a "target rich environment" )
Ok that might sound like a player statement, but what else would you call it. If I walk along a trail (not common for me, but it happens), on a low horse traffic day, I'll find at least a 2-1 ration. More likely to find a day when I'm the only male around. And a guy is seldom at a loss for finding a riding partner, since there's almost always a female around who will gladly go riding with you. I just ride to places more than trails, so I rarely run into anyone then.

But I'll confess to putting off some of my non equestrian friends (which means most of my friends). When they set me up with someone I always ask her if she likes to ride, or seriously wants to learn. If not, I'm really not interested. I can see the handwriting on the wall of having to deal with a girlfriend who's having to deal with me going riding without her. A past time shared by mostly women who are usually in good shape and share a common passion (horses and riding) with me. I don't even want to imagine dealing with that.

Did the insanely jealous wife and equally jealous girlfriend routine already. Not something I care to do again.

So don't be too hard on men who are interested in the single ladies that ride. We might just realize what's best for us in looking for a prospective partner.  And if we're looking good it's not all bad for the ladies


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

coffeeaddict said:


> There was one guy at my previous boarding stable (very good looking...see a pattern?)who has two mares and a different girlfriend every month. He must have dated every girl at the barn, maybe some more than once. It was like shooting fish in a barrel for him.


Wait a minute. I'm in SC and have two mares.....
....no, can'at be me ) . I don't have a new girlfriend every month and have yet to date (and unlikely to) anyone from the stable I'm at.

Whew...that was close )


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## coffeeaddict (Jun 18, 2010)

Haha, that was close! It was almost a very small world.


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## its lbs not miles (Sep 1, 2011)

Yes, that would have been a bit bizzard )

Fortunatelly (I guess) the female equestrians I've had interests in don't use my stable. One is a very successful instructor. One was a very successful instructor/competitor who is thinking about getting back into the business. One a very successful competitor and breeder. No, I wasn't seeing all of them at once ) Am still friends with each and it has really only been the demands of in our respective lives (being single parents, working, running business, travel demand, etc....) that had kept anthing from developing with any of them. The price paid for being attracted to successful single equestrian moms. Maybe after I retire we'll see  Then I can make my schedule fit my partners and I'll even be round to help out.

Of course I ride a different discipline than any of them, but's ok with me. Most girls here tend to do English and males tend to do Western. It's all done on the back of a horse 
And I love watching the ladies posting and jumping in those tight pants (I didn't say that ).....but come on, we guys know that you know that we look....and you know, that we know, that you like that we to look)
Can't help it that we just wear jeans  but those are the Western wear. (and yes, we know, that you know, we know you're looking....etc, etc ) ect.... even in our jeans)

It will still always baffle me that single men are learning ridie in record numbers. You have a lot better odds of meeting an interesting woman while riding then you will hanging out at the gym. And meeting over horses is a lot more romantic than meeting at the weight machine, etc....


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## Calmwaters (Aug 24, 2011)

LOL you guys are funny.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Heelsdown (Jun 5, 2011)

thesilverspear said:


> People label it by discipline -- hunter, dressage, Western, etc.


thank you and it'slbsnotmiles both! 

That makes sense that they would refer to it by discipline. I didn't realize they rode Western saddle in Europe. I can imagine how the bigger, heavier saddle must look to some people who've only seen English saddles.



> So don't be too hard on men who are interested in the single ladies that ride.


I don't blame you for wanting to find a girlfriend that rides. And with the female rider population far outnumbering men, it wouldn't be any harder to find a female rider than non. Now for single women wanting to find a man that rides, that's a bit more challenging. 

When I first started taking lessons, my husband was joking and said, "Now don't go falling in love with some cowboy" I LOL'd and told him the barn was all women. Riders, instructors, even the lesson horses were mostly mares. It's a hormone fest pretty much.


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