# What's Your Favorite Discipline, and Why?



## TheMethod (Jun 19, 2012)

I've just been a little curious about what else is out there. I've been riding western since I was 3, barrel racing specifically. I was interested in maybe trying something new. Feel free to post some pictures, videos, or info on your sport too. Thanks ya'll!
P.S.- By discipline, no, I am not making this into a battle over english and western. This is about sports- jumping, racing, whatever.


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## Almond Joy (Dec 4, 2011)

I'm doing english now--- Eventually eventing! I like eventing because it's kind of everything and focuses on the horse and rider's partnership.


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## Paradise (Jun 28, 2012)

A few years ago I would have said racing, but reining and recently cutting have captured my interest more than any other horse sport. I love all disciplines. All type of riding done truly well is breathtaking, but there's something about the quickness and lightness and finesse and responsiveness of well trained reiners and cutters that is simply awe-inspiring.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

If you do barrels and like a thrill try reined cowhorse or ranch horse!
You get to do reining, cutting and my favorite....going down the fence(and roping in the ranch horse)!


But I would like to learn to jump too, I think that would be fun!


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## KissTheRing (Aug 2, 2011)

Not really a sport but Trail Riding- Because my horse loves it! Personally I could care less about the trees, bugs, and the sun but my Boy loves it! So I get joy out of feeling/watching him!


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## BarrelBunny (Jan 15, 2012)

Barrel Racing! I LOVE the speed, adrenaline, and teamwork involved! It's NEVER just the horse or the rider, it's always BOTH! That's what makes it so challenging! It's just amazing, IMO.  I'll shut up now. :lol:


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## palominolover (Apr 28, 2010)

Barrel racing is one I enjoy. But I just LOOOVE pole bending . And dressage does it for me as well, just the technique and precision. I'm a bit of a perfectionist :lol:.


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## EnglishElegance (Jun 6, 2012)

I ride enligsh! ♥
I do jumping, H/J, and hoping to start eventing! I just love the rush and being airborne with your horse. In my opinion - best feeling ever ♥


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## DrumRunner (Jan 26, 2011)

I have a need for speed.. Barrels and Pole Bending..



















I'm very partial to cow horses too.. I've played with team penning, sorting and absolutely love reining and cutting..


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## BarrelWannabe (Feb 8, 2011)

Barrel racing has got to be my favorite. The thought of a horse and rider headed full speed just to turn a can could be boring to most people. It's when the horse and rider both share the will to dig down and run their hearts out is what gets me. 

You can make any horse in the world run the barrels. It's the ones that love doing it who are special.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Gilly (May 28, 2011)

Dressage. Because nothing captivates me more than riding around in a 20m circle and knowing I've done it just right.


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## Cinder (Feb 20, 2011)

Jumping. To me, very little can compare to the thrill of of it!


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## SaddleStrings (May 15, 2012)

Mines hunter/ jumpers! Love that for a split second, you and the horse are completely airborne! It's a rush! Also, love how classy it is too


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## katec1991 (Jun 25, 2012)

I love hunter/jumper and dressage the most. I think the only thing I wouldn't do is cross country because it scares me... lol. It's my favorite thing to watch though.


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## xJumperx (Feb 19, 2012)

Hunter Over Fences and Jumpers stole my heart <3
You can really fly! One with your horse, throwing your pure trust to him, and knowing he will do the same .... nothing like it! 

XCountry ... I was never fond of... Those solid jumps might hurt my sweet boy's wittle feet :3


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## heymckate (Nov 23, 2010)

Jumpers! Flying without wings.


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## GotaDunQH (Feb 13, 2011)

I've ridden Hunt Seat/Hunters/Jumping, Western, Dressage, Saddleseat, cross country, but my fav is Western Pleasure.....the Devil discipline that gets bashed more times than any other because most people don't understand it or have experience in it. I would LOVE to learn cutting! That is like the ultimate to me....the rider letting the horse just do it's job, without micromanaging it every second of the way. You really can't say that about any other discipline.

But I have to give a shout out to those timed event people....barrels and poles. You guys live and ride by the seat of your pants and I think it's awesome!!!! Nothing cooler than seeing an amazing barrel run...it's an art like no other.


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## Joidigm (May 8, 2012)

Jumping, because it scares the holy bejesus out of me when I keep going higher and higher. :rofl:

See? Lost my reins. Scared the bejesus out of me. :shock: I'm up to 2'3". :mrgreen:











And dressage, because the art of just riding and the advanced movements fascinate me.











I have dabbled in Western Pleasure. I can't (read, won't) do it, at least not on a showmanship level. I would love to learn reining. I am just having **** poor luck in finding a reining teacher (not a reining student trying to teach just to tell me my riding is to advanced for them), in West TN and MS. :-x


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I show English & Western, but my favorite class is the Road Hack class, I love, love the hand gallop!


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## mammakatja (Nov 3, 2009)

Glad to see there are a few of us here who can't make up their minds.  I love to ride barrels, but I also love the direct contact and precision of English riding. So I do both! I am blessed to have a couple of horses that really seem to fit their particular disciplines. Oh and I'll never pass up just a good ol' fashion trail ride and I'll also do this in either English or western. It really all depends on what mood strikes me for the day.


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

I'm an English rider. Apart from Trail riding, I love jumping! The adrenaline rush, the thrills, the flight... I'd love to try also Cross country, and I'm preparing my boy for Driving - he's going to pull a sleigh for the first time this winter. We do everything bitless.










(I'm not a terribly good jumper, but I'm training to improve)

Oh, and Trick training. I don't know if it can be called a discipline, but we do it on a daily basis, and both of us enjoy it.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

GotaDunQH said:


> I would LOVE to learn cutting! That is like the ultimate to me....the rider letting the horse just do it's job, without micromanaging it every second of the way. You really can't say that about any other discipline.



That is the very reason that I love endurance. Dream and I go down the trail as a team, no micromanaging necessary.


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## Saranda (Apr 14, 2011)

That's why I like driving - the horse and the driver also have to work as a team, and my boy clearly enjoys the responsibility that comes with pulling.After all, his lineage is bred for carriage driving.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

i LOVE eventing ! xc is so thrilling and my horses absolutely love it too, its such a rush. eventing is also great bc not only do they have to be super brave on xc, they also have to be precise and obedient for dressage and stadium jumping.


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

I really like cutting. But it is way to far out of my price range right now. So im team sorting and penning.


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## ChipsAhoy (Jul 1, 2012)

I used to do all jumping and got up to 3', but It's really not my thing. My biggest goal in riding is to succeed in dressage, not necessarily competing, just riding correctly. I would absolutely LOVE to do endurance, but there aren't many races in my area and I don't know how I'd go about training for it.


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## Back2Horseback (Mar 21, 2012)

Excellent question! Lots of great answers and photos! My discipline? Presently, English...re-learning to sit and post the trot! Haha! The rush...the intensity...it's breathta...ok, wait, actually, it is SO CHALLENGING trying your hardest to do such a rudimentary thing; one which you did, literally, in your sleep 15 years ago, but MAN, (& no sarcasm now) IT really IS EXCITING to go three rounds around the arena finally before losing my balance, transitioning the horse's gait, OR my patience! Hehe...
I'm having an awesome time. I'm very happy for your thread as I, too, am (re) figuring it all out...Just about all disciplines are pretty damned awesome in their own right...continue on, guys! ;°}
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## uflrh9y (Jun 29, 2012)

Phantomhorse13, that picture of you and your horse in the water is amazing!

I guess I will be the lone horse on this thread. I have always loved Saddleseat. I think it's beautiful and I love when I was in the zone and really getting the horse to show of his action to the max. Plus, it's one of those rare show classes (aside from cutting and reining and native dress and liberty) that the audience whoops an hollers. 

I will say when I was younger I used to be very prejudice against huntseat. I thought it was boring. Now my daughter rides huntseat and I realize I was being a moron, lol.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

Endurance. I love whipping through the trails, up and down steep hills, just me and my horse. Its really exciting seeing just how far you and your horse can go.

I also love anything that involves chasing cows, and I think cross country would be a blast.


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## HanginH (Mar 2, 2012)

I like being on the ranch working my horse but that doesn't seem like much of an event. I like rodeo a lot and have team roped for lots of years but would have to say that calf roping is probably my favorite event due to all the practice, timing and training that goes into making a really good calf horse. 

Have a good one!


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

HanginH said:


> I like being on the ranch working my horse but that doesn't seem like much of an event.


Amen!!!


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## Country Boy (Jul 4, 2012)

I prefer western riding. Barrel racing is my face for sure


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

I am getting into eventing with my new horse. I love it for reasons Almond Joy said, it really tests all your skills, BOTH the horse and the rider! I also do lots of trail riding beside that.


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