Trail Riding

Ong

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Apr 24, 2017
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I went for my first ever trail riding few days ago, I found the english saddle quite uncomfortable for long hours riding. My ass gets quite hot, was wondering if western saddle will be better? And what kind of boots you guys wear for trail riding? I just wear my tall leather field boots but western boots will be more comfortable?
 
It all depends on the saddle, you can get uncomfortable English and western saddles alike, you can also get good ones of both. Its kind of difficult when riding in a saddle that isn't yours, I often find RS saddles uncomfortable on the odd occasion I go to a RS. Getting hot is probably more to do with what you are wearing and the climate rather than the saddle specifically, what you wear can also drastically improve general comfort/rubbing etc
I ride both English and western, I like knee length boots (or short boots and gaiters/half chaps) for English as the stirrup leathers can pinch otherwise, in western I can ride with long or short boots as there isn't the pinching issue.
 
It all depends on the saddle, you can get uncomfortable English and western saddles alike, you can also get good ones of both. Its kind of difficult when riding in a saddle that isn't yours, I often find RS saddles uncomfortable on the odd occasion I go to a RS. Getting hot is probably more to do with what you are wearing and the climate rather than the saddle specifically, what you wear can also drastically improve general comfort/rubbing etc
I ride both English and western, I like knee length boots (or short boots and gaiters/half chaps) for English as the stirrup leathers can pinch otherwise, in western I can ride with long or short boots as there isn't the pinching issue.
I'll be going for another trail ride and I will be riding on western saddle, but I still can wear my tall field boots or paddock boots right? The stirrups should be able to use it for english boots? I'm wearing full seat riding breeches, otherwise I can wear jeans but the seams might make it uncomfortable.
 
Ah yes those full seat breaches can get really hot, they give you grip but they are warm, perhaps look for some plain cotton jods/breaches.
 
Yes they should be, as long as the stirrup is the correct width, but that's the same with any stirrup, English or western.
 
Any tips on riding western style? I want to take pictures during my next ride, finally I get to do water crossing.
 
It really depends on where you are trail riding. One can ride in horrible Western saddles here in the UK- after only an hour OH was very sore. I love riding Western in USA and wear riding jeans and Ariat terrain boots. I dont wear my Western boots to ride in as they have thick rubber soles which is not recommended these days.
In the UK I wear UK riding breeches with half chaps and usualy the same Ariat dual purpose boots. That is because when we travel I dont take specal boots for riding.
The size of the saddle is important both English and Western. Especially in montainous country, you will be sliiding up and down in a Western saddle that is too big. UK ridng school hacking saddes usually fit me, esecially if they are old.
I have never had a problem here or in the USA - But OH and I dont ride more than 2 hours without a break.
 
I'm in a dilemma whether to wear cowboy boots with jeans or tall boots with breeches, tall boots will cover the whole leg below my ankle. I plan to buy this western boots. Any suggestion? Both are comfortable for me to ride in, my next trai ride will have water crossing and I will be using western stock saddle.379153_296224057079850_1927813710_n.jpg
 
I definitely have a summer riding wardrobe & a rest of the year one!

In the summer, I wear thin and/or mesh riding jodhpurs/breeches (Noble Outfitter & Decathalon are my personal favourites) plus they have an elasticated waistband for extra comfort!

They, along with a sports style top, do prevent getting as hot as I would with regular polo top & jodhpurs.

I prefer short boots & chaps for hacking (I have Ariat terains as they are so comfortable & give great grip if I need to get off at any point to lead). I would always wear half chaps with short boots, as no chaps rub my legs too much.

But a lot of it comes down to personal preference & how far your going.

I've ridden a couple of miles out hacking in leggings and been OK - but I wouldn't do more than that, as they would definitely rub as they are so thin!

I've never ridden in cowboy boots, so can't advise but you may find jeans rub due to the seams.

Do you have a seat saver? I love mine & swear by it for longer distances :)
 
I'm in a dilemma whether to wear cowboy boots with jeans or tall boots with breeches, tall boots will cover the whole leg below my ankle. I plan to buy this western boots. Any suggestion? Both are comfortable for me to ride in, my next trai ride will have water crossing and I will be using western stock saddle

Wow, those are sharp looking boots! Are they really for riding in? They don't appear to have any grip (and don't look very comfortable to me either, but I am old enough to value comfort over style lol).

I know nothing about Western riding and attire so can't advise, but hope you have a great ride anyway. TBH I don't think it will matter what boots you wear, as long as you are comfortable and don't mind them getting wet.
 
I don't because it's not my horse as well and I never ride in cowboy boots either, so tomorrow will be my first time riding western with proper cowboy boots. I bought one just now and it looks so exotic. My skinny jeans can't wear it over the boots so I got another pair of jeans to go with it, can't wait to ride. It feels very comfortable with leather soles.
 

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My very expensive dressage long boots have similar leather soles (tho not pointy). They are meant for riding. My own Ariat western boots (as I said) have a thick rubber sole with ripples across and the year after I bought them, it was announced by some trail ride places that one couldnt use them. I wear mine for yard work in summer because they have hard toe caps but are cool. And I wear them to watch polo on wet windy days - where they are sometimes admired.
My experience of trying them out in the saddle was that the risked slipping off my feet if my feet were not in the stirrups- so loose that gravity might let them drop to the ground.

Anyway, I never heard of anyone buying clothes to go on a Western trail ride. But presumably you are in the USA -Western boots like that cost a lot here in the UK and it isnt at all normal to own them or buy them. There are so many tyoes of Western dress and boots for the different disciplines - like women barrell racing etc and few of us on this Forum cold tellyou what your particular boots are intended for.
 
My very expensive dressage long boots have similar leather soles (tho not pointy). They are meant for riding. My own Ariat western boots (as I said) have a thick rubber sole with ripples across and the year after I bought them, it was announced by some trail ride places that one couldnt use them. I wear mine for yard work in summer because they have hard toe caps but are cool. And I wear them to watch polo on wet windy days - where they are sometimes admired.
My experience of trying them out in the saddle was that the risked slipping off my feet if my feet were not in the stirrups- so loose that gravity might let them drop to the ground.

Anyway, I never heard of anyone buying clothes to go on a Western trail ride. But presumably you are in the USA -Western boots like that cost a lot here in the UK and it isnt at all normal to own them or buy them. There are so many tyoes of Western dress and boots for the different disciplines - like women barrell racing etc and few of us on this Forum cold tellyou what your particular boots are intended for.
I only buy another pair of jeans to pair with my boots because my skinny jeans cannot fit in, others I will use my old ones. My field boots is not pointy toe as well, the western boots is cheap but no brand. It is leather soles but I heard some say rubber soles are not good because it can get stuck in the stirrup.
 
I am not in USA and you should be aware that this is a public forum. You need to check out what you are told here.
One thing I can tell you tho is that I wrecked the appearance of my Western boots by applying polish - dressing before wearing them. In the UK this is normal practice to prolong the life of the leather and to make them more proof against water. But I darkened the lovely green colour of mine and was deeply upset. Dressing or - polish darkens the stitching too.

Your boots have a light colour foot and a light coloured decorative stitching - both those are likely to darken if you get them wet or splashed riding through water.
One reason for treating boots before riding in them is that they are then less likely to get marked by a single splash to just one part of the boot.

Western boots designed for use in arena competitions dont get wet. But if you look at pics of cowboys riding you will see that the jeans tend to be worn outside the boot (to keep out insects and burrs) and they tend to wear full chaps over the top as well.

Wrangler jeans for riding are made longer and a bit looser at the ankle and the seams are flat so they dont rub. One can also wear a pair of ladies nylon tights inside to stob the seams rubbing.
And the jeans would be worn outside the boots like your photo shows. If I go to a polo match dressed up I do wear skinny jeans inside my Western boots - but that is fashion for you. Jeans inside Western boots shows one is not working in a yard or with horses.
 
I am not in USA and you should be aware that this is a public forum. You need to check out what you are told here.
One thing I can tell you tho is that I wrecked the appearance of my Western boots by applying polish - dressing before wearing them. In the UK this is normal practice to prolong the life of the leather and to make them more proof against water. But I darkened the lovely green colour of mine and was deeply upset. Dressing or - polish darkens the stitching too.

Your boots have a light colour foot and a light coloured decorative stitching - both those are likely to darken if you get them wet or splashed riding through water.
One reason for treating boots before riding in them is that they are then less likely to get marked by a single splash to just one part of the boot.

Western boots designed for use in arena competitions dont get wet. But if you look at pics of cowboys riding you will see that the jeans tend to be worn outside the boot (to keep out insects and burrs) and they tend to wear full chaps over the top as well.

Wrangler jeans for riding are made longer and a bit looser at the ankle and the seams are flat so they dont rub. One can also wear a pair of ladies nylon tights inside to stob the seams rubbing.
And the jeans would be worn outside the boots like your photo shows. If I go to a polo match dressed up I do wear skinny jeans inside my Western boots - but that is fashion for you. Jeans inside Western boots shows one is not working in a yard or with horses.
I live in Malaysia, only after I've ride in them can't really tell anything before sitting on the saddle. It does look very nice though.
 
Ong - If I had known where you lived, I would not have answered your questions in the way I did. I am a rather old lady in the UK and have ridden trails in USA too. Most of the questions on NR come from countries with which some rider here may be familiar.

But I know nothing at all about how people ride where you live, nor what clothes and boots they ride in.
I think the best anyone can do when starting to ride is to fit in with what they see other people doing at the places they ride. Maybe some of them can advise you and your friends will show you too. But above all dont worry if you get some things wrong sometimes. My experience of learning to ride is that I found out how to do things as I went along.

I hope you have some good trail rides and are comfortable riding and that your friends will encourage you and that you will enjoy horses. That enjoyment of riding is what we wish everyone on New Rider.
 
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