Hi I need some opinions here. I co-own a horse with a friend of mine and she is definitely a dressage rider. I do not have a "disipline" at this time I am just trying to relearn the basics (which I assume dressage/centered riding is the basis for all disciplines) but I lean toward western pleasure riding. Her is where we are running into trouble. My horse is only four he has to be trained as well as us. He would make a better western horse but would also do well up to maybe level 2 or 3 dressage. We are trying to figure out what to do because I want to school him western and she will school him dressage and people are telling us we are going to confuse the horse and contradict what the other is trying to teach. Western pleasure has been called Western dressage. The horses are meant to be ridding on a loose rein with most steering etc. done with your seat and leg. But the basic are the same. Is there really that big of a difference where we would confuse the horse? Thanks
Training Horse both Western and English
- Thread starter adgirlthegreat
- Start date
I have been told that a horse can do both. I have been told that really the only difference the horse senses is the difference in the rein aids and that the heavier saddle is no big deal. This is what I've read and been told by others.
However, I think that if you are trying to teach both at the same time, it can confuse the horse. But, perhaps someone else has a better idea.
However, I think that if you are trying to teach both at the same time, it can confuse the horse. But, perhaps someone else has a better idea.
I have always wanted to learn western riding but dont know anywhere arpound where i live that teaches but have read a few books on the principles of it and you are right.The aids should come from the seat,weight and leg aids with minimal rein direction on both types of riding. the problems you are going to have is that in western the horses go as long and lean in the outline as possible letting them lengthen through the spine and have their head as far out as poss? and the trot/jog etc is done in a different way aid wise etc.In dressage and english riding the horse is held in a nice rounded outline with the head prefrebaly tucked in wards and is collected more with more rein contact.
I would think if your friends horse is only young and still learning that you should decide on a principle and work on that first then move onto the other,it probably would be easier to teach it english style first so its used to alot more rein contact then do western. I had a Tb mare who was english trained and was good at dressage but messing about trying western i think she would have prefered this style,if i had kept her I would have probably got her all the western gear and gone that way and been stared at in a little village!Im afraid my pony Bailey would probs look daft in western tack!
I would think if your friends horse is only young and still learning that you should decide on a principle and work on that first then move onto the other,it probably would be easier to teach it english style first so its used to alot more rein contact then do western. I had a Tb mare who was english trained and was good at dressage but messing about trying western i think she would have prefered this style,if i had kept her I would have probably got her all the western gear and gone that way and been stared at in a little village!Im afraid my pony Bailey would probs look daft in western tack!
The horse I had as a teenager (a million years ago) went english and western. Since the mechanics of seat and legs are pretty much the same it's really just a question of teaching neck reining. With a young horse just starting out though, I agree with Tootsie4U that you should wait until the horse has one discipline mastered before introducing another.
Could be wrong but from what I gather you usually start a horse out with 'english' reins and then teach western neck-reining as an alternative a little later.
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