Western or English? Please Help!

TheLoveOfAHorse

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Jun 10, 2004
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I have been taking Western riding lessons once a week for a couple of weeks and I don't know if I should try English & switch to English. I want to still ride Western but I also want to ride English to jump and stuff (haven't rode English before). I'm only 12 years old and my Mom rode Western and my Dad rode English. I need to know what you think I should ride? Could you give me opinions on which you think is funnier and why ? I have to make up my mind and I just can't choose!

Thx,
TheLoveOfAHorse
 
Welcome to NR!

Which one is funnier? What do you mean by this? Anyway, It's hard to decide between english and western. Some people prefer the comfort of a broad western saddle, which is apparently very secure and comfortable, although I have yet to try it. I am an english rider, but I find it all matters on what you prefer. I have been taking english ever since I began. Try taking a few lessons in english and see how you like it. It's very different from english, everything from the position to the reining. My mare, Solo, was an ex-roper, we think because of her movement. She probably was trained in western, then switched to english and later on jumping. It's hard to describe, but it's very different and many people I have talked to have told me she moves as if she were riding western.

In the end, it's pretty much up to you. Many people start riding one, and get the feel of it, then switch to the other. Whichever one they prefer, they stick with.
 
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Ooops! I meant to say funner.. Stupid type-o's..

Anyways thank-you! I think I will try English soon. It's just that my cousin does lessons with me and I don't know if he would want to try English, whenever I ask him he says, "I don't know"..

~ TheLoveOfAHorse
 
I started out riding western, but then decided i really wanted to try jumping and other english stuff, so I switched over and totally love English. I still like both and western gave me a good seat for when I started English, but now I am pretty much completely english. I would try it for awhile to see how you like it, you can always switch back if you think its not for you...:)
 
I ride English in my lessons and in a western saddle for hacking out. Works fine because the horses at our barn have all worked western at some point in their careers. Might be hard on a horse that wasn't used to switching tack.
 
In all honesty, at the basic levels there isn't much difference between Western and English riding. Whichever type of saddle you're in, you still have to learn balance and how to use your legs, seat, and the reins to steer and control the horse. If anything, a western saddle can give a beginner a little better sense of security, and there's that nice horn to grab onto in moments of terror :eek: The thicker stirrup leathers stay still and won't allow your legs to swing around--one less thing to worry about for the moment, while you're focusing on coordinating other aspects.

Once you've got all your gaits comfortably under control, and are ready to think about jumping, then you'll need to switch to an English saddle to work on your huntseat

So, I would say, by all means switch to English now if you wish, but if it's more convenient to stay with the Western for the time being, it isn't time wasted.

Just have fun

:)

Grace
 
I rode in a western saddle as a kid. 20 years later, after being away from riding, I am back in the saddle learning English, but I am in a dressage saddle. Learn both! At the beginning stages, you do the basics and work on balance. As everyone else says, decide later as you get experience, which you prefer. My horse knows both English and western reining, so it is easy for me. Enjoy:D
 
Yes! good that you are trying out english! I took all my beginning lessons in western (to be perfectly honest, for some reason...even I don't really know why...I was DEAD SET against riding english...said I NEVER would and that I'd hate it...LOL). But, you learn two-point, and posting (or at least, my instructor taught us that). The only reason I even TRIED english was that I let an english rider use my western pony in her class one day. She put her english saddle on my (very western-gaited quarter horse) and rode. Afterwards, I decided that I wanted to have a go with my pony and didn't feel like switching saddles. Well, needless to say, I rode english every chance I could get after that (though NOT on my pony, she wasn't suited for it). I've decided that I enjoy english much more, jumping and all that, although I still do ride western when i want what I term as an "easy" day...in my opinion, it's not as much work riding western as english cause there is more to hold you in the saddle. I definitely prefer a western saddle over an english if I am on a trail...I've had some bad experiences on trails in the english saddles ;) so, there you go, I'm not exactly for one over the other...but it is good to try both, even if you don't think you will like it :)
 
I've only ever ridden english before, but if you have the opportunity to ride both then definately go for it!
If I had the opportunity to ride western I would want to do it, just to learn a new method of training and riding and be able to apply it to certain situations. (Even if I didn't adopt the whole method). Unfortunately, living in England good western instructors are very thin on the ground!
I say give english riding a go (you don't have to continue if you don't like it) and then decide which you prefer. Learning both methods may also give you the advantage of a wider choice of horses when you go to buy/loan one.
 
There's really no difference in english and western, you're riding the horse, not the saddle :D I know there are style differences, such as two point and such, but I jump in a western saddle just as well as I jump in an english saddle. I was just like you Kalypso when I started riding, I was a devoted western pleasure addict (still am) and I swore I'd never ride english until one day...lol! I tried out the english saddle and realized just how horribly far forward I kept my feet in the western saddle and managed to improve my seat just by looking at pictures of myself and realizing what I was doing wrong! English helped me out a lot, and I love to ride english now. I'm devoted to both disciplines. I love western and english!!
 
I used to ride western (I still do sometimes) but then I switched to english. It has only been a couple of months, but I LOVE it!!! Jumping rocks! I think that you should give english a try, and if you don't like it you can always just switch back to western.
 
Deciding whether or not you want to take Western or English is a pretty hard descision. First of all, you need to look at the aspects of both and which one you think you might enjoy better. I'd suggest some books or something that offers information on events and stuff that takes place in each of the saddles.

English

* I ride english and I love it. I've had a go at western, but I prefer english alot more. That's just eh way I am. English offers alot for a rider to take part in.

*Jumping-jumping is fun, however dangerous at times, and offers alot of different level for riders

*Dressage-I love dressage. It's alot more graceful that jumping, but requires years of hard work.

These are the main foundations of the english saddle, but there are alot more things that take place in this dfiscipline.

Western

Since Im not a western rider, it's hard for me to really give you the feed on this topic. I know they have barrrel racing, which alot find fun and also renining, but I don't really know the other aspects of this saddle. Even though Im an english rider, western is still a good form of riding.

Maybe you should try both. It all depends on what you like better. You might prefer western riding, which feels alot more secure and like your sitting in a big couch, compare to english riding which is very complex and almost like your sitting on the horses back rather than in a saddle.

hope that helped.
 
There's a lot of things you can do in western, dancing-horse. There's barrel racing, stakes racing, texas barrels, keyhole race, pole bending, flag race, western pleasure, western pleasure equitation, western pleasure trail class, reining, trail riding, gymkhana, and tons more! You wouldn't believe the endless possibilities! :D
 
I really think its great to at least try both! because you never really know unless you give it a try. maybe you could take english lesson one week then western the next and then you can decide. and you can allways decide to do BOTH! you don't have to choose one or the other.
 
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