Wonderful Ride -- I Think I May Convert!

Roheryn

New Member
Feb 21, 2005
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I had a wonderful ride Monday on my guy. Actually I had two rides. I started out English (dressage saddle), and really got my heels down with my lower legs relaxed, which is really hard for me. Then I got off, and we hand grazed for awhile.
Then my friend came along, and I put my western saddle on my guy, and got back up on him.
We had a LOVELY ride. For once I started out on the buckle (I use his English bridle with both saddles), and while he walked around the arena I worked on my seat and legs and got him moving really well on the loose rein. Then I tried taking up the reins and getting him on the bit--every time I got the reins right I would forget my seat and legs and would start all over again. Then I tried just the loose rein, and very light contact neck reining, and he was great. It was so wonderful to have him keep going in a nice working walk on a loose rein, and then we trotted some, and then I got really relaxed and dropped my stirrups and we walked around like I did ages ago when I rode bareback.
I keep going back and forth from English to western and back again, but I keep finding that I am so much more relaxed in the western saddle (funnily enough, more relaxed in schooling tights and paddock boots than in jeans and western boots).
So I think maybe I might convert to all western, or at least mostly western. I just love being able to really relax and enjoy the ride, and I can't quite get the same feeling in the dressage saddle.
Partly it is because my back feels better when I can get my legs a little in front of where they "should" be for dressage. I might get the same effect in an all-purpose saddle with the more forward flaps, but the western saddle just feels so secure.
 
Roheryn

Does indeed sound like you had a lovely ride. I find riding in a western saddle very relaxing too. Ufortunately where I ride they have only two horses that are western trained so sometimes I end up in a western saddle but riding english and having to do the rising trot!


One week I had to ride a small pony in a very old general purpose saddle as we were going out on a hack - It felt very strange and a bit precarious. Managed ok though - even when pony took off across the farmer's field.

All this is good for me though - I think, even after only having a dozen lessons after a long break.
 
one of my horses is english and part western trained. I ride relaxed in whatever saddle im in, I always ride on the buckle anyway. I do find that Shay seem sto prefer his western saddle tho, he fidgits a bit when his english saddle goes on,but always stands stock still in his western (both saddles fit him, both are treeless), he also rounds a bit more in his western saddle and jogs nicely.
 
I rode him again today and another really good ride. He likes some contact, so we did both, riding on the buckle as well as on the bit. I know he must be really enjoying having me so relaxed, and I love finding my seat and legs again. I'm now realizing just how long 30-odd years can be and it is great to find that my body does remember how I used to ride. Some thing I've found my body remembers and never forgot; other things seem to be coming back to me.
Sometimes it seems my horse and I trot by mutual consent rather than me consciously thinking "trot" and asking for it. It is sort of like he suggests it and I say OK, or we both just decide at the same time. Today for a stride I think he was thinking "canter" but I'm not there yet!
I post in both western and dressage saddles and I also work on sitting trot in both. I would like to try a good treeless; I rode in one once and loved it; but they are SO expensive.
 
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