Western riding vs English riding?

Question

What is harder and which is more fun? I might get a horse and i want to know what saddle to buy because i ride english currently but rode english a few times in the past. Opinions would really help!! Thanks!

Answer 1

English is alot harder b/c if you do proper riding, you have to learn a lot. western, usually the seat is a lot harder.
English is deffinatly the best!!!

Answer 2

hi, ok, you say western vs. english riding but say that you've only rode english before in your question, i'm guessing that is a typo but i don't know which way, either, you ride english now and have rode western before a couple of times, or you ride western now and rode english a couple of times before. either way i would take some lessons on the one you don't do right now so you can decide what you want to do. if your getting a new horse that may not be very broke i would suggest you get a western saddle just because they seem more secure and everything. and then if you want to start riding english later u can always save up money and get an english saddle. also you can do more in a western saddle and fill more secure, you can do ring work, trail riding and it's fine to jump over little logs in a western saddle also.

Answer 3

ok, i know each to their own, and i was quite taken back by some of the other comments, western isn't easy, its actually a lot harder.

When youride, you have to not use the reins to stop or turn, many english riders prefere english, and western wester.
I ride in both, i love the english because it is the traditional english riding, but the western takes you back to when there were no whips. When you ride western, its all about how the horse moves 'without' you touching its mouth, kicking it etc.
Ultimately i would say, go to a few lessons of each, one isn't enough to get a clear perspective.

Oh, what type of horse are you thinking of purchasing, because the english type is usually a TB or a traditional solid type, (black or chestnut -sorrel) for western the coloureds, (appaloosa, buckskin, paint, pinto, palomino, and QH), i ride appaloosas, and my gelding competes in Hack, Hunter, Western Pleasure, Trail and Showmanship. He does all beautifully.

I would saya Quarter horse, or a solid Appaloosa, they are both basically the same , i always say, an appaloosa with no spots is just a Quarter horse. They are lovely to ride, have a geart temperament and successfully compete in and win English and Western events.

I taught a small group of riders to ride western (im an instructor) now, they didn't have the gear, as they are english riders. I showed them what they should wear when competing (the shirts are amazing, glitz and glam! tats a positive) i then got them to ride there horses on a long rein, gradually having no contact or not much! I told them where the horses heads and frame should be and all of that. Its hard to get teh horse to lower its head, walk, jog and lope and stop, turn and reinback, while using no reins or hands and almost no leg. I then asked them which was harder english riding or western ring, they all said "WESTERN!" i asked why...they said, they were use to riding with their hands and having better control, i said to them , when you ride western, you have control over the horse much better, because you dont use artificial aids and the horse just does what you want by moving and thinking.

Think about this: Western is slower, english a bit faster!
Its easier to get a fast horse to go slow, but harder to get a slow horse to go fast. i would buy an english horse and train it western, or buy one taht does both.

About teh saddles, an english saddle would probably benefit you more, as you can compete in SHowjumping, eventing, dressage and Pony Club, western saddle canonly be sued for western classes. Look around and you might be able to buy a second hand western saddle for cheaps!

Hope this helps, need more info, [e-mail]

Answer 4

I am an English rider although I have always wanted to give western a go. English is completely different from your position to the way you connect with your horse and it will be a lot of fun for you. It does not matter on what horse you get as I have both - an ex racehorse and a chunky Connemara and both are brilliant in everything. I would probably say my Connemara is better at jumping though. Anyways English riding is not just dressage and jumping. We do games, racing, jumping, cross country, dressage, showing, hunting etc. You will find something you enjoy out of it and just remember - legs long, heels down, elbows by your side and hands up! Good luck and have fun! Oh and I hate jumping.

Answer 5

I have done both and what I've learned is this: Neither is better than the other if that makes sense. They both have their good and bad points but you should go with the one you feel maor comfortable with of find a horse that is trained to do both. What do you want to do with the horse. If its trail riding buy a western or Endurance saddle. If you want show in jumping or dressage or do the Pony Club buy an English saddle

Answer 6

Why don't you find a instructor who teaches English and western and take classes in both disciplines? Also, go to a few horse shows in both worlds and see what you'd like to do.

You won't be able to get a definite which is harder and which is more fun just by asking, you need to go try it. I think western is harder and English more fun, my hubby says English is harder and western more fun. We both go on the same trail rides, ride different horses and use different styles. Both of our horses are well trained, one western pleasure and one dressage/hunt. Neither of them are bothered by yappy little dogs, big dogs, 4 wheelers, tractors, cars, trains, or anything else you run into on the trail or off of it.

Answer 7

Try them both! If tou're interested in doing jumping/dressage/hunter style riding, then English is better.
If you're riding for pleasure/barrel racing and just plain fun, western is the best.
However, it also must depend on the kind of horse you are going to get, and the way they've been "broken-in" or trained, and where you will be riding.
Look and feel the horse and ask yourself (and the former owner) which style would be best for the horse. Try to get the best for your own comfort, but also, and very importantly, for your horse.

Answer 8

it depends on your style. do u want to herd cattle, barrel race, rein, and do speed events? that's all western. english is like fox hunting, jumping, and so forth. have u tried western? do u have a local barn? visit it and ask to try the different styles and the types of each saddle. then, you'll experience both. some say either one, but that's because it's their personal choice. u have 2 make the call, don't listen to a particular opinion. western may be easier 2 learn in, but as you progress, it will compare the same in levels 2 english once u pass the beginner modes. good luck

Answer 9

First off, I DESPISE western pleasure....
That said, I love western riding.
I love a horse with a good jog on it, and I love to watch reining,etc, but I do a lot of team penning type stuff.
However, I find that sometimes western is considered not as good, or not as serious, and English riders sometimes think western people don't care about horsemanship. Which is really un-true, but being the discipline of choice for trail rides has hurt our reputation

Answer 10

I have ridden Western all of my life. It is more comfortable for everyday pleasure riding, and to me it was more fun. I took a few English riding lessons (a friend of the family was an instructor). It is harder, but it is a more graceful discipline. Take lessons in both and decide which you like better.

Good Luck!

Answer 11

ok if you want to go lazy way of riding go western (i started riding western and i will NEVER go back. i do dressage and jumping now. dressage it the hardest discipline you can teach you and your horse, but the satisfaction of getting it right is amazing. it's about harmony between you and the horse. you are supposed to be one with the horse. it's all in the leg and very light bits. western riders use harsh bits most of the time and there is a lot of yanking on the horses face. and for every western rider that's about to get pissed at me, you try putting one of those bits in your mouth and have someon yank you around. i can make a horse collect and turn on the haunches in canter and never hurt them. and you will never even see how i did it. like i said it's all in the legs your hands are there to hold there head on the bit but never pulling, just little pulses to keep them on the bit. and jumping is amazing. it's a rush. the english saddle is lighter and you have better contact between you and the horse. you learn to really feel the movement and the connection. i'm actually going to germany in feb and i get to train with olympic gold medalists. there is advancements in dressage that are amazing. i will admit barrel racing was fun, but western is such a harsh way of riding. you can also do english pleasure, but it's kind of boring. and you can still have fun and relax with english. you can go on trail rides and jump logs and play in ponds too. what alot of people don't know is that dressage was actually designed for war years ago. the movements you learn each had a purpose in war. for example lead changes (it looks like the horse is skipping) was used when running across the battle field and having to quickly change directions to avoid getting your head chopped off. the movements are amazing and you never see the rider doing anything if you don't know what you're looking for. if you ever get a chance go to a dressage show. or watch it on tv. i could go on and on about the advantages of english. like i said the satisfaction of riding dressage and doing well is an adreneline rush like no other. it's something to be proud of. i take a lot of pride in what i'm done. i trained my horse i used to have and i had a top trainer tell me that he was trained excelently. my current trainer is off the boat german royalty and he's pulling strings to get me into a world renouned private school in germany. plus he's letting me buy HIS horse once i get back (a 17 hand oldenburg) so the opportunities are endless and very rewarding. take a few dressage lessons and a some jumping lessons. i promise you will love it.