English and western riding?

Question

I bought my first horse about 2 months ago. He is 13 years old and has ridden English all his life. Although I like riding English I would like to ride western. Is it possible to teach a horse to neck rein too? or do horses get confused with English reining and western if you try and use both? I'm a bit of a novice so please use layman terms and include ANY information you think would be helpful for a first time owner. Thanks!

Answer 1

before getting into nech reining, put the western saddle and bit on him. I taught a a horse to neck rein by using my legs and seat at the same time i pull the reins over.

Answer 2

I ride an ex race horse and I ride both English and western.
My horse will neck rein and it was pretty easy to teach him to do it. When you lay the reins on the sode of the neck if they do not give to the pressure use a light touch on the other rein to direct rein them. Most seem to pick up the concpt fairly easily.
I ride in the same bridle and bit no matter what saddle I use.
I use a french link snaffle bit on my horse.
I ride with rommel reins all the time.
I change to an english saddle if I am doing some dressage work or jumping when working in the arena. If I feel like I want to know what the horse is doing under me I ride in the english saddle.
If I am trail riding I use the western.

Answer 3

Yes, certainly you may ride English and Western on the same horse. Just be sure to keep your tack separate. That is, use a different bit for each and a different saddle. You can teach the horse to neck rein very simply. Just use a direct rein, along with a neck rein until he gets the idea with just the neck rein.

Answer 4

No it is very posiible. All my Quarter Horses for show purposes were trained to do both with no problems what so ever. Usually it was training them to get the different gaits down along with the feel of the different saddles. Take it slow and get the horse use to the different techinques. It all falls into place pretty easy. You will have to modify the gaits as well, the English trot is the western jog, so it takes some slowing down. Two hand riding for awhile is fine. That way by c sawing with reins you will lower the head and slow up the gait. As the horse adjusts to the saddle, your posture (different riding) he can gradually learn to neck rein. Amazingly they pick it up pretty quick. An already trained horse is going to take the pressure on the neck and bit pretty easy and know to turn. In all the horses I trained the gait was always harder to pick up. But the turning was not the horse already has the basics down.

Answer 5

Yes it would be o.k for you to ride western, but keep in mind your horse will need time to get used to the way a western saddle fits compared to an english saddle. this shouldn;t be a problem though as long as you make sure your tack is fitting comfartably. As far as neck reining goes, it is possible, but since you're a novice, I wouldn;t jump into it. You & your horse should be comforatable together & trying to many things at once could confuse you both. I'd hold off on neckreining for awhile.

Answer 6

It is possable. To neck rein them, when you pull on the mouth like in english, at the same time lay the other rein on the neck also. When you saddle a horse western, lounge them before you ride in a western saddle. A good website is, www.horsecity.com

Happy Holidays!!

Answer 7

You can easily teach a horse to neck-rein. (In-fact quite a few English horses where started Western and it comes back quick.) One thing you need to do when you switch to Western is use a Western bit with Western and an English bit with English. If you don't, neck-reining is virtually impossibly to do well with a snaffle, because it has rings and no leverage. (I hope that's lay-mans enough!) When you start the Western, start out by just plain out asking him to neck rein. If he doesn't respond, tug slighty on the inside rein. As he learns, decrease the inside rein and increase the pressure on the outside. I hope this makes sense!

Answer 8

Yes it's very well possible to train a horse for both English and Western. If you're taking lessons, have your instructor help you train the horse for Western riding.

Before introducing neck-reining, it's important you get him used to the Western saddle and bridle. Have someone certified and professional help you fit your tack so your horse isn't in discomfort or pain. It's important all the tack fits right, and it's placed on the horse correctly.

Ride him in an arena or round pen, but don't worry about neck-reining yet. Get him used to the feel of everything, and use two reins to turn as usual. You shouldn't have too much trouble getting him used to the feel of Western.

I would suggest having someone professional help you. Your instructor would be fine (if you aren't taking lessons i strongly suggest you do). Get him used to turning on cue when you use your legs and seat. Your outside leg (leg closest to the outside of the arena) turns the horse to the inside. For example if you're riding clockwide around the arena, gentle pressure from your left leg will turn the horse right. Also, remember to look where you're going. If you want to turn right, use your left leg and look right. If your horse doesn't respond to this, use a teensy bit of pressure from the reins for reinforcement.

You should look at the reins as reinforcement, not a tool used for riding. In western, your rein cues should be nearly invisible. It may take awhile, but soon your horse will understand that your leg and body language means turn. It should come naturally to the horse, though...your whole body weight shifts when you look in a certain direction, which encourages the horse to move towards that direction.

This will also help you rely less on the reins. Get used to carrying the reins loose and with one hand. So now when you go to neck rein him, cue him to turn with your leg and seat while laying the rein on his neck. He'll turn from your cue, and eventually connect the rein on his neck to turning a certain way.

You can do both English and Western with him, too. Your horse will kind of anticipate what kind of work is coming by what kind of tack you're putting on him. Horses are such intelligent creatures!

I hope this wasn't too comlicated. O.o good luck and have fun with it!!