Are wester horses more relaxed than english horses?

Question

I have just move to a new barn that is all western. I use to ride english.When I rode 4 diffrent horses, it seemed like they were all calm. I am use to riding hot tempered jumpers and this was a nice break. Are most western horses more calm than english horses are or is it just my new barn!

Answer 1

It depends on the disipline. Barrel Racers are not normally dead quiet.
Your average GOOD western horse is, if not calmer by nature, at least trained to be. Before jumping to conclusions, ride western horses that aren't Pleasrue show horses. Penning horses, reining horses and they like are very energeting, but the learn to wait for the rider to show it.

Answer 2

That's a tough question, I think the answer to this would be an opinion. Personally, I think it's pretty much an equal balance between Western and English. It depends on the rider if the horse is calm, not the discipline.

I can see where you're coming from though. Generally, English riders keep a tighter rein on their horse whether its to keep their balance or it makes them feel more comfortable. A horse who always has pressure in his mouth will end up to be hot-tempered and won't enjoy being ridden any more. And as you know, Western riders ride with a completely loose rein, which allows the horse to move freely and comfortably. (Their problem though is that the Western saddle makes it hard to find the right body position, which is just as bad as a tight rein in some ways)

I ride Western, and my horse is dead calm, almost on the lazy side. But I assure you that doesn't mean there aren't Western horses who are just as hot-headed as some English horses. And there's also very mellow English horses.

All in all, it really depends on who's riding the horse and how they're riding. Your new barn probably has better or more experienced trainers working with the horses than your last barn, but this has nothing to do with the discipline.

Keep this mind I think every answer to this question is going to be a personal opinion. But generally, I don't see too much of a difference in the horse's behavior in either discipline, it all depends on the rider

Answer 3

depends on the horse. You also just experienced one type of riding. Most jumping horses I know are extremely hot, but that is a good trait for the energy and stamina to jump. English pleasure horses are usually not high strung at all.
Most people who ride western tend to have calmer horse breeds and do things that are more similar to a horse's natural habitat and actions such as trail riding. A spooky horse would not be a good trail rider. Same with a western pleasure horse.
Some barrel or speed type horses are extremely high strung and hot- but that is what the owners and sport sometimes requires.
There are always exceptions, but usually it depends more on the breed, the horse's temperment, and how they are riding.
I ride dressage- showing 1st level right now, and my mare is dead calm. One thing I think I can attribute that too is that I do other things for fun. With western, horses are usually a bit more all-around. Jumpers and dressage horses tend to just do that sport and therefore become more hyper from it. I have been to very relaxed and quiet eventing barn whose horses, even though they were a hot breed, where dead calm from going cross country all the time.

Answer 4

There are some really hopped up western horses too. But generally speaking many western horses are trail horses and calm and easy going is what you want from a trail horse so that they aren't all spooky from every new thing they see.
English are often jumping a lot and are fed a higher energy diet of grain to help them perform all of that jumping. So it's not exactly the horse being English or Western trained in riding that makes is more or less hot tempered. Feed the western horses grain and they'll get hot too.
Welcome to the wonderful world of western pleasure riding.
Enjoy!

Answer 5

Not neccesarly, It depends on the horses training levels and what they are used for. A well trained reining horse will be just as hot a a jumper. And a good all around western horse will be calmer just like a good english horses. Also the style of riding will make it seem super relaxed because you do not use the direct contact on the mouth like english. I ride both disciplines, and I to enjoy the subtle feeling of western and the power of a well trained reining horse.

Answer 6

Well, When i rode western at a barn, one was stubborn and the other did exactly what you said. I would say that normally western horses are more calm, they are usually used for pleasure ridding and when they are in stuff like 4-h they still dont do as much as a jumping english horse. It really depends on the horse it self. Just remember- since you are new to the barn, The horses will be very nervous! so the best way to connect with them better, is to help take care of them, talk to them, pet them. ask the owner if you can help take care of the horses. (If you dont already own the barn.) This will help if you decide to show, your horse will trust you. Good Luck!
Happy New Year!

PS This can be your new years resolution!

Answer 7

English horses are more likely to be "hobby" horses that get no attention other than when the owner wants to look cool, or to run them around at a show ring. They are also generally fed higher energy feed, due to the false assumption that the need it to do the same thing any other horse is doing. English riders are generally (not all) just trying to show off by buying a horse. Ever notice that most of them show up in some kind of luxury vehicle, and get pissy when they get a little manure on their riding boots?

Answer 8

Depends on the horse.
English is more sturctured most times than western riding.
Jumpers and dressage horses tend to be breeds like Thoroughbred and things like that more hot blooded than
Quarter horses which are mostly western horses.
I ride an ex-race horse he is thoroughbred and I ride both english and western. He seems to be more relaxed when I am riding western but we are out on trails and not working in the arena. When I ride english I am usually jumping or dressage and he is a little more excited when jumping.

Answer 9

I don't believe that breed or discipline have anything to do with it. You can take a quarter horse and teach it to jump and keep it calm or hype it up. You can take a Hanovarian and teach it western pleasure and calm it down or hype it up. It's the training, and the rider not the horse or the discipline. I've had barrel horses that were calm and quiet, and notice I'm not specifying a breed. I've had paints, QH, Arabians, and TB, all of which were quiet. Two breeds are known for being calm and the other two are known for being hot. I've climbed on other peoples barrel horses that were supposed to be SO hot and had them calm down for me. You get what you expect. If you expect a hot horse that is what you're going to get. If you expect a calm horse that is what you'll get. It's all perspective.

Answer 10

agree that most of the horses you are now comming into contact with are prob quarterhorses now but i would disagree that just beause of their breed or disipline they are quiter. We have 32 quarters at my home and I have shown AQHA since i was 3 yrs old in the walk trot classes and can tell you that some of our best western pleasure horses , and i am talking about congress and world champions, were not the most quiet horses at all. when a western pleasure horse is under sadle and has been trained properly he has been tought to use every cue no matter how big or small from his rider to animate exactly what to do, for instence if i turn my heel at a 10 degree angle and apply the tip of my spur (and yes i use humane spurs with balls not rowels and the use of a spur as a tool not a weapon) in a slightly up notion i have told my horse to turn his hip in and sit hard on his hock when loping, however if i had turned my spur down i would have been telling my hourse to lift his sholder. most western pleasure horses are thought to use so much discreet animantion and have so many "buttons" on the side of them that when they are truely "working" they consentrate on nothing more then "excatly what did that human say again. the other thing to consiter is that most western pleasure horses are now "spur trained", which means no bridle is needed everything is done through the legs and for a spur trained horse you squeeze to slow down and stop so if you are like me and tend to ride with a heavy leg (as alott of english riders do) you may actually be telling the horse to slow down or stop which coud be it as well.