English and Western?

Question

I know I am probably going to get yelled at for asking this question, but what is the main difference between English and Western riding? I can ride western and bareback on my horse. I have only ridden english once and it was mostly walking so I couldn't compare much. It felt a lot unsteadier though. I know the saddles are different, but why? Western is just more casual is what I've been told, but barrel racing seems a bit more intense than dressage to me. I want to jump eventually ( I've jumped western and bareback, not very high though) so I am going to switch over to English soon. Why are the stirrups different? Why is there no horn? Does the horse act any differently?

Answer 1

Part of english riding is the ability to feel more of the horses movement and anticipate the next movement. That is why in part the saddles are so different. Dressage is fancier and for many people takes a lot more work to become skilled at. Western saddles are designed to do work, the horn was originally used for roping cattle, not just as a handle. Western is more casual, but it can be more intense, as outside of barrel racing, western attire is designed for working. I would suggest you take lessons in english riding, this will not only help build your confidence in a different saddle, but will also help you learn more about the differences. Happy riding!

Answer 2

They are different because they have different origins. Western riding comes from cowboys, who needed a comfortable saddle that they could be out in all day. The horn was used to either hang a lasso on or tie the end of teh lasso to when roping calves I THINK.
English riding comes from calvalry riding and the sort of riding a "gentleman" would do, like hunting, etc. The saddle is designed to allow for easier jumping. I'm not sure exactly why the stirrups are different, but I suppose it's because the English stirrups are meant to be shorter and lighter.
English and Western horses don't have any inherently different behavior, but they are, obviously, trained differently. They are both still horses!
Just a note: Dressage is not as fast as barrel racing, and they are different, but if you've ever ridden a high level movement/test or a high level horse, you'd feel plenty of intensity. My hat is off to barrel racers though; I think they're awesome riders and I love watching it.

Answer 3

Well the horn is there because when there were cowboys they used to keep rope and hold onto. If you are barrel racing you might want something to hold onto because of the speed and turns. You also wont lose your stirrups as much if you're riding western. Dressage isn't very intense but it is still a a very good way to build muscles in your legs. The horses don't really act any different. You might have felt unsteady in the english saddle because you are so used to the western saddle and having something to hold onto.

-Horse S

Answer 4

At the basic level, Western, English and Dressage are all pretty much the same. I've ridden Hunt Seat, Saddle Seat, Western and SIDE Saddle...(all on the same horse!) Contrary to what most people say, I think Western is HARDER to ride. It's much harder to get a horse into the proper frame and to direct him on a LOOSE rein.

Riding in an English saddle can be challenging. Those thin stirrup leathers don't give NEARLY as much leg support as Western fenders do. You need to have a lot more control over your leg when riding English. Oh...and watch out for the PINCHING!!

I like all sorts of riding -- each one has it's challenges and can be really fun! It won't be easy, going from Western to English, but try to enjoy the process!

Answer 5

ok Babe i've been showen horses my whole life and there are a lot of differences between the 2 so here we go the first is the saddles like u mentioned, then the bridles and the bits like with my horse i can put a western saddle on her and use an english bit and she will think we are doin english cause of the way the bit feels and thats what u want, then western is a more well known style than english its like for us wearing jeans to school or out to the mall its normal but english is a little eccentric (different), the movements are different for instance western has more relaxed movements and english has intense movements movements that you are gonna be sore from when u wake up the next day , also when you go to show your horse there are a lot more patterns in english than in western well they are a lot harder any way so you would have to practice patterns a whole lot to be good !!!
IF YALL GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HORSES IF SURE I COULD ANSWER JUST ASK!!! BYE

Answer 6

No you won't get yelled at not by me mostly but i didnt really know the difference either but i ride western and bareback also. We have an English Saddle but never rode on one. The difference though is the english saddles doesnt have a saddle horn and you have to hold on more with your legs and from people i've seen riding english it hurts your legs. Western Saddles have more support for you to do stuff like i wouldnt recomened to ride backwards on eniglish saddles because you would probaly fall off.
I like Western Better than English and Bareback because i like to feel incontrol but thats my opinion. No the Horses don't act different because to them a saddle is a saddle. Good Luck and Best of Wishes In English Saddle Jumping!!!!

Hope I Helped!!!!

~nyy213318~

Answer 7

western is not always more casual...they go hand in hand when it comes to that...barrel racing is more intense than dressage, but then again, it take a lot to stay composed for your dressage level tests. there is no horn on an english saddle because western saddles were originally made to be used in ranch work, and the horn is there to hold a rope when you are roping livestock. your horse might act a little different if the have never been ridden in an english saddle, just because it will fit different, so naturally, it will feel different and slightly foreign to them, but it shouldnt take long for them to adjust.

Answer 8

Because in England (where english comes from) its all about looking sharp and having perfect riding form, but western is very casual, in barrel racing its not about how you look on the horse its about how fast you can make it around those barrels. In the Queen's royal horse shows I think it would be anything but casual but down in texas, riding is all about having fun with your horse and doing the best that you can. The reason the sturrips are shorter and made of a different material in english is because they want the saddle to be light and fitted and they want the sturrips short enough to post and to get into jumping postition. But as in western its more relaxed and they dont have to stand up to post or lean forward to jump.

lol hope that clears it up for you:P

-Kaylie

Answer 9

Why not try a Aussie stock saddle or a crossbreed saddle? They are a bit of English/western and Australian all mixed in together, the best of all worlds, and you can do anything in em.jumping dressage barrel racing,trail riding western,the list goes on.

Answer 10

I can't really help with this because I haven't really done western, but barrel racing is definitely more intense (I've only done it in a english saddle though) that dressage, but jumping is way better than dressage (no offense to any dressage riders). If you switch to english, definitely learn to jump.