What rider do you want to be? - English or Western

by TheRider
(None)

Eventer, Barrel racer, whatever equestrian do you want to be?

Another ---

English or Western?

Why do you love it, and why do you not do the other?

Why do you not like Western?

Why do you not like English?

Come back regularly to discuss!

Comments for What rider do you want to be? - English or Western

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Jul 06, 2014
 Western totally!
by: freedomrider101

I'm a western rider because it's fun, challenging and there's always something new to learn. I want to become a barrel racer and quite possible a trick rider.
Jul 31, 2012
 Both:)
by: HorseRider

I love riding both types of riding and I like to do both!!! I am currently ridng in Dressage and also i'm riding western for fun!!! I think western is fun and my comparison would be reining and dressage are basicially the same just diffrent movement and diffrent tack!!! Barrel Racing is like jumping because both are challenging and fun!!! And trail riding is like cross country because both are on natural courses!!! And to those who are mean and rude about whether they like english or western there are young girls on here and they need good examples usually so please be nice about your opinion for it may discourage some of those who say they ride english and you say bad things about english riding and may want to quit, I am not trying to be rude but it is true!!!
Jul 02, 2012
 Barrel Racing Babe!!!!!!!!
by: Anonymous

Barrel Racing ALL THE WAY!!! It's not that i hate english i just think western is better, i ride both and love western!! I love barrels cause it's fast and fun and it is one sport that can test the limits on both horse and rider. I have grown up western and will keep it that way. I love rodeos and have gone to rodes since i was a baby!! Barrel Racing!!
Jun 11, 2012
 Western
by: SomeKindaCowgirl

I have ridden western my whole life. sometimes i want to try english.
Jun 03, 2012
 Both
by: Vienna

I would say both. I mostly ride English, because my horse Iris was taught that way. But when I'm riding my sister's gelding, I ride Western. I love jumping, barrel racing, cross country and reining all equally.
May 20, 2012
 :)?
by: ??

How would it help? I would agree though, it helps so you ride better English, Western and bareback!
May 18, 2012
 BOTH!;)
by: Ashleigh2

i'd like to try both, but i'd do mostly english. it might help in life....
May 13, 2012
 hmmm..
by: @Mollie

MOST western riders. I can ride better bareback, and English than any of the English riders. I know or see! (That is not said in pride) Barrels do not look sloppy if you are doing it right. What about Western Pleasure, reining, cow cutting and other things that English riders can't do, and isn't just sitting in the saddle.

English has it's con's too. Dressage is very abusive in the way of training. They tie a nose band thingy to the back of the horses fetlock, so when the horse lifts it's head it's in a lot of pain. Look up "If the horse could speak", I hope you take the time to watch it.


I love English, I love jumping, and there are ways to teach it in a no abusive way. I a western rider, can and does have very good balance. I love English too! But I prefer bareback!
May 11, 2012
 Defently Barrels
by: Anonymous

if I had a horse i would do barrel racing. It looks like so much fun.
May 07, 2012
 @mollie
by: lilylovespebbles

barrell racing does not look sloppy if you are doing it properly and i am sure the horses love running around and having fun rather than doing movements in a ring...... that was not supposed to sound mean and i am sorry if it did.
May 05, 2012
 @ TheRider
by: Mollie

The reason why I said western was easier was because english riders can do what ever western riders can but western riders can't do all the stuff english riders can do. Like a western rider can't go into to a jumper show and jump a course because they don't know the proper way of jumping but english riders since we know basics w/t/c can go to a western show and do just fine and I'm not trying to start a fight but in dressage your more with you horse then flying around at top speed around barrels that just looks sloppy unless you're doing WP then I do agree you're more with your horse like dressage.

(FYI I'm not saying that all western riders can't jump or ride english.)
May 05, 2012
 Cool page!
by: Unicorn

Hi TheRider
This is a great page and a very interesting topic to discuss - thank you for starting it!
I ride English, but mainly because in my area pretty much everybody rides English and it was easiest to get hold of English tack and so on. My trainer, however, teaches loads of English but rides both English and Western, his personal favourite being Western. I love jumping, so I'll probably stick to English for now, but I would love to learn Western - reining looks like exciting dressage :-)
For me the main attraction of English would be the jumping; I find it exciting and love to face a big jump on a brave horse. I feel that you need a very gutsy horse to do cross-country or showjumping - gutsy in a different way to a great dressage or reining horse. Heart counts for a lot in jumping just as work ethic counts for a lot in flatwork.
I also find English very graceful and love the amount of history we have behind our discipline. However English tends to be pretty strict and rigid, whereas Western is a little looser, a little more comfortable and relaxed. Still difficult, but more relaxed.
I like the very difficult component to reining; I think the movements are harder to "ride" (stay on) if not to execute than classical dressage movements, and therefore it could be a bit more exhilarating (never having done high-level reining myself I wouldn't really know). It doesn't have the extreme poise and grace of dressage, but there is something wild and lovely about that sliding stop with the dust spinning all around. Plus Western tack is a lot prettier than English tack - the hand-tooled saddle and long, curved shanks of the bit.
I like both disciplines, they both have their own pros and cons. I'll probably stick to English, but all the same, on a bucking horse I'll take the Western saddle anytime.
Unicorn
May 03, 2012
 @Molly
by: TheRider

I do agree with you in a little way about SOME western riders. But defiantly not about how I was taught. I am taught as a western rider to ride with balance, and being one with your horse! I have gotten on bareback and rode better than any of my English riding friends, and gotten English and done the same! Western riding is not about just sitting on the saddle, what about reining, western pleasure, etc?
May 02, 2012
 barrells
by: barrell racing

I would pick barrell racing over english anyday! Reason why i love western. I'm from kansas(western). My family has always picked western over english and I love western because you don't always have to be so cramped up.
May 01, 2012
 English all the way!
by: Mollie

I love english! I've done dressage, xcountry, jumping, games and trail! I like xcountry and trails the most I would say I like dressage the least you don't get the thrill of jumping in dressage so it's kinda boring for me. I would probably never switch to western because western you really just sit in the saddle so sorry western people unless I got even more health issues and was looking for something more easier then yeah maybe I would switch but for now I'll only ride english! and since my horse is an arabian and used to do competitive trail I'm gonna start doing that again with him just for him since I knew he loved it so much!
May 01, 2012
 Western
by: horselover!

Even though I don't have a horse. :( I dream of riding western!! :D!
May 01, 2012
 Actually
by: TheRider

Actually, dressage (depending on how you teach it) is more of a natural gait! When a horse puts his head down, it makes his back straight, and makes it more comfortable with the saddle, but when it is arched, and the horses head is up, it tends to ruin the horses back and, make him really uncomfortable! But, that depends on how you teach it!

P.S. In the wild horses jump, but cross-country is more of a natural way that horses jump more than showjumping.

The western saddle is more comfortable than English, and demands balance other than western!

I love both!
May 01, 2012
 BARRELL RACING!!!! :)
by: lilylovespebbles

i love barrell racing and english!! I love barrell racing because it is fast and me and my speedy pony pebbles love it, i love that kind of sporting. i love english because western saddle are uncomfortable (so i have heard) and i am just used to english!! I dont like dressage because i don't think that the horses would like it much since they don't do those moves when they are out in the wild so it is unnatural unlike jumping or cross country and running (sporting and stuff like that).
May 01, 2012
 Western :)
by: Rayna

I happen to be a western rider. Me, along with my Sophie that is. I love it because it's so fun! You feel like a real cowgirl when you ride western! You get the full experience with the tassled saddle, western bridle, and all that good stuff! I don't do English because it tends to be a bit more expensive. I also feel highly unbalanced when in an English saddle, and I really don't trust those snaffle bits. I'm a full out western girl. Western in, and western out!

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