WESTERN OR ENGLISH

[Coffee702]

Western, definitely!

[seastar]

i know this is super old...but o well...
i have to say, it depends on the horse, and wht u are doing....
i LOVE western, but at the same time, i LOVE english..ive jumped in both saddles...and i have to say, i prefer english for jumping.....for trails, i think i prefer western, cause i jus set my reins over the horn and let him follow his buddies while i relax....showing....hmmm.....really, i enjoy both.

[silveroaks]

well i have ridden english and western but have prefered the rush of showing jumpers for most of my life. I do love a nice western pleasure horse and i have one just for fun and to relax on. I guess a horse girl is a horse girl the and saddle doesn't matter.

[jumpergirl101]

ENGLISH i once rode western went around the ring once then i was off i love show jumping it is so fun!!!!!!!!

[DixiesAngel25]

Definitely English. I've ridden western, but didn't like it nearly as much as English. I love show jumping and 3 day eventing.

Also if you notice, almost anyone that rides English first, can transition to Western with no problem. However, if you are used to Western, its twice as hard to transition to English.

[seastar]

Originally Posted by DixiesAngel25

Definitely English. I've ridden western, but didn't like it nearly as much as English. I love show jumping and 3 day eventing.

Also if you notice, almost anyone that rides English first, can transition to Western with no problem. However, if you are used to Western, its twice as hard to transition to English.

the only problem transitioning to western is sitting on your butt!!! yrs of english training makes tht very hard to do!! at least for me...

[jumpergirl101]

well if u do sitting trot and ride with out your sturrups then it would be easy

[DixiesAngel25]

Originally Posted by seastar

the only problem transitioning to western is sitting on your butt!!! yrs of english training makes tht very hard to do!! at least for me...

Actually it isn't. Most of the people who ride English also have to learn a sitting trot. It's the same thing. English equitation is the same as riding western but in a different saddle. I showed WP for several years before going back to English. Really the only time you don't 'sit on your butt' riding English is riding hunter/jumpers. In the hack/jump classes, you lean forward more. In straight Eq or dressage classes, you must still sit up and on your butt.

[seastar]

ahhh. i rude hunters, and hunt seat equ, so i dont sit on my butt. when i ride western i have to tell myself constantly to sit on my butt. i had 3 yrs of training to NOT sit on my butt :) :P

[DixiesAngel25]

Try dressage. It will put your butt in the right position, cause its a lot alike. I went from showing hunters to riding saddle seat to riding dressage to WP and back lol. Going from riding dressage or straight Eq will put you in the right position for WP. Except your heel doesn't have to be as far down in WP.