Western or English Riding

Learning how to ride is a very rewarding experience, but it can often be a bit confusing as to which type of riding is most suited to your goals with regards to what you want to do with your horse. Talking to experienced riders is one option, but you need to understand that most riders have one riding style, either English or western, and they tend to prefer their style over the other one. In reality both types of riding require practice and time to learn the basics, however if you want to become a competitive rider you are going to need to put in many, many hours in the saddle to become proficient in either style.

If you are going to compete, knowing what you want to do in the competition is essential before choosing a riding style. If you want to dress formally and compete in dressage, hunter seat, English equitation, saddle seat, competitive jumping, eventing or cross country jumping events you will only have the option of using the English riding style. On the other hand if you want to compete in less formal events where jeans and western style shirts are the trend then rodeos or trail riding, endurance events, cross country rides, gymkhana, western pleasure riding or any type of working cow horse event then your only option is to learn to ride western style. You can ride for pleasure on the trails with either style of riding.

Both the events and the riding styles are different with English and Western riding. Western riding tends to be more casual with the rider somewhat relaxed on the back of the horse, longer stirrups with less posting during riding and more firmly affixed to the back of the horse to maintain balance. Western riding also has the reins held in one hand, leaving the other hand free for using a rope. With English riding the rider has shorter stirrups that keep the rider erect and forward in the saddle with reins in both hands. Some English riding will require double reins, one set to direct the motion of the horse and one set to control the head position. English riding also has several different styles including hunt seat, dressage, saddleseat, and endurance. Each of these disciplines has their own style of tack - a dressage saddle, jumping saddle, all purpose saddle, and so on.

Once you make a decision on which style you prefer, make sure you are wearing proper safety equipment, including a riding helmet. This is a must for all junior and novice riders. When you select a style you can always decide to learn the other style at a later date, after all your horse can certainly learn another style, but learning both at the same time is overwhelming and can lead to confusion.

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