Horseback Riding – English or Western?
Learning to ride is exciting, but it can also be confusing. Which riding style is best suited for the type of riding you’d like to do. A good place to start is by talking to experienced riders. Find out what they like about each style and see which fits you the best. 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 like the more formal style of dressage, hunt seat and saddle seat, than your choice will be the English riding style. But if you’re the more casual type who prefers a comfy pair of jeans, a cowboy hat and loping the trails or competing in the myriad of western competitive events, then the western riding style is for you. If you want to just be able to get out and enjoy seeing different country and riding with friends you can select either option.
Both the events and the riding styles are different with English and Western riding. Riding the western style is a more casual style designed to allow the rider to ride for hours and hours over varied terrain. The stirrups are longer and the rider sits deep in the seat. Western riding also has the reins held in one hand, leaving the other hand free for using a rope. English riding has shorter stirrups with riders more erect to slightly forward sitting, posting in motion to the horse and typically holding the 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.
Whichever style you choose, proper safety equipment, especially a helmet should be part of your routine. Proper safety equipment 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.
