The Differences Between English and Western Horse Back Riding

I remember being young and trying to decide if I wanted to ride horses the English method or the Western method? I felt lucky that I had to make such a decision a lot of people I knew would have liked to have to decide because they just wanted to get a horse. I had a horse and he rode both English and Western so I had to decide before I went into the investment of a saddle. English saddles did not have a horn. I liked the horn.

I had ridden Western most of my life. It was what I was used to and what I knew. But other people I knew rode English and they had a lot of good things to say about riding English. English was more elegant. I wasn't sure I wanted to be elegant. And to me English didn't look as safe. I liked the thought of a saddle horn on may saddle so I could hang on in times of need. Like when you rode down a really steep hill. I like my saddle horn at those times. The English saddle is lighter weight then a western saddle. When you are saddling up your horse you are full of strength and energy but after a long ride a smaller lighter weight saddle did sound very appealing to me.

The style of riding was different too. English to me seemed a bit on the prissy side. I liked the easy going relaxed way the western ride was. Western riding seemed more relaxed and easy going. When you ride English it seemed to me that you were always on high alert and relaxing was not an option. English saddles don't cuddle you like a western saddle does so you can slip off easier.

I wanted to ride western so I had made my decision. I went to the saddle shop to buy my western saddle. When I got there I realized that the English saddles were much less expensive and my pocket book only had so much green in it. After looking around the shop I decided an English ride might be better. After all who wants to go to sleep on the horse? When I ride I want to stay awake.

There is a lot more different about English and Western riding but they are both fun. I like to do them both. Change is nice too.