Do you ride Western or English, and why? Please don't criticize others' opinions. I just want to see which is more popular. Not that this would prove it, but hey, it's worth a try.

 

             Me.......... I ride Western, because I've been riding that way my whole life, and why change now? I like the whole "cowboy" theme, and like living on the age rather then neat and tidy! I do like the neatness of the English riding, however, I enjoy Western. What about you??????????????

 

 

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I grew up riding English because that was the horse, tack and lessons handed down to me.

I now ride Western because that was the horse, trainer and tack that I bought (hired).  Sometimes  I "cross dress" by wearing breeches.  Our Posse rides Western and our Mounted Enforcement wears field boots, breeches, helmets and endurance saddles.  My daughter rides both, my son rides western when we force him to use a saddle and my husband loves his Aussie saddle.  I think I have enough headstalls, bits, saddles and pads to open up a consignment shop for nearly any discipline.  See my pictures for all the activities we do.

 I ride english because that is what my horse is use to. I am really a "western" type girl though. I love the western look and have always loved the whole country theme. I rode western all my life till I got my TB. My western saddle doesn't fit her so I stick to the english.

I was born and grew up in England so naturally I ride English. I've done dressage, eventing, jumping, now I just trail ride for pleasure.

I think I can count the number of times I have ridden in a Western saddle on one hand and it always seems like there's just too much bulk between me and the horse.  Add to that, I have short legs and felt like I was reaching for the stirrups every time.

I rode in a side saddle once, when I was about 14 -- the riding school I went to in England had a Saturday afternoon Pony Club and one day, the instructor had saddled one of the horses in a side saddle and we got to take turns.  It was a blast!  I wouldn't mind trying that again one day.

I actually ride both. I started Western, but learned English as well to strengthen my legs and position. I prefer Western and ride that the most, but I do like to ride English once a week if possible. Unfortunately I cant afford 2 saddles, so I own a Western saddle and bridle, but the barn I board at lets me borrow tack sometimes :)

When I was a kid I rode my first pony western because my dad was used to riding western and he was my trail buddy, he tacked up for me and taught me how to ride.  When I was 8, he met my stepmom, a dressage and eventing instructor, and asked her to help me to learn to stop falling off my pony, lol, and thus I transitioned over to english.  I do a lot of dressage, even though its frustrating, mostly because I'm too lazy to haul out the jumps and then disassemble them when I'm done.  I do torment the horses on occasion trying to teach them to neck rein, which any good dressage horse should be able to do.  I like western saddles though, and am trying to get hold of mine, which has been on loan to someone who lives a couple hours away for like 5 years.  I want to eventually get a nice tennessee walker gelding for my fiancee so we can do some trails together, and I want that horse to be a neck reining cowboy type horse I can get on and play with.

I've always ridden western, because I live in a place where western is very popular. (As a matter of fact, I only know of two people who ride english, only one of them does so regularly). I love riding western, but I wouldn't mind trying english someday, I feel like eventing would be something I'd like to do if I had the chance to try. 

 I think Western is far more popular, at least among casual riders, at least in the US. I think it makes beginners feel more secure, and then they stick with it because it's what they know. And I don't think you can discount the movie factor!

 I hate Western saddles because they make me feel like I'm riding a saddle rather than a horse, and the damn stirrups force my feet into an unnatural position, and they WEIGH TOO MUCH. I got a chance to ride a Western horse a couple of weeks back but gave up even trying when the damn saddle (which was on a rack above my head) AND PAD were so heavy I couldn't deal with them. Once I got back up off the floor from falling down with the saddle, I liiterally couldn't lift it up onto the horse's back (5 foot 4 me, 16 something hand horse, 40 pound saddle?)

The other reason I ride English is that I like to jump, even if only very low.

None of this means I don't appreciate good Western riding just like any other good riding. The most responsive horse I ever rode was a cutting horse at a Dallas stable. I think cutting would be fun, if I wasn't already having so much fun with my jumping and dressage.

My Gracie:

Once I got back up off the floor from falling down with the saddle, I liiterally couldn't lift it up onto the horse's back (5 foot 4 me, 16 something hand horse, 40 pound saddle?)

LOL I understand Gracie - this used to happen to me too when I was about 5, so by the time I was about 8 or 9 I learned how to get the saddle on the gate, then climb up and put it on my horse's back.  It was either that or wait til someone could do it for me, and that wasn't about to happen!  There's actually an art to placing a western saddle on a horse and getting it in just the right place everytime without hammering the horse's back, not easy!

When I used to suffer that problem, the choice was easy- ride with no saddle at all! I was a devout bareback rider for many years, even showed in some bareback classes at a local show when I was 11! Dont know how I did it, I guess I just didnt mind being filthy as a kid...  I still contend that stirrups just "get in the way." Or I guess you could always get a Wintec- they even make lightweight western saddles. So would bareback with a halter and lead rope be considered english or western, lol??

English for me.  It was the lessons that were available growing up, and I'm addicted to the adrenaline rush of jumping.  And I'm a very meticulous and detail-oriented person, so the precision and polish appeals to that side of me.  I also have very bad knees and the stirrups on a western saddle put my legs into a very painful position, making it hard to enjoy the ride.

 

txspots:

My Gracie:

Once I got back up off the floor from falling down with the saddle, I liiterally couldn't lift it up onto the horse's back (5 foot 4 me, 16 something hand horse, 40 pound saddle?)

LOL I understand Gracie - this used to happen to me too when I was about 5, so by the time I was about 8 or 9 I learned how to get the saddle on the gate, then climb up and put it on my horse's back.  It was either that or wait til someone could do it for me, and that wasn't about to happen!  There's actually an art to placing a western saddle on a horse and getting it in just the right place everytime without hammering the horse's back, not easy!

And people think I'm weird for liking small horses............

So if I'd been riding Western all these years, would I have better biceps instead of these old lady upper arms?

I started out riding saddle seat, then got into Pony Club and rode hunt seat. Did a lot of eventing and rode jumpers a while too -- only just recently sold all of my english gear when I traded off my all around horse to focus on ranch horse shows with my now 4 year old paint. I've also ridden side saddle and a TON of bareback... :) 

I really like the ranch horse association I am involved with... the people are a lot of fun as are the shows. A lot more fun than the english options down here. I went to a few AQHA shows and decided they weren't for me. Hence, the focus on the ranch horse shows. I can do horsemanship and pattern classes that require precision - and once my horse comes along a little farther in training, we can do reining and even add cattle classes... so we have a lot of options! 

 

 I prefer English. When I was little that is what I rode and it's what I ride now. I have never had any desire to ride Western. I don't like the way Western saddles feel...too much leather, too bulky. Jumping is my thing and I love it. I love the way English riding looks, how classic and clean and elegant it all is.

That being said, I thoroughly enjoy watching some of the Western disciplines like cutting and reining.I think it would be a cool experience to ride on a good cutting horse one day.

I ride Western. I learned to ride bareback and didn't actually use a saddle 'til I was about 12. I've tried English but never really developed the taste for it. Can't put my finger on what I didn't like but I admire what English riders can do. Tried the TB racing saddle once for fun and nearly killed myself!