English to western

[Cob Life]

Anyone here reschooled a horse from English to western?

 

[Lady Tinseltime]

Not personally but many years ago my 18 years old New Forest went on loan to someone who reschooled him for Western. She didn't compete but had several happy hacking years

 

[Tiddlypom]

Not me, but I've known of a few who have done so. Initially they'd start attending clinics with English tack, then gradually swap over to western tack if they got into it.

 

[Cob Life]

I don’t want to compete and she’s a small tb so not your typical western horse I just think it will suit her quite well

 

[SBJT]

Not re schooled but I do both. They can figure it out. I didn’t make a big deal of it, just put the tack on one day then slowly started making changes to how I trained. I can’t go the whole way as I need certain buttons for English, but I’ve definitely increased his skillset.

 

[Kaylum]

Start with neck reining English horses should be able to do this anyway as its a way if suppling up. Make sure you do stretches with your horse every day to help with this. YouTube videos are good.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Anyone here reschooled a horse from English to western?

yes with my late mare and my gelding. they prefer it. Must admit I do too.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Yes, or at least using chunks of Western. Switched the piebald cob to treeless and bitless over ten years ago, which meant riding with a longer leg, teaching to neck rein and teaching to listen to a different pressure when asking for transitions or halt. We have never looked back. He instantly stopped hanging his head to the right when trotting, stopped snatching for the rein, he lowered his head carriage and started to use his back and really stride out. He became much more responsive to much less leg, if that makes sense.
He is now 27 and is still has good muscle tone with a decent topline.

 

[cariadbach10]

Doing it with my Arab at the moment. He's doing really well.

It's actually really good for 'high headed' horses- brings them down to just about 'normal' head carriage!

 

[TPO]

Start with neck reining English horses should be able to do this anyway as its a way if suppling up. Make sure you do stretches with your horse every day to help with this. YouTube videos are good.

Don't start with neck reining! There's a whole lot of work that comes before one handed neck reining work. English horse flex their necks in response to direct rein pressure it's not the same as neck reining (correctly).

Horses started western start with 2 hands/reins too. There's a lot goes into making a "bridle horse".

What are are you in OP? There are a lot of western trainers down south. If you look on the Western Equestrian Society (WES) website for your area you might find trainers and clinics to watch/take part in.

I had bought this book when it first came out for thr English aspects but the western section at the back is a good introduction to things like direct and indirect bend, moving shoulders/ribs/quarters.

Also don't be tempted by any bargain western saddles online. A lot of the cheap stuff is made in India or Mexico. There's photos and videos online (Western Horse Junky fb page iirc) of one of these dissected and its a horror show.

It's not one size either and tbh it's a bit of a nightmare getting a saddle with the right rock and flare to fit as they are immeasurable qualities so means trying a lot.

Having had a really bad experience with a "western saddler" I'd recommend Jennifer Sheerin/Western Tack Trader and I've hears good things about Lesley from Hooves. Both cover the whole of the UK and hold fitting clinics.

 

[Kaylum]

Don't start with neck reining! There's a whole lot of work that comes before one handed neck reining work. English horse flex their necks in response to direct rein pressure it's not the same as neck reining (correctly).

Horses started western start with 2 hands/reins too. There's a lot goes into making a "bridle horse".

What are are you in OP? There are a lot of western trainers down south. If you look on the Western Equestrian Society (WES) website for your area you might find trainers and clinics to watch/take part in.

I had bought this book when it first came out for thr English aspects but the western section at the back is a good introduction to things like direct and indirect bend, moving shoulders/ribs/quarters.

Also don't be tempted by any bargain western saddles online. A lot of the cheap stuff is made in India or Mexico. There's photos and videos online (Western Horse Junky fb page iirc) of one of these dissected and its a horror show.

It's not one size either and tbh it's a bit of a nightmare getting a saddle with the right rock and flare to fit as they are immeasurable qualities so means trying a lot.

Having had a really bad experience with a "western saddler" I'd recommend Jennifer Sheerin/Western Tack Trader and I've hears good things about Lesley from Hooves. Both cover the whole of the UK and hold fitting clinics.

That's how we do it. We start a horse with neck reining.. It makes them light and responsive also same for the rider. Much the same as English different ways and techniques especially when retraining. Anyway that's how we do it.

 

[Cob Life]

Don't start with neck reining! There's a whole lot of work that comes before one handed neck reining work. English horse flex their necks in response to direct rein pressure it's not the same as neck reining (correctly).

Horses started western start with 2 hands/reins too. There's a lot goes into making a "bridle horse".

What are are you in OP? There are a lot of western trainers down south. If you look on the Western Equestrian Society (WES) website for your area you might find trainers and clinics to watch/take part in.

I had bought this book when it first came out for thr English aspects but the western section at the back is a good introduction to things like direct and indirect bend, moving shoulders/ribs/quarters.

Also don't be tempted by any bargain western saddles online. A lot of the cheap stuff is made in India or Mexico. There's photos and videos online (Western Horse Junky fb page iirc) of one of these dissected and its a horror show.

It's not one size either and tbh it's a bit of a nightmare getting a saddle with the right rock and flare to fit as they are immeasurable qualities so means trying a lot.

Having had a really bad experience with a "western saddler" I'd recommend Jennifer Sheerin/Western Tack Trader and I've hears good things about Lesley from Hooves. Both cover the whole of the UK and hold fitting clinics.

If I decide to go for it I know a very good western instructor, realistically I’m currently just getting her comfortable walk/trot/canter under saddle and if possible stick to her current saddle as she’s very hard to fit a saddle to (and it’s really comfy)

 

[Cob Life]

She already rides a lot off my seat and in a very loose rein.

I think I will book some lessons on a western schooled horse first then some lessons on her

 

[Cob Life]

Doing it with my Arab at the moment. He's doing really well.

It's actually really good for 'high headed' horses- brings them down to just about 'normal' head carriage!

She likes to be a giraffe! This has really improved in walk, trotting is like riding a giraffe but this is partly me not pushing her forwards enough.

 

[smolmaus]

I am seriously tempted to ask a very experienced and lovely man I know locally how to train Sadie for western. I have to train her English first of course, as that's what I know and I'd like to try a little bit of dressage on her eventually but the idea of a little gypsy cob in full Western gear just makes me very happy. One day!

 

[TPO]

I am seriously tempted to ask a very experienced and lovely man I know locally how to train Sadie for western. I have to train her English first of course, as that's what I know and I'd like to try a little bit of dressage on her eventually but the idea of a little gypsy cob in full Western gear just makes me very happy. One day!

If you have Instagram have a look at thr account @simcoe16

It's a lady somewhere in england and her coloured cob. She does all sorts with her and posts some lovely photos. She was at a ODE the other day bit less & does various "english" events and she rides her western. In fact I think they were sort of the face of WES used on thr website and magazine articles from the last WES show. Lovely wee cob

 

[Tiddlypom]

I am seriously tempted to ask a very experienced and lovely man I know locally how to train Sadie for western. I have to train her English first of course, as that's what I know and I'd like to try a little bit of dressage on her eventually but the idea of a little gypsy cob in full Western gear just makes me very happy. One day!

I've seen people on all sorts of equines at western clinics, including coloured cobs.

The basic training of moving off the leg and neck reining is really useful for any horse. I have to say that I prefer western while it keeps to walk. Non QH horses IMHO can't jog or lope, they just shuffle.

I did consider trying western with my now senior mare (a coloured sports horse type) when she was young, and I had had 6 months off work with 4 slipped discs, and doubted that I would ever be able to ride again. I thought that I might manage better in a western saddle. A WES approved trainer told me that her paces were far too good for western, it would ruin her . So I never tried western.

 

[TPO]

There appears to be a lot of "trainers" spouting a lot of BS about western/western horses!!

 

[SBJT]

If you have Instagram have a look at thr account @simcoe16

It's a lady somewhere in england and her coloured cob. She does all sorts with her and posts some lovely photos. She was at a ODE the other day bit less & does various "english" events and she rides her western. In fact I think they were sort of the face of WES used on thr website and magazine articles from the last WES show. Lovely wee cob

That little cob looks awesome. She did a really nice job with him and he looks so sweet and ready to have a go at anything.