have/would you try western

ive ridden someone elses horse western, i didnt like it at all. I thought the saddle was sooo uncomfortable!
 
Rode 'western' in mexico - got to go for a wonderful gallop and was rather fun. Would love to have a go on a trained horse that would do sliding stops etc. :p And would love to try barrel racing!
However.... I like my jumping! Don't fancy it in a western saddle!
 
Yes, I've done it a few times in the States, its really good fun! I'd love to have a go at barrel racing, it looks amazing.

I'd love to break my girl to western (I think she'd enjoy it) but I don't know enough about it/can't afford the tack/can't afford the trainer PLUS horse was only backed late anyway.
 
Yes and loved it! Went on a 2 week ranching holiday in Canada many moons ago and rode up to 6 hours a day - boy! was I fit at the end of it!!
 
I borrowed a western saddle to use on my pony for my photography project. The saddle was for a 16hh beasty so was a 'bit' big for my 14.2 pony :D

I had a sit in it and walked around...was quite nice but will be sticking to english so I don't confuse myself :P
 
I've had some "taster" lessons and love it.(except for the first lesson with one teacher who made me and my Hinny Sarah-lee stand in the corner like Dunces!)
I want proper lessons but in the meantime I'm learning by myself :)
 
Yes, we regularly go on holiday to a ranch in Montana. Love it now I am used to it, and have even got used to having a 'spare' hand now! The only problem is, my son's RI spends all year getting his lower leg under him and has to start all over again when he comes back from the US!
 
Yep worked out on a ranch in Montana for a while many years back, great fun, very secure in the saddle really the only way you're coming out of it is if the horse actually goes down. Had to gallop down a hill (after cattle) that I would never dream of attempting in an English saddle :) Although riding for ranching is a very different style than normal Western riding as due to the distances that you have to ride you spend most of the time standing in your stirrups holding your weight by leaning onto the horn, would definately recommend it though :)
 
I've done it a few times in the states when I was younger - TBH I dont find the saddles comfy, they seem to be rock solid and I felt so insecure with such long stirrups. Great experience though.
 
I went to the new forest and had a lesson too!! I really enjoyed learning something new, although it was very confusing after a lifetime of english!!!!!! I also have access to 2 western saddles at home (well, 3, but I can't get my bum in the pony one and the shetland wearing it would buckle at the knees :D), but find only one of them 'fits' me for riding for any length of time. The other one is a bit wide for me.

It is comfy and a lot of fun, and I do ride in them occasionally for a bit of a change, but I do stick to English cos after all these years, I'm actually getting a bit better at it lol!!!

Just to add, despite only having one lesson, I applied the basics of some of the western techniques whilst riding english and found it helped me out with a few problems I was having. :D
 
We are in the process of converting at the moment.

Horse is doing fantastically well.

I on the other hand am struggling a bit as I keep overriding so have perfected the lope to stop dead in 0.6 seconds with associated flying sand which causes great hilarity
 
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i went once and thought it was awesome - it was a bit weird riding with one hand and long stirrups but i'd definitely do it again! it was a really good experience
 
My horse is being backed Aussie style with a stock saddle and the fenders, next May now but I really wanted to go fully Western as having been to a number of WES events I have been impressed with the look and the calmness of the horses competing there. Unfortunately could find no trainers for Western in the area I live.
 
Storminateacup said:
My horse is being backed Aussie style with a stock saddle and the fenders, next May now but I really wanted to go fully Western as having been to a number of WES events I have been impressed with the look and the calmness of the horses competing there. Unfortunately could find no trainers for Western in the area I live.
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Agree totally with the calmness of the horses. I went to watch my YO's compete and was blown away by the collecting ring with a mix of stalls, small children, dogs, pushchairs, all crammed into half an indoor arena with 20 chilled horses some of which are stallions waiting to go into the arena whilst a class was going on in the arean who were all just standing there chilled as anything.

I kept waiting for it all to kick off but nothing. I have seen Dressage collecting rings with two horses which are carnage!

I admit I did have to bit my lip hard at the "why do people insist on bringing scary pushchairs to shows" post recently.
 
Misinterpreted said:
I went to the Newforest and did a 'western day'.
It was a very enjoyable day, but I ended up prefering to do rising trot to save my bum!
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I think I went to the same place as you! Though rising trot was a bit out of the question for me, as the fenders are can't go short enough for me :o

I went to a FAB place in the New Forest, and hope to go again (my third time!!) for Western Working Day. The horses here are so healthy and happy, not molly coddled, really relaxed. Its so nice riding out amongst the wild ponies too, the foals are sooooooo cute :D

I'd highly recommend it, if I lived closer to the new forest I'd be there once a month at least :D If you want, I can PM the details of the place I went.

T_G xx
 
Yup - had a few lessons with David & Sarah Deptford at Soverign Quarter Horses

Had fun and did really enjoyed myself but not enough to convert

Horses are absolutely amazing - there is nothing quite like cantering down the school and doing a sliding stop - the power & agility is incredible. The spins are a very weird experience!:eek:

Have a go, definately something to try.
:)
 
Yes! I absolutely love it...

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I've only done proper western once and the saddle was soooooo wide it made my hips ache. But I did spanish style in spain and that was brilliant, the saddles weren't quite as big as western ones, the horses were in pelhams rather than the usual western bits and were more "collected" naturally but it was very similar in style and that was super for long distances.
 
Hi

Yep, went for a lesson at David & Sarah Deptfords too! the horses are fantastic, it takes a while to get used to but i really enjoyed it. I was just so amazed at how sensitive the horses are, flying changes, rein back turn on the forehand were just sooooo simple once you knew what buttons to press! would definitely recommend it. I'd never convert, but enjoyed my lesson.
 
I had a loan horse who was broken Western and in Western tack - main difficulties i encountered were being unable to adjust the cinch (girth) once on board, the tack mainly held together with leather laces rather than buckles (yes, did have experience of one breaking whilst riding) and if you are hacking and need to lean forward you have to lean to the side because the horn is in the way! On the plus side the saddles were very comfortable and the horn could be handy if you are inexperienced and scared as you could cling onto it!! I changed to English tack after a about 9 months as i felt the cons outweighed the pros.
 
I went on a western trail ride one day in Ireland when I was on holiday and it was so much fun! I think the guy who owned the place and took us out was really happy to have people wernt novices so he had me up at the front with him and was teaching me to ride western as we went along. The horses were very well trained and he was teaching me how to get my horse to spin on his back end in circles while the novice riders found a place to take pictures.

I would love to go to the USA or Canada to a working ranch!
 
I'm fortunate enough to work part-time (full-time now as it's summer hols) selling riding holidays around the world and this August I will be escorting a trail in Italy. It will be the first time I've ridden Western (though I've ridden Spanish style which is slightly similar) and I'll be with a big bunch of single ladies and an Italian cowboy and his partner. Can't wait!
 
Welllll, mine is a coloured horse, so would look superb in western kit, but what puts me off is the high pommel/horn thing (OMG that sounds sooo rude!!); plus I think I'd miss knee rolls, but what really puts me off the most is when I watched a natural horsemanship demo at a county show, and the guy doing it was using a western saddle, and it seemed to take him ages and ages to adjust the stirrups - don't think I could be bothered with that.

I quite fancy a stock saddle though, but they're almost impossible to get hold of in this country, a pity.
 
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