Tips for Western Riding

[HollyWoozle]

This Saturday I will be heading off to escort a horse riding trail in the south of Italy (as part of my job!), escorting 5 clients.

It is Western riding and I haven't ridden this way before, though I have ridden Spanish style which is similar with the long legs and neck reining. We will of course get a demonstration and I am not worried about adjusting, we send plenty of English style riders out on western trips, but I was just wondering if anybody with experience of riding western has any tips for me? Will it take a while to get used to? Will I be converted and never want to ride in my english saddle again?

It had better be comfy... 6 hours a day for 6 days could end in a rather sore behind.

Thanks in advance! *tea and cereal bars all round* (best I can do I'm afraid )

 

[Thelwell_Girl]

What job is this?! I want it!

My tips would be relaaaax, try and have a good posture as your back will thank you for it, and be careful of the horn... You WILL end up impaling yourself at least once!

Also, I would highly recommend you wear joddies or breeches, and jod boots and half chaps, full chaps etc are fine too. Unless you have Wrangler seamless jeans, the seam on the inside leg will rub your leg right off!

Obv I would say wear a helmet too!

Have fun, it sounds lovely! xx

 

[Tinypony]

No "contact" on the rein. Carry your hand high, and make sure you keep a good loop in the rein. If they are properly trained they should be quite responsive, you ride one-handed and just lay the rein on the opposite side of the neck to turn. To stop you probably just sit back a bit in the saddle, maybe put some weight down into your legs.
Have fun.

 

[ISHmad]

Nothing useful to add other than am as envious as anything! Have a great time.

 

[perfect11s]

I guess alot will depend on how well schooled the horses are!! should be very subtle cues and the contact should be just the weight of the reins, steering is gentle leg pressure backed up with guidence from your hands to get nice head set and straightness, a well schooled western horse should be willingly guided and look for the release of presure(cues) and then carry on with what you asked for without constant naging, i would ride two handed with bridged reins to start and hold them like you are carrying a tray of drinks taking both hands across a little to steer, if that seems easy then go one handed... stoping should be acheved with verbal whoa braceing legs forward sitting deep then the reins if needed... remember try and use the minimum of aids and increase until you get the desired result .. have fun ...

 

[davisn]

Sounds like a fab job!

From my experience riding aids will depend very much on how well trained the horses are, I would guess to a good standard. Most things will be done via body weight shifting. Going up paces will usually be a sound or the position of your hands (the further forward they are the faster the pace). Slowing down will probably be sitting on your jeans pockets (tipping your tail bone under you & scrunching in your belly), you may also need to move your feet forward, kind of straightening your leg (this will certainly help you not to end up smacking your bits on the horn of the saddle).

You ride with a much looser contact, which takes some getting used to, & the rein movements are very subtle, if needed at all. Also I was taught to tap with the leg rather than squeeze with constant pressure, if that makes sense.

I have found that the western saddles don't feel as comfortable when you first sit in them, you sit onto a wooden tree with no padding. However the longer you are in them the more comfortable they become. Whereas I find english the opposite.

Also, I know that a lot of people say that you shouldn't/don't need to do rising trot & standing canter in western saddles, but I think that if you are out for that length of time that it is only fair on your horse to help where ever possible, so I do tend to do rising trot & lift my weight out the saddle for canter. I guess it's a personal thing.

The only other thing I can think of is the language thing. Trot = jog, canter = lope, girth = cinch.......& so on.

I can't say if you will be converted, however I was. Most of my riding is now done western & I love it.

 

[Fiorano]

All good advice. My tip - remember to keep your foot in the stirrup when you get off. From past experience it can be VERY painful if you try to get of 'english riding' style.

 

[HBBambee]

Riding western is all about opening a space for the horse to go into so pretty much the complete opposite to english.

say you want to do a circle on the left rein you move your hand to the left side of the withers and open your left leg slightly-away from the horse, and the horse will move into the space.when your just going straight you keep your hand in a neutral position which is striaght above the withers.so then when you want to go left or right you move your hand to the left or right of the withers.

western horses are very much weight trained so always look where you want to go, if your riding a well trained horse quite often a turn of the head and shoulders in the direction you want to go will get you there.

you use a kissing sound to lope(canter) and clicking/clucking for jog(trot) and if you want to stop say whoa!and put your body weight back slighty, and providing the horse is well trained you stop...literally.lol.

the gaits of a western horse are considerably slower than an english horse, just sit and enjoy the ride, jeans and a pair of jod boots are the comfy option.

i used to work at a western stud so started western riding, picked it up very quickly and it's easier than it sounds trail riding is great fun, v.jealous!

 

[HollyWoozle]

Thanks for the tips! I am indeed very lucky to work selling riding holidays and therefore get to test some. This will be the first time I am escorting clients (to encourage single riders to book and not worry about being alone). We will soon be recruiting as well!

Hopefully I will get the hang of the western riding and I'll bear everything in mind that you've said. The bit about remembering not to take your foot out of the stirrup to dismount is funny... when I rode in Spain (similar saddle) we had a freak incident where we were attacked by wasps. First I got flung onto the horses neck and had to try and lift myself over the horn at the front to get back into my seat, then I thought it'd be safer to dismount and automatically took both feet out the stirrups. Must have been an amazing sight... me trying to get my leg over.

I'll have to give a report on my western experience when I am back, maybe it will help me not to ride so short in my english saddle!

Thanks guys.