Witchy
Well-Known Member
Well my poor horse is a m/w 14.2 cob (in sig). He's my first horse so didn't dare buy myself an apoluso (sp) or similar beasty 
Western Riders: Quick head count out of curiousity!
- Thread starter Witchy
- Start date
Enfys
Well-Known Member
Well my poor horse is a m/w 14.2 cob (in sig). He's my first horse so didn't dare buy myself an apoluso (sp) or similar beasty
The beauty of it is that any horse can do it, sometimes finding the right saddle can be a bit of a chore though. The horse in my photo was a Hafflinger/QH who mistakenly believed he was a Lipizanner judging by the amount of time he spent airborne! My current horse is the tiniest little arabian imaginable, she really is dinky, not at all the sort of horse one imagines doing western.
Enjoy.
Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
The beauty of it is that any horse can do it, sometimes finding the right saddle can be a bit of a chore though. The horse in my photo was a Hafflinger/QH who mistakenly believed he was a Lipizanner judging by the amount of time he spent airborne! My current horse is the tiniest little arabian imaginable, she really is dinky, not at all the sort of horse one imagines doing western.
Enjoy.
And mine is a whomping great Warmblood X appy he towers over everything else at the yard (much to my YO chagrin who can often be heard muttering into his beard about the bloody great thing making his QH's look like ponies!)
His field pal Mac is a very sturdy quarter but is made to look like a childrens pony often with people going ahhhhh at him...not at all cool for a strapping reiner.
Last time Jan measured him he was nudging 16'3 and now we are having the round pen roofed we have have to have an extra foot on top to accommodate us;-))
Not competing yet as I am trying to catch my horse up (I can still be heard muttering "no contact no contact" to myself whenever I ride!) but fingers crossed will be heading for WRAN Trail and Horsemanship competitions next year.
Its a ball;-))
Here is a pic of Vardi with his field Pal Mac 15'2 of well stacked reining QH who looks like a small pony next to himself and no he is not standing on a hill...this is Holland;-)))
NormandJ.J
Active Member
I would love to start western riding with Norman. But I don't really know where to start, I'm in South Wales so if anyone knows anyone that could give me a helpful push in the right direction then let me know!
Oh and my horse is a 14hh fell pony!
Oh and my horse is a 14hh fell pony!
Enfys
Well-Known Member
I love Vardi, yet in the photos he doesn't look so tall.
If Mac is built anything like Zeus then he will be a chunk of a chap. Our much lighter built Morgan makes my QH and Paint mares look like small tanks.
Zeus is only 15h, but he's solid through and through.
If Mac is built anything like Zeus then he will be a chunk of a chap. Our much lighter built Morgan makes my QH and Paint mares look like small tanks.
Zeus is only 15h, but he's solid through and through.
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Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
I would love to start western riding with Norman. But I don't really know where to start, I'm in South Wales so if anyone knows anyone that could give me a helpful push in the right direction then let me know!
Oh and my horse is a 14hh fell pony!
Get in touch with the Western Riders Association in the UK http://www.wes-uk.com
Who I am sure will be delighted to point you in the right direction.
Western bods are very friendly and no question is ever considered stupid.
WES allows any type of horse to compete not just QH's
Go for it;-)))))
Enfys
Well-Known Member
I would love to start western riding with Norman. But I don't really know where to start, I'm in South Wales so if anyone knows anyone that could give me a helpful push in the right direction then let me know!
Oh and my horse is a 14hh fell pony!
Whereabouts are you? Nothing wrong with Fells at all, they will do the job very nicely indeed, I know someone who breeds them (or used to) near Swansea.
I think that there is a WES Trainer in Llandysul. I believe that the WES site address is on this thread somewhere, they will have a list of Trainers. Very helpful society.
See, Chavhorse is well on the ball already
NormandJ.J
Active Member
Thank you both!
I'm in the cardiff area if that's any help. I'll have a look on the Wes website now.
Zeus is stunning btw!
I'm in the cardiff area if that's any help. I'll have a look on the Wes website now.
Zeus is stunning btw!
Enfys
Well-Known Member
Thank you both!
I'm in the cardiff area if that's any help. I'll have a look on the Wes website now.
Zeus is stunning btw!
I think you may have more Trainers in the Cardiff area, a bit thin on the ground around Swansea.
Thankyou for the comment about Zeus, he's too pretty to be a man, he's a wimpy prima donna. He generally runs for cover at the first raindrop, last Spring he was trapped in his paddock for a week because there was a nasty, shark infested puddle across his gateway - nothing, not food, not open gates, not mares in season! would get him across that puddle. I despair of him
NormandJ.J
Active Member
The nearest instructor to me is in Llanelli.
NormandJ.J
Active Member
Aww, it must have been a very scary puddle! Bless him!
Norman is totally unspookable you could drive a tank up his backside and he wouldn't even blink!
Norman is totally unspookable you could drive a tank up his backside and he wouldn't even blink!
Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
I love Vardi, yet in the photos he doesn't look so tall.
If Mac is built anything like Zeus then he will be a chunk of a chap. Our much lighter built Morgan makes my QH and Paint mares look like small tanks.
Zeus is only 15h, but he's solid through and through.
Love Zeus and yes Mac is a little muscle head just like him! Love your paint by the way..
Well Vardi feels more like 18 hands when I am throwing that Western saddle up on him wish the bugger would learn to bend at the knees;-))
OH is 6ft 1 and a very important half
And Jan (Or Chad in this Pic!) is 5ft 9 (minus the hat;-)))))
I think he doesn't look overly tall as he is a bit of a chunky monkey
Oh and if we are having a QH love in here are Mac & Mister or the Bookends;-))
vonno
Well-Known Member
NormanJ, I'm in Cardiff. Bruce Lawrence or Mendip Stud are probably the nearest to you, and they have their own horses you could have lessons on. The WES site is: http://www.wes-uk.com. If you can go to some of the clinics just to watch as you can pick up quite a lot.
NormandJ.J
Active Member
I've just looked on Bruce Lawrence's website and I like the sound of lessons on one of their own horses to get the feel of western riding.
The only thing is I don't have transport so Norm wouldn't be able to take him there, so I would have to find someone to come out to me and Norm for lessons, also I would need to find a western saddle fitter as I don't have a clue about them!
Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
I've just looked on Bruce Lawrence's website and I like the sound of lessons on one of their own horses to get the feel of western riding.
The only thing is I don't have transport so Norm wouldn't be able to take him there, so I would have to find someone to come out to me and Norm for lessons, also I would need to find a western saddle fitter as I don't have a clue about them!
I would go for a couple of lessons on a lesson horse and see if you really like it, if you do I am sure that whichever instructor you decide on will have lots of ideas re saddle fitters instructors who can visit you etc.....very helpful lot generally x
Archiesmummy
Well-Known Member
I would love to start western riding with Norman. But I don't really know where to start, I'm in South Wales so if anyone knows anyone that could give me a helpful push in the right direction then let me know!
Oh and my horse is a 14hh fell pony!
Me too, if anyone is near the A3 corridor in Hampshire, near Petersfield/Horndean.
Archie is a 16.2 ID x Cob.
xxx
Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
Well I have just posted a request to the FC for a sub forum for all things western.
Thought that way all the useful info can be grouped together and anyone who wants info can head in.
It is posted in the Feedback Suggestions and queries part of the forum.
Alos means we can ramble on about which saddles, shank bits, QH's and rollbacks without boring the backsides off the non western bods or losing the posts as thy roll up so quickly.
We can but try;-)))
Thought that way all the useful info can be grouped together and anyone who wants info can head in.
It is posted in the Feedback Suggestions and queries part of the forum.
Alos means we can ramble on about which saddles, shank bits, QH's and rollbacks without boring the backsides off the non western bods or losing the posts as thy roll up so quickly.
We can but try;-)))
LazyS
Well-Known Member
You are not far from me (Meon Valley). If you want a saddle fitted properly check out Maria at The Western Saddler in Ringwood. She came out and fitted my two a couple of years ago. Went over budget but then think the same could be said of English saddles, depending on the ability of the saddle fitter to sell! As I said previously - get the Western Horse UK magazine - it is geared up especially for people like us - and has lots of info in it.
jinglejoys
Well-Known Member
Normanjj there's also the Menndip Stud http://www.themendipstud.com/
vonno
Well-Known Member
Hi NormanJ, Bruce is a really good instructor, so it would probably be worth having a few lessons first to make sure that is the way you want to go as the saddles are expensive. I've heard Maria is very good and will travel to you. Whereabouts in Cardiff are you?
arizonahoney
Well-Known Member
Yup, get my spares from France or Germany as quicker and cheaper than getting them from the states and paying import duty (unless I am in the US, in which case I go to town buying cool gear)
NormandJ.J
Active Member
Debz87
Well-Known Member
I ride western and have just bought a 3yo quarter horse gelding, I think there is some confusion as somebody else mentioned between actually riding western and just riding in western tack.
Riding in the tack but using english aids makes riders feel safera and more comfortable, i would love for these riders to have a lesson on a trained western horse, they would love it!
The way that western horses are trained is technical yet obviously simple.
Alot of people have been very suprised at how advanced my boy is and how he has good self carriage and movement.
Riding in the tack but using english aids makes riders feel safera and more comfortable, i would love for these riders to have a lesson on a trained western horse, they would love it!
The way that western horses are trained is technical yet obviously simple.
Alot of people have been very suprised at how advanced my boy is and how he has good self carriage and movement.
DragonSlayer
Well-Known Member
Mememememememe!
sometimes....
sometimes....
Hen
Well-Known Member
Whoop whoop, a Western Riders post!! Yes, me too!!
Started riding Western 3 1/2 years ago; I randomly woke up one day wanting a QH and a Western saddle and booked an introductory lesson with Bruce Lawrence. Now I'm on my 3rd QH later and having attempted pleasure, trail, horsemanship, the hunter classes, Western riding and now reining there's no going back. Totally hooked (and still occasionally hooked on the saddle horn, ooops, we'll say no more about that!!)
Started riding Western 3 1/2 years ago; I randomly woke up one day wanting a QH and a Western saddle and booked an introductory lesson with Bruce Lawrence. Now I'm on my 3rd QH later and having attempted pleasure, trail, horsemanship, the hunter classes, Western riding and now reining there's no going back. Totally hooked (and still occasionally hooked on the saddle horn, ooops, we'll say no more about that!!)
Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
Hey another one!
I have managed to stop getting randomly hooked on the horn by swapping to a non underwired bra.....I took pity on my poor instructor who had the joy of once having to cut me free as as my horse is too tall for my feet to make the ground and I was hanging t-shirt over my head laughing like a drain as the poor man wedged a bucket under my feet and got his pen knife out!
Fairynuff
Well-Known Member
I dont ride anymore but bought myself a registered QH foal a couple of years ago. She is now in training and if all goes well will be competing in her first reining classes next spring. Only sorry that I didnt discover these great horses a long time ago. here she is.....
TTK
Well-Known Member
I'm a Western rider too, and I would love a H & H forum Western thread Please....................
Chavhorse
Well-Known Member
We tried to get one but apparently then we would need to have a sub forum for Dressage, XC, Eventing et all so unfortunately the Computer says no!
Was also a request for a sticky thread on NL but no reaction to that either.
I guess the only answer is to keep bringing this thread up if you want to ask Western questions, or scare the normal peeps with pictures of shank bits and spurs
)))
Enfys
Well-Known Member
or scare the normal peeps with pictures of shank bits and spurs
Ohhhhhhhh, spurs! Like these:
I love my local store,
http://www.pleasantridge.ca/show_bits.htm
So many shiny things! I am required to hand over my plastic to my OH when I go in there
Cash in hand only, why doesn't he trust me
The bits alone, would have the pink and fluffies spinning like tops, and as for the western show clothing, and the boots, oh the boots, and the belts, and ......!
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