Western riders?

Landcruiser

Landcruiser

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 May 2011
Messages
3,798
Location
Wiltshire
Visit site
Are there any western riders on H+H? If so, I'd be interested to hear about you. How long, how did you get into it, what do you do etc?

For myself, I have 2 criollos ridden exclusively western. I bought the first one 4 !/2 years ago, and the other a year later after a 30 year gap from horses. Fell in love with western when I did it in the States a few years ago, and specifically bought "western" horses (although they actually weren't western trained as such as it turned out, but "gaucho" trained as cattle horses).

I mainly hack, but do the odd western clinic and even small local western shows a few times. I love the whole thing about the practicality - saddles you are secure and comfortable in and can tie things to. Horses which stand still or easily move in any direction, and can go from a standstill to a gallop back to a calm standstill. I also love the friendliness of other western riders. At clinics and shows everyone is supportive and having fun. It's a real community feel.
You'll never get me back in an english saddle!
:D
 
Me! Two quarter horse mares, both western, one is mine and the other my hubby's. We haven't taken them anywhere yet but hope to next year, any clinics we've been to watch have been great fun and everyone just rubs along nicely! :)
 
Not sure I can really call myself a western rider per se since I've only ridden western a total of 11 times :p but every single time I have really enjoyed it and hopefully I will be able to do more western riding soon :)
 
Hello, yes I am - started in 2007 and now have 2 Quarter Horse reiners and 1 QH all-around horse, I got into it via the Quarter Horse breed really, for some reason I woke up one day after a bouncy ride on my TBX and decided a Quarter Horse would be a lot more up my street; the whole Western riding bit sort of followed from that.
I just wanted to learn something different, and enjoy a breed that likes to use its brain as much as its feet!
 
I ride mostly in a western saddle but with normal stirrups and bridle so is that Western? It works anyway :D
 
Yes, I do.

I got into it because the horse I bought was cutting trained, most people around me ride western.

We have mainly ropers and games horses at the farm, I do a bit of Team Penning for fun when the mood takes me. Most weekends in the summer we are at a Rodeo or Fair.

We start them young :D

ee86c497.jpg


One of the mares doing her job:
36109_408193911335_3049444_n.jp
 
Last edited:
I Ride my youngster western, and my cob is trained basic western aswell.

My youngster is Appaloosa x Criollo, 5 years old. Hoping to to some trail classes, and possibly reining with her, as well as endurance and some distance riding.

2012-08-26151214.jpg
 
skint1 said:
I ride mostly in a western saddle but with normal stirrups and bridle so is that Western? It works anyway :D
Click to expand...

If it works, and you and your horse are happy, then who cares? :)

Out of curiosity, how do you get English stirrups on the fenders?
 
Enfys said:
If it works, and you and your horse are happy, then who cares? :)

Out of curiosity, how do you get English stirrups on the fenders?
Click to expand...

Honest answer is I have no idea, it's my friend's horse and her saddle, she set it all up for me as she's been teaching me to ride and I feel safer out on hacks in it, I'd have to ask her if I can post a photo if you wanted to see it, I know it is a big faff to do though :D
 
Have ridden Western a few times and absolutely love it :) It always seems so much more effortless and relaxed. Unfortunately no RSs teach Western around my way.
 
Me!

Started in 2002 with my ex-harness racing pacer mare, the whole English "thing" was blowing her brain so we took her right back to basics and rebacked her Western. She was a super star - never quite excelled at Pleasure (thought she was still racing..) but was brilliant at Trail. Did a lot of the WES shows & champs and was WPPA Reserve Pony of the Year in 2005 and supreme Trail in 2004 & 2005.

Then I bought my Welsh Cob as a 3y/o from Andrew Fox. Now he IS very good at it but unfortunately we've not shown as much as I'd like. He has a phenomenal jog and his stops and spins are quite magic for a coblet.

Both of them also ride English (mostly showing and dressage) and Freddie (the cob) jumps the moon too..

I'll dig out some pictures later :)
 
Fantastic! It's great to hear I'm not the only one. H+H often seems a bit english orientated...but a good forum all the same.
Enfys, you must be in the States?? Lovely pics.
Nagsequestrian, where did you get that seatsaver that covers the fenders? Looks very comfy, but doesn't it get in the way at all? Beautiful horse with quite a criollo look to her.

Any more?
 
Landcruiser said:
Nagsequestrian, where did you get that seatsaver that covers the fenders? Looks very comfy, but doesn't it get in the way at all? Beautiful horse with quite a criollo look to her.

Any more?
Click to expand...

I made the seatsaver myself :D I saw them for sale in the states but couldn'd fine one in the UK. I got a sheepskin rug from Dunelm, cut it to the shape of my saddle (well my last saddle) added some elastic straps to the back where the fenders pass through and used a pair of scissors to cut the fleece down so it was more user friendly.
I don't find it gets in the way at all, but I'm very princess and the pea with saddles and every little lump and bump bothers me, I've got 2 seatsavers on that saddle,lol. :o
 
JadeWisc said:
And Enfys.. I keep meaning to ask you this but are you guys having a West Nile scare there atm too? Do you vaccinate for it?
Click to expand...

Hi Jade,

Yes there has been rumours going around, also for Potomac Fever, a couple of cases very locally.

I do vaccinate for WNV, crazy really, there is a vaccine for horses but not readily available for people :rolleyes:
 
Hi there, nice to see so many people interested in and taking up western riding.

I have 2 Quarter horses and work as an assistant trainer for one of the UK's western trainers.

:-)
 
I've got an English trained American Paint I will try Western with in the future as I want to train her on my cows. She is by Docs Smokin Apache who is a very impressive western horse :D http://mspaints.com/ (can't get a link to his page to work, click on stallion if you want to see him!)

f867f251d2cd7990ecc1fe71c7b02da5.jpg
 
I have ALL the gear - saddle, bridle, fringed chaps, boots, and I even nursed a Stetson on my lap all the way back from the USA last year - but I hesitate to show western, as my horse is used to Morgan classes, where you enter the ring at a trot and I think he might get too excited.
 
Orange horse - have a look on the WES website for clinics near you; there are a few over winter although there will be more in the spring.
Don't know where you are in the country but Sovereign QH (Cambs) and Oakridge QH (Notts) also do a full programme over the winter.
They will help you work out how to get the best from your Morgan's paces and find some classes to suit you - it's not all about floating round a western pleasure class or galloping round a reining pattern!
If your horse associates going in the ring with others with charging about there are several classes that you can do on your own - ranch pleasure, prelim pleasure and trail for example.
Trail is excellent because it really makes them think and be calm.
There are lots of people doing well at WES with non quarter horses that also do English stuff!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top