Western Riding

N

neelie OAP

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 November 2011
Messages
184
Location
UK
Visit site
Anyone tried Western Riding, how do you compare it to our usual style, why did you decide to go down that avenue, are there many Western establishments around your area, did you give it try and give up or did you get hooked, do you think its any easier on the horse .
 
I went on a ranch holiday in Colorado for 2 weeks a couple of years ago was great. Its different to english in that its so much more relaxed they just kind of let you get on with it. :) don't tend to do jumping unless out on a trail and a log in the way or something.
 
I took a few lessons at a local farm a good few years ago just for fun really. My mum had been taking lessons there to boost her confidence as she had been thrown a good few times from our crazy ginger tb :p We ended up buying a 5 year old quarter horse that they had just gotten in to sell. He had previously done western pleasure and a bit of reining and had then sat in a field for a while. First time he was ridden English was when I went to try him. They threw the saddle on and off I went, he never batted an eye! He's now 14 and he's never put a foot wrong, currently schooling first level dressage, took me around a good few hunter under saddle shows, and out eventing...he never bats an eye and is always a perfect gent :) While I don't agree with the way the western pleasure trainers (not all of them, but some) force the horse into an unnatural movement/head carriage, I think western riding/roping/reining is unbelievable! And a lot of fun :D
 
There are several Western riding associations and there are magazines too which would have all the information. There are quite a lot around, but it is just luck if you happen to live in an area where there are others within easy reach.

As for the riding - I went on a ranch holiday last year and the first afternoon I thought that it was tricky, but it is just a case of getting used to the saddle, it is just different, not hard. You let the saddle and the horse do the work, not the rider.
 
Have a look on the WES website www.wes-uk.com
Lots of info and local contacts. And if you look at the rolling banners at the top, the guy in the purple shirt is my OH LOL!
It is great fun - they are such a nice bunch of people, very friendly and very welcoming to beginners.
Even if you are not remotely interested in competing, most instructors would give you the basics so that you could go off on a ranch holiday and be confident in your ability. Or just so that you can get a saddle and enjoy the most comfortable way of hacking there is!
But I warn you, learning the horsemanship skills is totally addictive....

This is us on a ranch holiday in Bandera... bit of a change from showing but it gives you the idea!
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.215880368424571.61056.100000078295506&type=3&l=cf0d42fe8c
 
I ride western and love it, have also done a showing class *western pleasure horse and western pleasure rider*
Have all the western tack x 2 but selling the showing gear of mine.
My horses love the pace do it naturally on their own in fields too now :)
 
I went ranching as well, we had a few lessons, but people who had never ridden were in the lessons and at the end of the first one they could lope, a combination of excellent instructors, teaching methods and well schooled horses and they teach from horseback to show you exactly how to ride.
 
I do western riding and live in kent. If you want more info there is a magazine for sale called Western Horse UK where you will find details of training yards in the UK. I just love to go out hacking on my western horse with my comfy western saddle.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top