POLL: English or western and WHY?

Question

I ride both, I find English to be harder though. It requires more muscle and jumping is the BEST! But western is great too because you don't constantly have to be worrying about your appearance! What do you prefer? Please don't be rude and put down others, this is just a fun poll not a middle school dance.

Answer 1

Western, because I like the events better, because it's what I've grown up with, and because it's what I'm most comfortable with.



That being said, I have ridden English and competed in both so I do have a pretty good base for my opinion.

Answer 2

Wow, you clearly have never ridden PROPER western. Anyone can just "sit there" in a Western saddle," not worrying about their appearance" and call it Western riding. That doesn't take any skill. But try just "sitting there" on a cutting or reining horse. You'll hit the dirt in seconds.



You think collecting and controlling your horse's speed and every movement with only invisible seat and leg cues, on a completely slack rein is easy? Yep, didn't think so. If you don't have good position and muscle control, you cannot ride a finished Western horse. They are so finely tuned in their training, much like dressage horses, that it is easy to feel lost on them. Many of the English riders who come to my barn have to be re-taught because they just can't ride the horses.



Western is not more "laid-back" or "easier" than English. Both styles require skill in their own ways. And as for your "English does require more muscle as you have to hold on a bit more with the posting" statement....since when is posting that hard? Sitting a trot is way more difficult than posting one.



Ignorant questions like these piss me off.

Answer 3

Those of you that think western riding doesnt require any talent or you dont have to look nice are so wrong! You obviously havent been to any western shows! There is a lot more to western riding than just walking down the trail. There are many different disciplines of western riding, all of which take skill & dedication to master. Barrel racing, pole bending, raised box keyhole, western pleasure, trail class, team penning, reining are just some western events. Anybody can sit on a horse and walk. Being a good rider and having good horsemanship skills takes years to develop whether you ride english or western. I dont think one is any easier than the other. There are similarities in both styles of riding. There are faster paced events and slower paced events in each. Yes, trail riding is very relaxing. Theres nothing like going for a peaceful walk in the woods on a good horse but you can do that in a western or an english saddle.

Answer 4

I am not a discipline snob. I will ride both ways. I personally prefer Western on the trail as it's relaxing and the saddle is more comfortable for long distances. However, I mostly ride English as I love the challenge. With Western you learn it and you're done, but with English it's a never ending learning experience.

Answer 5

English, the barn I board and ride my horse at is an English barn with English tack. I've tried Western but I can't seem to lift that saddle up, the saddle is super heavy, and it feels like you are 10 ft off the ground! O_O I don't enjoy riding in Western, I really enjoy English, as I love jumping and dressage.





BTW WHY is Rachie Rawr getting all the TD's? For God's sakes, can't you except someone's discipline and matter of opinion? -.-

Answer 6

I was taught Western, but have always preferred English. Western reminds me of ranch work and western movies (neither of which I'm a big fan of). English reminds me of proper and clean lol. No offence to the cowboys and cowgirls out there, I'm judt not a big fan of it.



I wanted to buy my horse an English saddle, but i was offered a free Western saddle. Kinda hard to turn that down. I guess I'll just ride in this one until i can afford an even better English saddle.

Answer 7

I will say that English does not require any more muscle. Try riding a cutting horse, your muscles will be dead. I do kind of resent you saying that Western is good because you "don't have to worry about your appearance" and it doesn't require as much "muscle." A good Western rider focuses on posture every bit as much as a English rider.



I've taken formal lessons in both, but I ride Western for the most part. I go on several hour long trail rides over rough desert terrain so Western is simply more practical for myself and my horse.



EDIT: To the person that said riding trail only required "sitting there"--I guess you've never really ridden trail.

Answer 8

I can ride both but I prefer Western.I think its more relaxed.Depending on what discipline you ride it can be just as challenging as English.I just find Western more enjoyable not just because its more relaxed but also because I feel like it has more of a friendly atmosphere compared to English.I'm not saying everyone who rides English is rude because I know several Western riders who are extremely rude and I know several English riders who are very pleasant.

Answer 9

I have rode both, but prefer western. I DO care about my appearance and try and look my best at every show. I'm not one of the western riders that only goes for speed. I aim for perfection and strive for my horse and myself to work in sync. It offends me that most people assume that everyone who rides western just hops on, yells giddy up and goes. That is absolutely not me and my horses know both western and english maneuvers. Some of the comments here are absolutely ridiculous! My horses and I are partners and I do just as much work as they do NOT just sit up there!

Answer 10

I ride Western, but mainly because that's what I've always ridden. It's just what I'm used to. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to learn English, but I feel I would only have enough guts to do Dressage and maybe a bit of Jumping and Hunter. I feel maybe I have to learn how to ride English soon, because my yearling colt has more strong 'english' bloodlines, since his dad was an eventer and his mom was all-around, so it's likely where his talents will be.

Answer 11

I ride only western but would like to try English. I love western because like you said, you don't have to worry about your appearance. Also, western is more comfortable with the horn, and the stirrup fenders on a western saddle keep your legs from getting sweaty when you ride a sweaty horse. I think that western is more comfortable for the horse because of the loose rein and open headstall with no noseband, and that allows them to move their faces and mouths more freely. I enjoy riding, and I like that my horse can enjoy it and be comfortable too.

Answer 12

I ride both. English is what I love because I love the challenge of collected forward movement. But western is equally as challenging to do slow and collected. The mind on BOTH types of horses have to be incredible, and BOTH riders have to know EXACTLY what they're doing in order to do it the correct way.



I respect both disciplines, but I like english because I get an adrenaline rush from jumping and cross country. I love the challenge of working my way up the levels in dressage. It's just what I enjoy.

Answer 13

English all the way!!! I couldn't live without show-jumping!! I love it.

I can see where your coming from with the Western riding being more relaxed but you can still be like that with English riding as well.

Answer 14

I havn't done western myself. I would love to though it looks amazing. English is fun and it doesn't matter what you look like and how you dress when you ride either way. As long as you are comfortable that is all that matters. You can still wear a pair of jeans to ride English.

Answer 15

I ride english.. I wish I was exposed to western when I was first learning. I love english, but I think western suits my personality more. I'm hoping to learn western soon :) I've only tried it once or twice and that was when I had no idea what I was doing!

Answer 16

English.

I am not one of those people, like my friend who had only ridden western her whole life, never english yet constantly puts it down.

I rode more western in my life, Yet for english I fell more disciplin, and I lovee jumping >:)



I think your wrong, since western DO care about their appearence, just not like english do.

Answer 17

English because jumping is my absolute passion, and western because I love going to gymkhanas. :) there so laid back and you get to go as fast as you can! You also can't beat the good sunset afternoon western trail ride every now and then !

Answer 18

I only rode western when I rode out for King Ranch - years ago and not for very long. It was a great way to ride for the work to be done. But as a "discipline" I find no joy or satisfaction in it.

Answer 19

I've ridden both, but I feel English has more options for me to pursue. Don't get me wrong, I love both kinds, but Western has it's limits. English is also more structured than many western barns :)

Answer 20

I like both. I like english becuase you can two hand but i like western because its way more relaxed at shows, for me anyway. When i ride bareback i only ride western becuase I'm to lazy to post :)

Answer 21

Nothing like a hypocritical tween putting down western riders followed with a quick "don't put down others!"



How would you feel if someone said that English riders just sit there and look pretty and perch without really riding and western riders are tough and are real horse people? Doesn't feel too great now does it.

Answer 22

I enjoy both,depending on my mood. English is a lot more structured and most of the time I prefer no structure.

Answer 23

I prefer Western.

Answer 24

English, I feel that certain(but not all) western disciplines depend on the horse putting its nose on the ground and cantering slower than my eventer walks. The rider does nothing. However I do think that things like barrel racing and reining are pretty cool. But trail and pleasure shows? Nothing needed from the rider but to sit on the horse and look around.



English takes more muscle, training, and it is just as much about the rider as it is the horse. This excluding H/J Equitation(where no one gives two shits about the horse, just as long as the rider looks pretty) and I don't think english pleasure is any better than western besides the fact that in english pleasure the horses dont practically drag their nose on the ground.



Sorry if I offended anyone. But it's my opinion.

Answer 25

I like English. I feel more free.

Answer 26

I feel more free in an English saddle :)

Answer 27

"Please don't be rude and put down others."



"western is great too because you don't constantly have to be worrying about your appearance!"



So basically you're calling western riders slobs who can't really ride because you don't have to jump and because it "doesn't require as much muscle as English?"



Kiddo what are you smoking?