Do you think I should/is it possible? (read on)?

Question

Well ...

when we bought my horse she rode a mexican saddle, but we bought a western saddle instead. Mexican saddles use two hands and have a big horn for no reason. (no we aren't mexican if your wondering) so now I was thinking we should ride english instead. she knows how to use the controls of english but I don't know if i should change the bit and the saddle or not. i really want to, though. what are the differences between english and western? should i just keep her western/mexican?(her bit is still mexican. :\)

and how should i measure her back, stomach, neck, and width for the tree of the saddle to fit english?

thanks :]

Answer 1

Hello,

My input:

We have a GREAT finished head horse (team roping), he was born, broke and raised in Mexico...  Sort of gaited, but, not really!

Anyways, we ride him in a US roping saddle and US bits...he is just fine!

I think you should try it out!  Just don't go from a non harsh bit to something harsh...  try to get the best match possible...

LUNGE him in the gear first.

Answer 2

Hello. I bought a horse who was 13 years old and had been a western show horse all his life. I rode him in an english saddle immediately and used an eggbut snaffle. I had no problems with him in the english gear at all. Of course, all horses are different. It may take some getting used to for him but I do't see why you couldn't try it. I agree with the other answerer, lunge him in the english gear first. As for measuring saddles, I use a wintec with the changeable gullet system. It's a nice light saddle. Some stores will let you take a couple of the gullets and try which one fits best and then you can return the others. When buying a new saddle I use a piece of wire that I bend to the shape of the horses back to determine the width of the tree or I try on a number of saddles to see which fits the best. The seat size is determined by the riders size.

Here's a really simple saddle fitting guide: http://www.thetackguide.com/saddlefittin...

Answer 3

My now 19 year old Azteca gelding, was born and raised Charro.  I got him as a 12 year old who'd been hacked Western for a couple of years prior to my buying him, but they really didn't know what they were doing.  

Most Charro horses WILL neckrein.  If your horse didn't, then she wasn't fully trained yet.

Within the first month of my purchasing Grey, I had my huntseat saddle on his and was working him in an arena.  He now goes either huntseat, dressage or western.  He's tried to forget his charro training, basically because the "wannabe charro" that the guys who broke, trained and bowed him, sold him to, abused him severely.

I saddled him up in my old Stubben Siegfried the first time, lunged him so he knew that little bitty saddle wasn't going to kill him, then climbed aboard.

Before he got cancer (melanomias) on both top and bottom sides of his lips, I rode him in a kimberwick and never had an issue.  Nowadays, he uses a mechanical hackamore in whatever seat I choose to ride him in.

She'll probably do just fine and you'll be wanting a wide tree on your saddle, don't forget to measure yourself for your seat size (Measure from the outside of your knee, to your hip and that will give you your seat size.).

Answer 4

i understand your prob completely...

To measure the tree width go to a tack shop or online and you can get a measurer for the tree width. i would suggest buying three or four girths for trying on and returning the ones u dont need or just railer your horse to the tack shop and try everthing on before you make your final decision. i am sure a salesperson would love to help you

goodluck email me if u need any further help