Eeasy 10 points!!?

Question

have been riding western for about 4 years. And Saturday I am getting my first lesson on an English saddle. Is english riding harder? And what is it like?

Answer 1

It's different,but I like it better.I find the english saddle more comfortable.I don't think it's harder but you will need to learn to post.I find it fun, but it's also a good workout.Enjoy!!

Answer 2

I've ridden both, and I can't say that one is necessarily harder than the other, simply different.

In Western riding, there is a lot more of the saddle between yourself and the horse in my opinion, and you do hold the reins in one hand and "neck rein" to steer. The posture and seat are also different, as well as the stirrup length. It's probably the better one if you're doing a long distance trail ride (not sure on that, never used an English saddle for one), and I notice it's the saddle primarily used on trail rides for inexperienced people, possibly because there is the horn for them to hold onto.

English is different, the saddle is thinner, you sit differently in it, and I feel you are in closer contact with the horse. At the same time, you have nothing to hold onto in the front, and the reins are held one in each hand. The posture is also different, your knees are bent more than in western riding.

In all, I myself prefer English, but it's up to the individual. Just remember that just because you have ridden western for so long doesn't mean you'll automatically be great at English riding, and you'll probably get a little frustrated trying to remember which way you should be doing things.

Answer 3

yes its harder   you sit sideways and you have to balance totally different

Answer 4

It is a little harder because you do not have the horn also when you ride english there is less to hold on to and isince you have been only riding western it may be a big change my advice is that no mader how good you were on western this may be a big change so take it slow

Answer 5

This is the horse racing section.

Answer 6

that third answer is wack this aint paul wall we aint sittin sideways you just have to have more balance cuz there isnt a horn to grab on to and the stirrups are not stationary they move around

Answer 7

you will enjoy English better..then you will have the best of both worlds....

Answer 8

I don't know about harder; it's definitely different.  For starters, in English equitation you use both hands to hold the reins, and you use direct reining rather than indirect or neck-reining.  You can also have two sets of reins to deal with, snaffle and curb, but you won't be doing that on your first lesson.  You'll also be keeping some contact on the bit at all times, which is somewhat different from Western riding.

If you're riding hunt seat (as opposed to saddle seat or dressage, which are different), you'll be riding with a shorter leg than you do in Western riding.  The object of hunt seat riding is usually to be prepared to jump fences, and for that you need a more forward seat than in Western riding.  

You'll be learning to post to the trot, and in general you'll be riding the trot as a more extended, faster gait in Hunt Seat equitation than you do in Western equitation.  Western equitation riders try to keep the trot slow, with the horse taking comparatively small strides.  Hunt seat equitation riders want the horse striding forward in a brisk, long-striding trot.  

Your trainer will also have you do a lot more work without stirrups than you probably have done in riding Western.  You'll work on posting without stirrups, you'll work in two-point position without stirrups, and eventually you'll work on jumping small fences without stirrups.  

Because of the work done without stirrups, I think you'll probably find the hunt seat training more physically challenging than western riding is, but that doesn't mean that it's "harder."  You just get more of a physical workout.

And as long as you're having fun, you probably won't consider it hard at all!  Enjoy.

Answer 9

well, i have ridden English for 7 years now. In English you must post at a trot, and get into a 2-point for jumping. also, English is harder to balance. Your stirrups are shorter so it's harder to balance. Of course, this is just my opinion. Good luck with your lesson!

Answer 10

i dont no ........... did i win