For those of you who have ridden both English & Western...?

Question

For those of you who have ridden both English-style and Western-style, which do you like better? Like do you riding English more, or Western more, and why?

I'm just kinda bored right now. This is just a question that popped into mind.

Remember; this is only for people who have ridden both. ;)

Answer 1

I like English better.  The saddle is much lighter and it's easier to tack up the horse.  I like riding breeches, they feel much better to ride in than jeans.  Plus I like dressage movements

Answer 2

I prefer English because you have to have a really tight seat whereas Western you can sit a little more loosely... not criticizing anyone. Having a tight seat helps me feel like I'm in control (even though if a horse went crazy, Western would probably be safer :P).

Answer 3

I can't decide.  Guess for me it depends upon what I'm doing at the time.

I wouldn't pony youngsters while riding in my siegfried, but wouldn't use my broken horn saddle to go over cavellettis at a trot.

Just a couple of examples.

Later:

Geez, this time I don't think it's trolls.  Is this the ages old barn war, English vs Western?  I see all these thumbs downs and it makes me sad.  I've spent my lifetime trying to bridge the gap between the two disciplines of riding and trying to tell ALL of you, the BEST thing you have in common is the love of your horse.  Enjoy it while you can, eventually your body won't allow you to do what you used to and you'll remember the good times!

Answer 4

i have ridden english for about a year. but i have ALWAYS have a special place in my heart for western riding. english is just to freakin proper.nose pointed up in the air thinking they r the freakin POPE! well i hate english riders that think they r number 1! but i am not saying that all of english riders act like that but a lot of them do. i ride western and have always loved it. it is just a relaxing experience. dont have to worry about posting the trot up down up down. dang i get dizzy just watching it. ha but western is my favorite besides bareback. but i do jump over poles but i do it in my wesern saddle cuz its more cozzy.

Answer 5

I have ridden both english and western for about... 5 years? Anyway, it depends on the horse for me. My lease horse is a PERFECT western horse because he has slow, easy gaits, and likes a loose reign. But another horse that I helped train over the winter was much better english because he held his head high and had rougher gaits, plus he did much better in a snaffle! So I can go either way, I think it depends on the horse.

Answer 6

I rode western for a while adn couldn't help but watch all the kids jumping and I was like hey! Cool!  So I got to try out Enlish the next time I went to class.

Personally, I love them both.  Western, for me, though is more of a casual experience.  I love barrels and cow hearding, but I love jumping even more.  I would say English

Answer 7

I like English better.  I'm not sure why, its just funner

Answer 8

Personally, I like English more than Western, but that's just me. It's really hard for me to sit the trot, so being able to post is really helpfull.

I have a lot of respect for Western riders though. It's just as hard as English.

Answer 9

I prefer English but just ride for pleasure... bit of cantering, few jumps and trail riding is my ideal.  Western is O.K. but it probably doesn't help that the saddle was too large for me so I wasn't very comfy...

I've also ridden in a Austraillian saddle before, and liked it quite a bit.  The comfort and secureness of a Western saddle but the freedom and ease of a English.. if I ever get a chance I'd like to try one again.  I was riding my first Icelandic horse at the time too =D

Answer 10

I like both, mainly Western, though. Western is more comfortable to me. I have knee problems so i like the length of the stirrup to be longer. I like English because you have to use more muscle sometimes. Western i feel more secure and feel i don't always need to squeeze my knees, but with English i don't feel as secure, so i use more muscles. It's a bit twisted way of liking something, but that's just how i am. It really depends on what i am doing and how i feel like working that day. so i am sorry it doesn't totally answer your question, but its the best i can do.

Answer 11

I grew up riding Hunters, with a little bit of western thrown in. These days I have given up English for now and am riding Western. I just feel like I am able to chill Western, and not have to be "on" all the time. It seems more conducive to relaxing, like being on the trail and such.

Answer 12

I can't pick, I like them both!  I really enjoy jumping, dressage, and polo (which are done in english saddles) but I really like reining and team penning too.  I ride my green horses in a western saddle, just for more security but all my horses are trained to do both.

Answer 13

I started out riding western when i was little and that was a good starter. but as i got older i tried english and i like that better because it looks more formal. this might sound weird but i also like it because it has a smaller saddle and it seems like you see more of the beautiful horse and less of the annoying tack. thats just me though. dont get me wrong, i love western and i can say that the saddle is more comfortable but i prefer english

Answer 14

I ride western. I've only taken one english lesson like 8 years ago and absolutely hated it. But.. I tried english again a couple of months ago and actually really liked it. I've since then started jumping my horse on the trail and such and find it to be really fun. I'm thinking of taking some english/jumping lessons some time in the future. As of right now I still prefer western. Like you said about english.. I just feel at home riding western.

Answer 15

English is SO much better. I just love to jump , it feels like I'm flying  ÃƒÂ¢Ã‚™Â¥ And the saddle feels so much more comfortable. Western is okay I like to barrel race, Pole bend and Keyhole , but Nothing can be jumping♥ And its true, you do feel like your at home when your in a English saddle☻

Answer 16

i hate people who critize western riders saying they can't ride or are lazy because their saddle is bigger or some other stupid reasoning. i have ridden both and western is just as athletic as english.

personaly i like english more because i love to jump, but at one time i was big in competiting in rodeo and cutting events as well as hunter/jumper stuff and was tempted to quit jumping for the other. but, nothing quite beats the sensation of the horse leaving the ground, plus i like the attention in fine detail found in the high 'a' level riding.

love both, but jumping is the passion :-]

Answer 17

Western all the way.

I hate English It's stupid

Answer 18

well, i like western. ive ridden english for awhile, and am pretty sick of it... that might be because the people i ride with all show, and i dont, i dont like it, unless its the equestrian team.. so i like riding hunt seat, but LOVE riding western

EDIT:

im kinda like Rosi above me... depends on what im doing... for jumping or going over poles, hunt seat.. but anything else, WESTERN

Answer 19

For me it's got to be English as I love jumping and dressage and find the saddles more comfortable as well as my favorite breeds tending to be Warmbloods. I did work and ride western at a ranch and enjoyed the relaxed feel but just found it not to be my favorite. I'm pretty sure I was destined to be an english rider as I look at my horsey toys from about age 6. Warmblood breyers, english saddles etc.

Answer 20

I only rode Western for a few months but I found it hard to tack up and I didn't like traveling at a slow pace. I thought I would try English just to see what it was like and I really liked the saddle(I find it comfy) and the closeness of the horse. I also find it soooo much easier to tack up! A few other reasons I stuck with English is because the horses look good doing what they do, I like what English riders wear, It feels more proper, and Jumping looked really cool!

I would have to say English H/J

but I do enjoy Western every now and then for a relaxed ride.

Answer 21

I prefer English as I like closer contact between myself and the horse.  My seat and legs are integral to my riding and I feel that the heavier western saddle with the thicker/wider stirrups do not allow for as subtle of a cue.

Answer 22

English, because it doesn't make me feel like a lazy-ace. i can be more correct while riding english, i just feel more proper, and it's more exciting, in a way.

Answer 23

I like western a little better.  I love the slow job that I can get from my western horses and I feel more secure in a western saddle.  But jumping is fun too!

Answer 24

i like the western better, i feel more comfortable in the saddle and have room to move.i like having the horn to hold onto, if my horse acts up. i dont know why but i feel like i have more control

the english i dont like cause i feel like im cramped up. but i will ride english here and there but its a rare thing for me to do its usually twice a year that ill ride english.

Answer 25

I have ridden both, and I prefer to ride English. My horse feels comfortable being ridden in both, but I feel more comfortable riding english. Especially since those dressage saddles are so comfy. I like Western also, but I'd much rather ride English. I don't know why exactly, I just like it a tad bit more :)

Answer 26

i love riding western because you become one with the horse. it's so subtle but you move with him. {and cause you get to look all show-offy in your silver saddles and chaps} where you don't have the option of that in english.

Answer 27

english

Answer 28

ENGLISH!!!!!! i rode western, and to me, it felt lazy, no offense to all you western folk... but i also LOVE the attire you wear, the events all of it!

Answer 29

I like english when I'm actually working on something, because for me, it's easier to move around in and to feel what the horse is doing. Plus, the saddle doesn't get in the way as much

I like western for long rides, or when starting a young horse, because it gives me more stability and I can grab onto the horn if there are problems!

Answer 30

I have ridden countless horses both english and western. For me western in my current favorite but only becouse I am barrel racing and pole bending my newest mare. I know eventually I'll want to jump again so mabye in a few years english will be my fav!