If a teenager wanted to take horse back riding lessons how does one decide which discipline to start with?

Question

how does one decide between english or western, dressage or saddleseat or any of the other types of riding out there.

Answer 1

A western is easier to learn on, but you will discover your faults faster with an English seat. I think after learning the basics of walk,trot, and canter or ,lope if you prefer, and stop.

I would highly recommend the first few level of dressage.

If you have a chance, ride with no tack, with someone leading or lunging the horse.

Otherwise keep your options open and learn that there is more then one way to ride a horse.

Somehow I have done allot more trail riding lately, and I went with an Aussie saddle,  I like it but it is different, kind of like a western saddle but more forward, it sure keeps me conscious of keeping my back straight.

Answer 2

It is really a matter of personal preference. Go to some shows just to watch and see what appeals to your teen. Another factor is what lessons are available in your area. In my area the instructors all teach dressage or hunter/jumper. I would be out of luck if I needed a cutting or reining teacher!

Answer 3

Western is the easiest. English riding is the basis for moving onto Saddleseat or Dressage. So, I would recommend taking English. Once you have learned that it is not that difficult to learn Western, or to move onto the more advanced forms

Answer 4

Depends mostly on what one wants to do. For example, jumping. If one wants to do cross country, hunter, or showjumping, one goes with English riding. If one is interested in rodeo, one goes with Western.

I was lucky enough to find a barn that offers both disciplines. Usually, I ride English. But some days, I ride Western.

E-mail me at [e-mail] and once you decide between English and Western, I can help any further choices!!!!

Answer 5

bareback and naked

Answer 6

Try riding in an english and western saddle and decide which one you prefer.

Once you do that, your choices narrow down.

Then once you decide english or western, EXPERIMENT! Try the things you want to do to see what you like.

Once you experiment enough you'll find what you like and then you've got what kind of riding you prefer.

But always start with the style (English or Western).

I won't tell you what to try, since people are different, but I can honestly say after doing both a fair bit, I prefer Western.

Personally, I started with English at a week-long horse camp, but then I went to a trail riding place where we used western saddles and I prefered that, so I switched to Western.

After moving across the country and down into another country (eastern Canada to western USA), I tried different lesson places and alternated with English and Western because of it.

Now, about 5 years after moving to and from the U.S, I still prefer Western.

I'm going to try English again. I learned everything I needed to know with basic western so I'm going to try English... again...

Explore your options, but just take two lessons where you try English and then western on a horse.

Answer 7

i say barrel racing or jumping BOTH are really fun, english may seem boring at first.....