English or western riding??

Question

I have been in horse riding lessons since i was about 5 or 6 but i stopped when i was around 13 I'm now 15 and I'm thinking about riding again.

My question is which type of riding is easier to learn?

I've always rode western but now I'm interested in english and my parents all ready told me they would buy me a horse ( i live on a farm so its so problem)

Answer 1

i have heard english is easy but i learned western and i hate english but mabey thats just me being a country gurl

Answer 2

Well it really depends on what you want to do. If you just want to ride around your farm, or go on a few trail rides then I would say western. If you are wanting to do something competitve then you can do either.

Here is the big difference between the two.

English is a little more difficult to learn but it will make you a much better rider. If you learn English you can pretty much do anything in Western. If you choose English you can compete in dressage, show jumping or 3 day eventing which is a combination of dressage, show jumping and cross country. Three day eventing is pretty much the best of all three fields. The draw back to English is that it can be VERY expensive!!! If you participate in cross country you will need atleast two different saddles, one for dressage and one for jumping. The fee to enter events is generally more expensive than Western also. And depending on where you live they can be harder to find.

Western riding is easier to learn mostly because of the saddle and the relaxed way that you ride. You don't use your hands as much and you almost never have your leg on the horse. It is a very relaxed seat. In western riding you can do barrell racing, run poles and compete in play days. Play days are generally a low entry fee and can be very fun with about five different events to complete. With western riding you will only need the one saddle. I would suggest a barrell saddle because they are much lighter than a pleasure saddle and much more comfortable. They are really the best type for play days. Western riding is generally cheaper because you don't need as much gear and it is generally from my experience a much more relaxed atmosphere.

It really depends on what you want to do with your riding as to which to choose. It will also depend on how much time you have to dedicate to training your horse and yourself. English in general takes more time to train and you will need a trainer for you and your horse. Western doesn't take as much time to master but you will probably need a trainer depending on what you want to do.

I would suggest going to some of the different Western and English events and watching several of them. What ever seems the most interesting to you is what I would go with. You will need to buy some what of a specificly trained horse for which ever type you decide so you need to decide first. You can also just take a few lessons in both riding styles before you decide which way to go. I would suggest taking some lessons for a few months before you buy another horse just to make sure that you really do want to commit to this!

Good luck to you - I hope this helps! I know that it is a hard decision to make!

Answer 3

Depends on you. If you are committed you can do either.

http://www.saferhorseracing.com/gpage22....

Answer 4

Ask this in the Horses section in Pets.

Personally, I like English a lot better and I find it more comfortable. It was really easy for me to learn, but some people find Western easier. Try each one for a month and then stick with the one you prefer

Answer 5

i had a very similar scenario and i chose english. its much easier to learn and you can really take it far, i showjump and do cross country on my horse all the time because of how i learned english. in my opinion its more fun and rewarding than western. it can also be a bit more challenging.