Western horse riding tips????????????????????

Question

Ok so i ride english saddle whenever i ride. but every year i go to my cousins farm and they ride western. me and my cousin always gallop around the farm, but a wester saddl is alot wider and bigger than an english one. can any of you western riders give me tips on riding with a western saddle???

thanks!!!

Answer 1

I ride in dressage western pleasure and reining, the seat is much deeper, almost on your tail bone. (Mind you this is show, I find for trails and such is easier to just be comfortable and ride how you feel safe). In western it's ok if your heels come more forward from your hip alignment, and you lean back further. I tell my lessons that lean forward you're not far enough back until you feel like you are too far back. But if you are accomplished at english you will just have to get used to the feel!

Answer 2

i ride english all the time but have rode western. it is even more smooth i the saddle when u gallop

Answer 3

i ride western and english.

sit how you would wen riding english but with your legs slightly forward. your toes should be relaxed with light pressure in the stirrups and pointing slightly out. let your calves melt and dont use the horn or put your butt into the seat of the saddle to hold on. loosen your hips and feel with the horse but dont over bend because you'll loose your center of gravity. keep you spine long and sit tall & wen u trot u can post, two point, or just keep your weight evenly in the stirrups and your butt in the seat, squeezing gently with your upper thighs. same thing wen u run or lope, u can two point or sit back and relaxed. ask your cousin for one on one help.

have fun!

Answer 4

western is accually alot easier than english just relax you dont have to be as stiff and when you canter or gallop you just sit in the saddle you dont have to go up and down or whatever you do when you ride english it is really easy once you get the hang of it also the reins are long when you ride western and the horses head can be lower than it normally would be in english

Answer 5

if u want u can still post in a western saddle. it doesnt matter.

but rember to keep ur heels down and sit "low" in the ssaddle. relax ur body. keep a some wat loose rein (depends on horse control).

good luck :]]

Answer 6

If you can ride english you can DEFINATELY ride western!  Most of us (like me!) learned to ride western and then learned to ride english!

The biggest difference is the trot - you're suppose to sit the trot.  So find the rhythm and sit on year seat bones adn think "right, left, right, left."

The other thing is that most western horses are used to going on a much looser rein.  Watch the horse - and if he is over at the poll or starts to toss his head - that means you've got to give him more rein!

Other than that - relax and have fun!  No diagonals to worry about - ENJOY!!

Answer 7

it's actually pretty easy, i formally rode english and decided to switch to western. Just get a western and practice a little before going for your visit!

good luck

Answer 8

Pretty much all you do is sit there with your feet in the stirrups and sometimes holding on to the horn with one hand.....but you DO NOT POST you just bounce....

Answer 9

just relax, and dont think that you have to have such a tight grip cause there is not as much balancing and there are also supports to help hold you up there like the horn and back of the seat

Answer 10

k. its really easy. and the saddle has a lot more room. sit deep, keep your heels down, and only the balls of your feet in the stirrups. remember that western sturrups are further forward than english ones.