Why do you ride the style you do?!?

Question

i was watching my trainer ride the other day and realized "THAT is why i LOVE eventing" she had complete control while doing a 4' course... and they never missed a step.. she then went and did a perfectly balanced flying change after bringing the horse down from a gallop it was just amazing [=

so why do you do what you do?

and was the the first style you tried? or did it take you a few styles to get there?

lets hear it!

Answer 1

Learned English, then Western, Eventing, Team Penning, Trail.  I enjoy riding on trails in a trail saddle with friends.  There is no pressure of the show ring and lots of enjoyment.

Answer 2

i do western for roping bulls and just riding, more comfortable in my opinon, alot of ppl say they went to english for jumping, even tho i dont do it for sport i can put my 50 or so pound western saddle on my horse and he can jump over almost anything in my way

Answer 3

I learned how to ride in an English saddle when I was 7, and then about 4 years later I decided that I hated how precise you had to be in dressage, and how it was just the same thing over and over again. When I was 12, I decided to try out barrel racing at my neighbours, and I convinced my parents to buy me a barrel horse (I didn't have my own horse then, but we had other horses because we keep our horses here). I got my barrel horse, and I totally immersed myself into barrels. I did some penning, a bit of everything. 2 things happened on my 13th birthday. 1) My dad 'gave' me Optimus (my eventer, he was my dad's project horse for a few years and I was utterly in love with this horse) and 2) I broke my leg. I had about a 6 month recovery time, and my parents didn't want me doing barrels anymore, so I just started off doing some light dressage work in my old English saddle (until I rebuilt my muscle). I realized how much I missed dressage and jumping. I never picked barrel racing back up again. After my leg broke,  we kept my barrel horse for about a year after, he really was a great horse, we just couldn't give him up, and whenever friends would come over, they'd just ride him. Last Christmas, my parents told me that we had to sell him. It's okay though, because he went a few farms down and now he's living on a farm that runs riding lessons and he's the couple who own's the barn's 2 children's horse and they LOVE him to death so I see him every so often. I event now, and every so often I'll go over to see him and ride some barrels (the kids love seeing their horsie in action), but other than that, I don't do Western much anymore. Occasionally I'll throw a western saddle on our ranch horse Ray and go for a nice hack, but other than that, that was it with my involvment with the western world. I totally respect it and I loved it while I was doing it, but in the end, it just wasn't for me.

Answer 4

I started western for about a month...and i knew it wasnt for me.

I love jumping because when I watch horses doing the Grand Prix courses it is just amazing, the bond between horse and rider and also the athleticness of the horse and rider. (is athleticness a word...?)

But it's also very thrilling. Jumping is the closest you have to flying. And you need a very strong relationship with your horse, or she/he will not go.

Answer 5

To me I like seeing a good relationship and good team work between horse and rider, that is why I HATE times events ei. most western events (sorry to any western riders out there this is an opinion) I also don't like going crazy fast or crazy slow lol...so pleasure isn't good either.

I HATED EVENTING when I tried it...just wasn't my thing plain and simple. Didn't like dressage (I like being collected but I hate doing the tests *gag*) and I 100% DESPISE CROSS COUNTRY I see no point and no fun in galloping my horse to death over solid jumps in the field or woods o.O

I appsolutely could not live without jumping ^^ but again I didn't like going fast so Show Jumping didn't work...so HUNTER/JUMPER IS SOOOO MY THING xDDDD

Of course if I had to pick between never riding again, or a disopline I didn't like (ei. barrel racing) I would just barrel race...my love of horses exceeds by desire to choice a specific disipline :)

Again, sorry if anyone was offended by my remarks on XC or western riding I have opinions and I am sure there are many people out there who don't like Hunter so yeah...lol

Oh, and XC just freaks me out o.O that is another reason I didn't like it lol idk why haha

Answer 6

I don't compete on my horse.  After working 8-10 hours every day and keeping a busy sales office on track I don't need any more pressure.  I trail ride exclusively and I love it! There is nothing else I would rather do than ride my horse through the woods on a crisp fall day.  That is the ultimate for me and my horse.  If you care, I ride in a western saddle, mostly because it feels more secure to me while going up and down hills and through streams and mud.  I am looking into getting a Bob Marshall treeless saddle so I can feel even closer to my horse.  

I have recently got my mini donkey started pulling a cart.  Trained him myself.  That has been very rewarding to me.  We have gone out on the trails, just me and my donk.  He loves it almost as much as I do.

Answer 7

I ride western because it's fun and exciting its thrilling to watch and to do (dont get me wrong so is all the english riding) I grew up riding western and I guess always liked it.Its hard to explain.

Answer 8

Mine was the second one.  I ride english, and I'd been thrown up on a western saddle since I was young.  I ride it because I need to 'talk' to my horse.  I communicate using my entire body, weight, hands, legs, feet, knees, I am always talking to my horse and he/she is always talking back.  Because of the rigidity and size of a western saddle, there is a language barrier.  Generally my mount and I both get frustrated enough to just end the ride and start over again with an english saddle later.

Hugs and Blessed be

Angi

Answer 9

i ride western.

(because cowboys look silly riding sidesaddle)

Answer 10

While I dont compete and only ride on trails, I prefer riding in english saddles to help with my overall balance and riding position. I have ridden in western and stock saddles, and while I felt more secure, I felt like the saddle was doing all the work keeping me on the horse.

Now riding in an english saddle I feel more accomplished and my balance has improved so much. I can keep my seat when my horse spooks or makes sudden movements and I am yet to fall off my horse, but I know when I do its gonna hurt!

Plus I think english tack is more elegant and looks nicer on a horse

Answer 11

Western.

'Cuz you can't dally on an English saddle. Thats about it.

Answer 12

I grew up with mountain ponies trail riding in a western saddle. I always wanted to ride english though. I would read all the young rider magazines, sit in on a few pony club meetings and wish I had an english saddle for jumping. After I sold my last horse I moved to CA I still wanted to ride. 6 years later I've started taking enlish lessons. It's as fun and exciting as I hoped and I'd rather do this than anything else.

Answer 13

I grew up riding hunters and equitation horses as a kid and through my teens.  Rode dressage for a few years, took up driving and rode stock seat throughout most of my adult life.

I really enjoy the variety of different styles of riding.

About 18 years ago, I learned about easy gaited horses!

Now I am a proponent of coasting, not posting and enjoy various disciplines with my TWH's and MFT's.

Their versatility, great minds and hearts of gold impress me as much as their smooth gaits.

Edit to Jessica D -

Just as an FYI -

You might be interested to know that the TWH is an extremely versatile breed. If all you are doing is racking around a ring, then you have missed out on 90% of their potential.

My TWH's are the epitome of the all around using horse.

I team pen, hunter pace, game, work cattle and hunt cross country all on flat shod, naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horses. So to answer your statement "is that all they do?"

No, there is much more to this wonderful breed than just racking around the ring.

Feel free to email me, should you like more information.

Answer 14

I started english. Learned to post the trot and moved to western trail. After a couple years I got bored and started riding/showing my trail horse on english w/t. Then I got a hunter trainer and hunter horse and did hunters. That lasted 2 years before I got sick of losing to $100,000 horses and stupid judges. I joined Pony Club in December and have fallen in love with eventing. The only thing I can imagin trying and loving more is polo or polocrosse. Someday I am going to try it.

Yeah it took a bit for me to find my thing but luckily my beloved hunter horse learned to be a fansatic eventer. I still have a soft spot for hunters but a true hunt horse could never win and one of the fancy hunters would probably drop dead if asked to follow the hounds. I hate the divide between hunter and hunt horse.

Answer 15

Riding is a matter of moving with your horse, no matter what discipline you choose.    Choosing a style of riding, to me, has nothing to do with your ability to ride.  Riding is about communicating most eloquently and lightly with your horse and getting the maximum response.  It is an amazing feeling.   There is nothing that feels like that warmth and power and life and movement beneath you.  We ride dressage, jumping, cross country, reining, and casual riding.  We would never limit ourselves, we do it all!  It is the most fun a human can experience without being able to fly!!!!!!!

Answer 16

Western all the way! Barrel racing and gaming even at times pleasure!

Answer 17

I never really thought of it.

I don't really know why I decided to get into the western speed events. I guess it was the thrill of it all. There were two things I thought of when my horse and I were running back to the line: "I feel like I'm flying" and "I can't believe we just did that".

Western was my second style to try. Originally, I was taking english riding lessons. A bad experience there prompted me to quit riding for a few years. Then I started riding western because I felt more comfortable with the saddle. Once I found out about gaming, I was hooked.

Answer 18

i started out western, then did jumping because of the thrill, never knowing if youre gonna make the next jump. scary stuff there.

Answer 19

i was forced to do english at first then i did western and loved it when i was little my dad rode western and perfer western when you just ride i fell like you can slouch and in english you would get in big trouble western is jsut more me i agree with john r

Answer 20

Hmmm...well, I think that other styles are boring.  I do combined training--dressage and jumping.  I DON'T like cross country.  It is far too dangerous for horse and rider.  I do take some small cross-country jumps, though.  However, no matter how good you and your horse are--the jumps are solid.  If they revamp XC to make the jumps moveable/breakable, etc., I'd be more excited about it.  It seems as though they are about to do something.

Anyway, I love the control, rhythm, and discipline of dressage.  I love the adrenaline rush and excitement of jumping.  If I ride western or saddleseat, I feel like...okay...what now?  I was racking a TWH the other day and said, "OK, is this all that she does?"  Answer, "Yes."  It might have been nice back in the old days for getting from once side of a plantation to another, but after you rack a few times around the arena....yikes!  Boring!  

I know that western can be exciting, but I don't have any cattle or a lasso.  You heard about how I feel when it comes to XC.  So, dressage and jumping...there you go.

I also know what you mean about your trainer.  Just this Monday, my dressage trainer got on the pinto I ride dressage.  She was not listening to me.  It was the first time I had seen her ride in years.  She had that horse listening in no time.  I swear, it's like magic!  She is so awesome!!  She is going to go train with Mary Wanless in a few months.   Mary gave her a personal invitation after she held a clinic at my barn.  I am so excited for her and can't wait for her to impart her new knowledge to me when she returns.

Answer 21

I use to hunter/jump I lived in an urban area and went to a stable.  I moved to a small rural town and now I team penn and do barrels at play days.  I switched because it is what is available in my community.  My compromise was to go to an aussie saddle and all the cowboy and cowgirls get a kick out of that.  If I had stuck with my original sport I would not have the same community support and I would have to travel to far.

Answer 22

I did hunters/eq(and we do take our horses on drag hunts-so I guess foxhunting as well) because it's so beautiful and I love the tradition it's rooted in. A lot of people seem to discredit a good 3'6-4' hunter RIDER, yes, it takes an incredibly talented horse, but there is a reason why usually you only get pros in the 4' hunters and that's because to coast around 4' you need to be not only a balanced rider but balance your horse up immensely while trying to be as little interferance as possible. Watch the reg. working hunters one day and you will see that a good trip is absolutely breathtaking.

I switched to jumpers because my horse was more suited towards it, and because I love the thrill of a jump-off. I get such an immense thrill out of collecting up around a tight turn to come out of that turn in a gallop for the next fence. It's a big adrenaline rush to be able to stretch up into a 2-point and just let your horse rip, but then it's also nice having to think a bit(okay, do I chance taking a rail down for a tighter turn and try and shave some seconds off? Or do I ride very straight and go for sheer speed?). Same as hunters/eq, a good round is really a beautiful thing to watch.

That, and let's be honest, I do love the fashion in the h/j world. the horses, the golf carts, and even the people, I love everything about it.

Answer 23

I grew up riding western, and have done it so many years, it's like second nature.  Out of laziness as a kid, I am a good bareback rider too.

I respect other styles, I'm comfortable with the "old shoe" if you know what I mean.

I know what you're saying about your trainer, it's amazing watching a horse and rider that's really got it together.

Answer 24

Well when I first started riding, I did Western, because that's all they had, and I didn't know about the two different types of riding. So I did Western for around 2 yrs.

But then when I moved I got into English.

For me, I am more into English. I don't know why exactly, but for some reason I just feel more at home when I'm riding English, rather than Western. To me, it is more exciting, and fun (no offence to anybody who prefers Western). Western is also very fun and exciting, but for me, it's definitely English.

Answer 25

i ride western and its great just incase the horses have a case of rodeo i get to ride them out