English Vs. Western Riding

It can be tricky for people to learn horseback riding as it requires a lot of strength and other techniques. Most people come up with the question – “what’s the difference between English and Western riding?” Though there are plenty of horse riding styles, Western and English riding are the most common styles in North America.

To learn the basics of horse riding, it’s essential to first choose your style and then begin with the main scenario. Similarly, it will be more feasible to start with one and then be a professional in any sort of horse riding technique.

Here are some of the significant points of English Vs. Western Riding –

Tack/Equipment for English Vs. Western Riding:

The significant difference between English and Western horse riding is the use of different horse equipment. Among all of them, the saddle style is the one that totally changes the game. The saddle used in Western horse riding is bigger and heavier in comparison with the English saddle. More so, the western ones are design to be more comforting in order to spend long hours on the horse.

Points of difference among the two forms of saddles –

• The Western-style of horse riding is preferable by cowboys as the weight is evenly distributed on the horse’s back.
• It does not cause irritation to the horse, and the rider can also stay comfortable for long hours.
• English riding style is preferable for small rides or disciplines that need high speed.
• The use of a heavy saddle in jumping will not be suitable for the horse.
• The English saddle makes it easy for riders to go for a fast riding discipline like hunting or jumping.

More so, it doesn’t matter if you prefer the Western or English style of riding; there are a variety of options that you can choose for horse riding discipline. Also, you can go through our website to buy a horse saddle online as per your style of riding.

Discipline of Horse Riding:

When the rider gets into the advanced version of horse riding, they will look into more convenient disciplines for their field of work. Some horse riding disciplines can be more specific to either of the riding styles. Though it’s not essential to be involved in either of the riding styles yet one’s ability to participate in any will improve their skills.

Here are some of the famous horse disciples of English vs. Western horse riding –

• Dressage – It is a common event of horse riding where the rider shows how well they have trained their horse. It needs proper communication, and for that, the English riding style is the first choice for the use of the saddle. Along with proper connection, they also need to look elegant, which is only possible with an English saddle style.
• Jumping – The jumping discipline of horse riding is quite common and requires lightweight saddles for ease and flexibility. Therefore, most riders choose an English saddle as it is less heavy than the western one.
• Roping – It is an event where the rider needs to act fast without falling from the horse. Since the rider has to maintain balance and weight, the Western style of horse riding is preferable in this case.
• Reining – It is said to be the Western style of dressage, but that requires the rider and the horse to stay at comfort. Here, the rider has to skillfully guide the horse through a series of patterns such as – circles, spins, and turns.
• Eventing – This discipline of horse riding is considered to be the ultimate test. Here, the rider puts their flexibility and versatility of horse riding in front. The show goes on for three days where the rider needs to perform – dressage, cross-country, and jumping. Thus, it also requires the rider to use an English saddle.

Which style of horse riding is better?

In comparison with English Vs. Western Riding, you need to know which riding style will be of use in the future. Though there are notable differences in both the riding styles yet, we cannot compare them simultaneously. It won’t be wrong to say that every style of horse riding comes down to the preference of the horse rider.

More so, if you know the discipline of horse riding, you can choose depending on that. Lastly, you can purchase a horse saddle online through our website as per your feasibility.