Western or English Saddles - Which do you prefer??

[shadehawk]

Hi, I was just curious.  Seems that we have a lot of horse lovers out there.  I lived out on the west coast and saw mostly western riding - as the people that I ran into were real cowboys, working on the ranges with cattle and horses all day. 

I rode western for years, my horse was western and very well trained when I bought him.  I could shoot warning shots off him, when the coyotes got too close to my dogs when we were out in the bush riding.  By the way, it was just a 22-rifle (we had loads of coyotes and bears around our place).  When I was a kid I used an english saddle and really like it.  The saddle I have now is an western endurance saddle and hopefully some day will be able to use it again.

Shade 

[Linds]

English is what I've spent most of my time doing, and my horse is definately an english horse but i've doen both and nothing beats a long trail in a good Hereford saddle..it's like a lazy boy on the horses back.

fun

linds

[missmyknee]

English saddle is the only way I've done. I loved jumping til I broke my leg. I tried to ride 2 yrs from accident and do dressage but it was too painful. I was told to try Western as it would be better for my leg.

Pam

[canadianbacon97]

I definetly have to say I prefer english since I am hooked on eventing... 

I would like to learn a bit more about western though, I have been totally enticed by the whole ranching idea... 

Laura

[BadDog]

I use a Panhandle 'Roper' western when farming - If you're gonna sit for 6 or 7 hours on a horse you need something comfy underneath.  For Eventing I use a 'John Whittaker' Avanzata saddle which is 'seat-perfect' and an Amerigo DS saddle for dressage which is ridiculously comfortable.

[just_jill]

Okay, I'll be the oddball ...WESTERN!!   Love to just "sit back and cadillac" on a horse with a pretty lil western pleasure jog & lope. 

I've been riding since I was 11 and have always preferred western (was never comfortable riding english, even though I always did well).   I'll admit though, this past summer I had a ball  showing my daughter's horse English.   We're showing on the buckskin circuit in Mich and I'd ride in a couple Englsh classes at each show ...couple of us "amateurs" would go out and just have fun.  Made it all good to pick up a few national points while we were at it! 
 
Daughter took the mare from me a couple years ago and I got myself a new "bucky" project that I showed for 2 years.  He's now 5 and my stepdaughter is taking him out to show this summer.  So .....no show horse for me again, unless I hop on one of the girl's horses.  Guess it's probably a good thing though, since I just had AMZ surgery 1/28.    Doc said approx 4 month rehab time and then I'd probably be able to start riding again!  I'm playing it on the safe side and shooting for about 6 months to return to riding!  We'll see how it goes!

English/Western ... It's all good!

Here's too healthy knees and being back in the saddle again!

jill

[rivenrose]

I ride western, and give lessons western.
I rode english competitively, jump, dressage, and show, for several years when I was younger.

IMHO, english horses need to be good horses, but western horses can be crappy, they need good riders. The worst horse in the world can be western, because a great rider can make a horse do what she/he wants.
I know from experience, because I rode one of the most stubborn horses in existence. Western is more legs and arms, English is more weight shifting, so english isnt my favorite anymore.

hmm what else. Oh yeah. I definitely don't "ranch" with western horses, western can be pleasure as well as work. Western horses tend to react better, and in some cases are less skittish than english horses. And I love Western saddles... more comfortable on the knees, because of the longer stirrups, and lets face it, my knees control much of my sporting. 

~Lauren~
xox

[Beauzer]

I grew up riding western.  (Not that I ride all that well anyway, mind you).  My sister-in-law raises/trains hunter-jumpers.  I spent a summer on her farm sliding off english saddles.  She kept laughing at me. 

[fuffy]

 :-\Hi there
I compete in dressage, showjumping, cross country and showing, so I'm afraid I have to say "English".
Last year my horse had a sore back and I had to order a new saddle for her so I spent 10 weeks riding bareback just with a numnah held on by a surcingle. I had the time of my life pretending to be a "Happy Hacker". I went over all kinds of terraine, up & down hills and on the beach in walk, trot and canter. Unfortunately I was not allowed to compete without a saddle or I would have done!
Wish I could do that now!!!!