Horseback Riding

Horseback riding is a long standing activity which really started out as a necessity as far back as ancient times. As you probably know, horses have always been thought of as a working animal, hence the term ‘workhorse’, and they were also utilized as a means of transportation. Even though ranchers and the like still utilize them in this way, Horseback riding has become a very popular sport with quite a few new categories based from it such as competitions and rodeos.

If you’re new to Horseback riding, you’ll want to know the differences of the two basic styles which are Western and English so that you can decide which is best suited to your interests. The bottom line is the same for both methods and involves staying on top of the horse while using some form of communication to (hopefully) get it to do what you want.

Western horseback riding is much different from the traditional English riding style. Instead of focusing on perfected and conditioned form, the western technique relies more on the horse’s natural step which results in a more casual and fluid motion. As you might guess, this style is what is utilized for long and/or rigorous trail rides like those that you would experience at a dude ranch.

Additionally, the western trained horse is taught to move away from pressure, including weight. This means that the rider’s weight is on the outside of the horse. If it’s a well-tuned team of horse and rider, the rider would be sitting pretty much in the middle of the saddle. The principle is that you are steering the horse into the direction it is supposed to go, instead if positioning your weight where you expect the horse to follow.

English style horseback riding is based on highly organized disciplines and requires the use of an English saddle, which is more lightweight than a Western saddle. There are specific techniques that English style riders are trained with because these are the methods used for judging equestrian shows and competitions. An English trained horse is meant to do everything exactly as the rider instructs it to as this style was designed to show that while the horse is at its peak fitness, it also remains obedient and submissive to its rider.

Most beginning riders feel more comfortable with the Western style because it offers more of a sense of security as the Western gear is larger and heavier. Also, Western generally uses a longer stirrup which allows for better contact between the horse and its rider. Of course, the choice for which horseback riding style you prefer is ultimately up to you.

Filed under: horseback riding

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