Please explain what is "English Ridding" and "Western Riding", what are their similarities and differences?
22.February, 2009
I'm a beginner rider from Sri Lanka and still learning the basics and I've heard these terms a lot of times but do not exactly understand what each of them mean exactly with respect to the riding technique and how they are different from each other and also its similarities.
I know it might be difficult to explain with a few sentences sorry 
Thanks in advance for your answers.
Weastern: Western is riding with a western saddel whitch is much bigger and more confy! The bridle is usually a chain bit or curve bit but there are other types. You hold the reins with one hand and very loose this is because the bit is much harsher on the horses mouth, the stirrups are much thicker and leather. The gaints are walk, jog, lope and gallop. In shows they do ropeing, pole bending, barrel raceing etc.
English: English is in a smaller more refined saddel. The bridle is usually a snaffel or other types too. You hold the reins tight and in 2 hands. This is because the bit is a lot less harsh.The sttirups are thin and metal. The gaints are walk, trot, canter, and gallop. At a trot the rider does a Posting trot. At shows people do jumping, dressage, and cross country.
Do I make sense I'm afraid that was all horse talk! Any way that's the diffrence.
7 Comments für “Please explain what is "English Ridding" and "Western Riding", what are their similarities and differences?”
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22.February, 2009 um 3:22 pm
Western Riding follows the ways of he cowboys, with big saddles and strong bits to get immediate responses from their horses. (this is from an english riders Point of view. Most of their horses, like english ridden ones, are well looked after and happy)
English riding follows the classical way, and can be more demanding seat wise. This is the way you see in compitions and jumping.
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22.February, 2009 um 3:57 pm
well you dismount diferently bacause western saddles kind of sit into the back so they very strurdy this makes it ok ti keep one foot in the stirup and kinda step down whearas english you take both feet out of the stirrups and spring down. another difference is that in western riding you neck rein so instead of yanking the reins out to the side to steer you almost pull them against the neck and the turn it is hard and confusing the girth is called a cinch in western and the throatlash is a throatlatch i think
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22.February, 2009 um 4:28 pm
Englsih riding- you hold on to both reins and your stirrups are quite short- so if you were sitting on the horse with your legs straight down out of the stirrups then the bottom of the stirrups would be at your ankles. English riding is very professional and showy.
Western riding-it is very laid back with long stirrups. You hold unto the reins with one hand and the other hand would have been used by cowboys for their lasso(Western riding was developed by cowboys so they could spend long hours in the saddle without getting sore) In western riding you can't jump like you can in english.
If you want to actually see what it is like go to youtube.com and type in western ridinig and watch a video then type in english riding after and watch a video on it. You will see the difference.
References :
22.February, 2009 um 4:37 pm
Weastern: Western is riding with a western saddel whitch is much bigger and more confy! The bridle is usually a chain bit or curve bit but there are other types. You hold the reins with one hand and very loose this is because the bit is much harsher on the horses mouth, the stirrups are much thicker and leather. The gaints are walk, jog, lope and gallop. In shows they do ropeing, pole bending, barrel raceing etc.
English: English is in a smaller more refined saddel. The bridle is usually a snaffel or other types too. You hold the reins tight and in 2 hands. This is because the bit is a lot less harsh.The sttirups are thin and metal. The gaints are walk, trot, canter, and gallop. At a trot the rider does a Posting trot. At shows people do jumping, dressage, and cross country.
Do I make sense I'm afraid that was all horse talk! Any way that's the diffrence.
References :
22.February, 2009 um 5:12 pm
Here are some sites to read, hope they help!
http://www.equiworld.net/uk/sports/western/westernintroduction/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_riding
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_riding
http://horses.about.com/od/horsesportsexplained/p/engwestdiff.htm
http://www.pvpusd.k12.ca.us/pvsports/eq/diffbtwn.html
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22.February, 2009 um 5:56 pm
Western riding is used in ranch and farm work and has a bigger saddle with a horn, traditionaly used for looping the rope around.
Here are some pics of western riding.
http://www.horsetackinternational.com/images/DS600l-saddle.jpg
The saddle
http://www.uniquequarterhorses.co.uk/pc_images_1.jpg
Trail class
http://www.twinstreamsequestrian.com/images/ken_2003.jpg
Pleasure
http://www.macadamiadesign.com/limousin-quarter-horses/images/missysliding.jpg
reining
http://www.northseatraders.com/Ash%20Willy%20Barrels%20OR.jpg
barrels
http://72.3.155.221/img/photos/2006/10/23/High_School_Rodeo_SUN_1006_2_HS_t180.jpg
pole bending
ENGLISH
English riding originated in england and has a smaller lighter saddle.English riding is commonly said to be more challenging as the smaller saddles provide MUCH less grip and there is nothing to hold onto or lean back on. Stirrups are also much lighter
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.3gemstack.com/catalog/15578.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.3gemstack.com/servlet/Categories%3Fcategory%3DSADDLES%253AEnglish&h=500&w=500&sz=35&hl=en&start=27&sig2=eNQKKPLTOea9gq6o9LnfIg&um=1&tbnid=t5HVPbD_LjL9YM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=130&ei=J0q7R_yRDYbcigGKt_ygCQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Denglish%2Bsaddle%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rlz%3D1T4ADBF_enUS253US253%26sa%3DN
Saddle
http://www.whitethornfarm.com/Piketcanter.jpg
Dressage
http://www.saddlebredsarefun.com/Images/SB%20Jump/Pinto%20Mare%20jump%20640.JPG
Jumping
http://www.epworthequestrian.com/image-files/cross-country-foxpitt-1.jpg
cross country
http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=85220
fox hunting
U can find videos of both styles on youtube
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22.February, 2009 um 6:13 pm
There isn't that much difference really.
Western horses neck rein (ride with one hand) and are ridden in big comfy saddles. Western is great for pleasure, barrel racing, reining, cutting, roping, games, etc.
English horses direct rein and use smaller saddles. They are good for hunter jumper, dressage, eventing, etc
Some people may not think so, but these two disciplines are more alike than different. It's like choosing a violin or fiddle. For example, reining is basically dressage in a western saddle. I use my horse for eventing, but ride western with him all the time. He neck reins easily and enjoys the change.
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