May
5
Re: HORSEBACK RIDING LESSONS FOR A BEGINNER!?
Hi, I am looking to get into horseback riding soon. But i am having a hard time deciding if i should go into english or western riding? What would be easier/ better for me being a beginner and just starting off lessons? I have riddin horses about 30 times, but only on a trail, and i would love to learn more. Oh and what are some questions i should ask the stable / trainer ?
It really depends on what you want to learn and what area you’re in. In my area, the ratio of English to Western barns is about 6:1. So the majority of the people around here ride English. What are you looking to learn? Are you wanting to learn dressage or jumping? Or maybe barrels and penning? If you want to jump, go with English, if you want to do barrels then go for Western. There’s a ton of difference between the two styles (saddle type, amount of contact, reining, etc) but they’re both tons of fun and you’ll have lots to learn between the two of them!
Personally, I started out Western and decided to switch to English because it was more convenient for me. But once you start out you may decide to get even more specific – I started out with flat basics and moved to jumping but then switched to dressage because I felt like I had more to learn there. But you’ll discover what you like more as you ride more!
When you look for a barn, you’ll want to make sure that the horses are happy and healthy and that the staff knows what they’re doing. I work at an English lesson barn and we get potential customers all the time. Also make sure the place is neat and organized. Ask some clients whether or not they’d recommend the place, etc.
Good luck!
May 5th, 2010 at 5:59 pm
Eastern!
Riding western is ‘just going along for the ride’. Eastern teaches you control, technique, and is a heck of a lot more comfortable! And eastern also allows for you to bond with your horse. And if you’re taking lessons, you will most likely have the same horse week in and week out.
Having ridden both and taken lessons for 5 years, go with eastern.
References :
May 5th, 2010 at 6:35 pm
I would go with western. it is a lot easier since there is more saddle and if you feel like your going to fall you can grab the horn (otherwise DO NOT grab the horn…its annoying to watch lol). Western is more laid back and slower (in a good way) but remember that no matter what horse you ride it may not be a slow jog. :]
English has A LOT less saddle, which isnt a bad thing, but its going to be a little more difficult at first. If you start to fall or slip you have nothing but mane to grab. English also requires you to post and learn diagonials, which requires counting and rising and sitting at the right points. Some people at first consider this too much when starting out.
Another factor in your decision will be the barn you choose. Some barns only do english or just western. Some do both. I would go with a place that does both so youll always have an option. Make sure that the barn and person you pick are comfortable to be around and they dont force you to try anything you arent ready for. Also make sure the horses are well taken care of!!!
References :
i ride english and western on my appy mare.. have done EVERYTHING english and western.
May 5th, 2010 at 7:08 pm
It depends. What do you want to learn? Dressage/Jumping or things like barrel racing and pole bending? If you want to learn Dressage or you want to jump, ride english. If you want to do the other things mentioned above, plus reining and such, ride western. English may seem like a lot at first, but once you get the hang of it it’s really fun and it gets easier.
References :
May 5th, 2010 at 7:31 pm
It really depends on what you want to learn and what area you’re in. In my area, the ratio of English to Western barns is about 6:1. So the majority of the people around here ride English. What are you looking to learn? Are you wanting to learn dressage or jumping? Or maybe barrels and penning? If you want to jump, go with English, if you want to do barrels then go for Western. There’s a ton of difference between the two styles (saddle type, amount of contact, reining, etc) but they’re both tons of fun and you’ll have lots to learn between the two of them!
Personally, I started out Western and decided to switch to English because it was more convenient for me. But once you start out you may decide to get even more specific – I started out with flat basics and moved to jumping but then switched to dressage because I felt like I had more to learn there. But you’ll discover what you like more as you ride more!
When you look for a barn, you’ll want to make sure that the horses are happy and healthy and that the staff knows what they’re doing. I work at an English lesson barn and we get potential customers all the time. Also make sure the place is neat and organized. Ask some clients whether or not they’d recommend the place, etc.
Good luck!
References :
May 5th, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Riding English is better because it makes you more considerate of the comfort of the horse, you will learn more about control and how the horse’s body works in relation to the rider. It is easier to get into Western from English than it is to go from Western to English. And there is more you can do with English as opposed to Western. They are totally different. Western is rather looser in the seat and if you were to try Western first and then English you would find the transition difficult.
As for questions, when you go on the yard the horses should look clean and comfortable and content, with good bedding to encourage them to lie down and rest, with plenty of water available. The yard should be well swept and tidy with no tools lying around for horses and riders to get caught up on. Riding should only be allowed with hard hats and if you can watch a lesson, so much the better. Look for riders enjoying their lessons, instructors explaining something patiently and re explaining if necessary and the rules of the school should be observed at all times. These should include faster pace taking the outside track, if riding in opposite directions riders should give enough space when passing and pass left hand to right hand so everyone knows where they are going, the door should be kept free when someone is entering or leaving the arena so that horses do not get run over by others or duck out the door!
Make sure that all instructors are qualified or students teaching under supervision and that all instructors have undergone CRB checks and are okay to work with children.
References :
Riding instructor, English.
May 5th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
To the first answerer lol what the heck is eastern???
I ride English so I’m biased. I love it. But I started our on western then after a year graduated to english.
References :