...English To Western...

[Jump The Moon]

ENGLISH TO WESTERN!!

The Horse:

How hard is it to train an english horse to go western?
Billy's well trained in english, but I've always wondered about western...
I know training is hard, and good to be done by experienced people but do you think it could be done? I believe he'd enjoy western, alike to english, and he lopes out of choice!

The Rider:

I'm an all-english rider, have been for 12 years now! (That makes me sound old, not 14 lol) and I am whondering how hard it would be for me to change my own riding to western style, or to learn western atleast. Ofcourse, I would want to know I enjoy western and have learnt the basics first before attempting to teach Billy it (with a trainer too!) so I didn't waste money on buying tack, teaching him something I wouldn't enjoy.
Do you think it would be hard for me to learn western aswell ?

[lacyloo]

I switch back and forth from western to English and the only difference is, in western you are a lot more relaxed because your feet aren't all jacked up in the stirrups. ;)
But, I think It would be good for you to ride in western for a while and see if you really like it. I also fine the western people a little less snotty acting.
I think Billy would look cute in a western saddle. :)
Good luck~ !!~

[rocknK]

My daughter's 3rd level dressage horse goes "western" all the time. A well-behaved horse & an educated rider can do just about anything. Good luck.:cowboy:

[ImaBronsonBear]

Yeah, an english horse can go western. Probably the hardest thing to accustome yourself and Billy to (if you really went to go all out) would be no contact with the bit and neck reining. But if you don't want to train him to do that, just throw the western saddle on and ride him as you choose!

[Jump The Moon]

Lol yes, thanks, well he only goes "on the bit" if I really ask him too, he seems happier to pootle along without much of a contact really. Having said that, galloping him without a contact would be ... interesting lol.

I'd like to teach him some western too, neck reining and maybe even a sliding stop (it looks hard!!)

[ImaBronsonBear]

Lol yes, thanks, well he only goes "on the bit" if I really ask him too, he seems happier to pootle along without much of a contact really. Having said that, galloping him without a contact would be ... interesting lol.

I'd like to teach him some western too, neck reining and maybe even a sliding stop (it looks hard!!)

Yeah, and with my Western horse if you had contact with him at any gait for a consistent amount of time, would think i was killing him.:) At a gallop i just have to sit back and say "eeeasssy" and he'll slow down with little to no bit contact, but that's how he was trained.

Western is fun, you can neck rein in a snaffle if you want to, and a sliding stop isn't really all that hard. Bronson will tuck and slide a bit, but to do those fancy 20+ foot slides the reiners do, you need special shoes on their back hooves to help them slide and fetlock boots to make sure they don't scrape up their fetlocks and get scared to slide!

[Jump The Moon]

Thanks Bronson, I hope one day Billy and I can gallop without feeling totally terrified without much contact lol.

[ImaBronsonBear]

Thanks Bronson, I hope one day Billy and I can gallop without feeling totally terrified without much contact lol.

Oh, i'm sure it's possible.:) But then again, Brig, my horse that has always been ridden English, totally freaks out without contact at the higher gaits. His head will go up and you can just see him thinking "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, i'm gonna die!!!!!" As soon as he feels the reins, he's totally fine. But i don't think you could pay me to gallop him without contact - he's 21 and he ain't learnin' any more new tricks.:p

[luvs2ride1979]

Good neck reining comes from your seat and legs. The neck rein part just tells them which way to point their head ;). You can "wean" your horse off rein cues by using less and less, with more assertive leg cues. Also LOOKING around your turns helps the horse, so your shoulders are pointing in the direction you want to go. My mare will neck rein fine in her snaffle, unless she's in heat of course, lol.

A good western position is the same as Dressage (or should be anyway), so you might want to take some Dressage lessons to get used to the longer stirrup length and learn to use your seat and leg aids more effectively. Your transition to western will be easier after that.