English is the only way to ride.

[RackingHorse]

I have been riding horses since I was 14 yrs old. My mom decided that I needed something to take up my time during the summer so we got horses.

At that point we began trail riding the horses. Everyone around me went with the traditional western tack. But I decided to try out english.

Needless to say I never went back after about two rides. The comfort of not having the pommel between your thighs and chaffing me is all it took.

Where did everyone else start thier english affair?

[rhapsody]

I learnt to ride english.....where I was taught they only taught english and after 15 years have only ever ridden western on a few occasions on trail rides.

I admit that riding western is more comfortable if you are trail riding but I love jumping, dressage, showing and eventing so its english all the way for me. I really do prefer the feel of an english saddle as well :D

[ArabianPrincess]

I've ridden English all my life.
I enjoy riding English i guess if you can ride English you can ride anything (not horse wise). I've ridden western 4 times i do like it however I'd never change.

[Cera]

I ride english always have. I have ridden western and enjoy it but I prefer english.

What about members that ride western?? How about telling us why they think western is better :D

[aussieannie]

All riding requires skill different from any other sport. Core stability is the key to any enjoyable riding.
To be able to ride any style requires a rider to be in tune with their horse.
I am a dressage event rider but love the lope of a western horse.
i am a passion fan of pilates for horse riders
Each to their own as long as you love it.

[house elf]

I enjoy western because I like long rides, long hours. I like one handed riding. Western is great for speed and roping where ENglish is more jumping and hunting. I like the looser clothing that goes with western riding.

[aussieannie]

I just bought some skins to ride in. This is a super skin tight top to aid muscle recovery and temperature control. It controls the triple bounce ie breast belly and butt bounce At my age this is a plus. The western riding outfit is certainly the opposite to this as well as many other aspects of the style.
Keep with the loose cloths they are more comfortable I aggree.
love it and saty with it
cheers AA

[whisperingpines367]

I ride mostly Western because that's how I started out riding when I was young. I first tried English two years ago. I enjoyed it, and still ride English sometimes, but Western is still my thing.

[dillannie]

I always like adding to the comment pool that I spent most of my youth riding bareback. My size kept me from getting anything saddled properly and I was too busy moving trees around in the pasture jumping them to worry. I drove my Mom crazy! It was a relaxed, riding for pure joy childhood through teenage years. Needless to say, I didn't get caught up in anything fancy. When I did put a saddle on, it was western.

[miriameme]

We must have had the same type of freedom when riding as kids. I loved the look on my mother's face when she came out and saw that I had stacked trees on top of each other and were jumping them at full gallop. One of my better horse memories!