English … Western … Can’t We All Just Get Along?

In the spirit of post Election Day reconciliation, it seemed a good time to discuss our differences.  English riding versus Western riding?  Why does it have to be one or the other?  Why can’t we see the value in both?

To say that horse people have strong opinions on this topic is an understatement.  English riders call Western riders lazy and sloppy.  Western riders call English riders uptight and prissy.  What escapes notice is that both groups are accomplishing the same goal, just in a different style.

The first goal of riding is quite simple: keep the horse between you and the ground.  After that is achieved, the basic principles are the same no matter what tack you’re sitting in: relaxation, balance, feel, and timing.  You can’t move with the horse if you’re not relaxed.  If you have to unlock your hips to move with the horse’s back, you have no hope of sitting with him and allowing him to do his job.  Without that relaxation, you will never find your balance.  Your muscles will fight the movement, constantly tipping you one way or the other, and preventing you from finding the ease that comes from being balanced atop your horse.  If you don’t have relaxation and balance, you will never be able to get past what your body is doing and feel the subtle shifts in your horse’s body.  Without a feel for those subtle changes in the horse, you will never know when to give a correction, and when to release that correction so the horse understands he has done his job.

At the core is the interconnectedness of these factors that will get us to our ultimate goal: being a partner for our horse so that together we can move in harmony and accomplish more than we could have separately.  It doesn’t matter if you achieve that goal in a large saddle on a loose rein, or in a small saddle with constant rein contact, what matters in the end is the harmony of the partnership.

Getting (re)started with horseback riding

One of the things our new students despair over is finding a summary of what they need to get started with their riding lessons, and where they can buy some of the basics of what they need.  As a quick disclaimer, this is a place to start … this is meant to be short to give you a launching point on your own searches.

First of all, I will utter the ultimate controversial statement in horseback riding: It doesn’t matter if you are going to ride English or Western.  “Riding is the art of keeping the horse between you and the ground.”  That’s it.  It doesn’t matter what sort of equipment you use to get the job done, or what sort of clothes you wear.  Simply put, riding is riding.  With that cleared out of the way, here is a basic list of what you want for your first riding lessons (or the first lessons you’ve had in a looooong time).

1. A competent instructor
2. A calm horse that is accustomed to carrying beginners
3. A saddle
4. A bridle
5. A helmet that fits your head snugly and is ASTM-approved.
6. A shoe with some sort of heel.
7. Long pants
8. Layers to handle the weather and your activity level

I will expand on each of these entries:

1. Not to worry: I will write a separate post on how to recognize a competent instructor.
2. However, one way you know your instructor is competent is they will put you on a horse that can handle beginners.  Beginning riders pose a unique challenge to the horse’s ability to carry them.  You need a horse with experience in dealing with all the mistakes every beginner needs to make in order to attain mastery.
3. The stable will provide the saddle.  At this point, you just need a comfortable saddle that will allow you to relax and find your balance.  If you like the idea of sitting in a Lazy-Boy, go for Western.  If streamlined seating with very little between you and the horse is more your speed, try English.
4. The stable will also provide a bridle.  You will learn more about bridles, but at this point, English or Western doesn’t matter … you just need gear on the horse to help you learn to guide the animal.
5. Many stables will also provide loaner helmets.  If you’re not sure you want to keep up with lessons, go ahead and use the stable’s helmets.  Once you’ve decided if riding is for you, then you can buy your own.  If you’re coming back to riding lessons after a decade or two, those old plastic helmets with the velvet flocking on the outside won’t cut it.  They don’t do diddly-squat to protect your head in a crash.  If that is what the stable is providing as a loaner, I would seriously re-consider finishing the lesson.  No insurance company will cover a horseback riding business if they are not using ASTM-approved helmets.  If they are cutting corners by using old, out-of date helmets, where else are they cutting corners?

   

   What we used to think was a protective helmet

   

   This is a good starter helmet and is approved by safety agencies.

   
   

   

   This shows a pull-on jodhpur boot.

   

   Paddock boot – even a small heel is enough.

   
   
6. A shoe with a heel is for safety.  If you don’t have a heel on your shoe, it is easy for the stirrup to slide back so far that you get your foot wedged in tight.  If you fell off and your foot was too far in the stirrup, you would not be able to get clear of the horse and could get dragged.  This is a potentially fatal accident that can easily be prevented with the correct footwear.  I recommend some “paddock” or “jodhpur” boots, hiking boots that have a distinct heel, or inexpensive western boots.  You don’t need to spend a ton of money when you’re getting started.This shows a pull-on jodhpur boot.
7. You would be surprised at the number of people who show up to riding lessons in the summer in shorts.  The pants don’t have to be fancy … just long pants that are stretchy enough to allow you to swing your leg over the horse.
8. Just remember that while you are sitting down to ride, you are doing an amazing amount of work.  Be prepared to get warm and sweaty when you ride.

As for where to find what you need, the list below has websites that are some of the best starting-places I have found for online shopping.  Again, you can type in “breeches”, or “horseback riding helmet” or “paddock boots” into any search engine and get your own results.

• www.statelinetack.com – good for inexpensive, starter options for English or Western riding needs
• www.chicksaddlery.com – good for English and Western riding needs – often has good sales
• www.doversaddlery.com – Focused on English riding – has a HUGE selection for all of your English riding needs
• www.horseloverz.com – another site for both English and Western needs – they also have good sales
• www.sstack.com – Schneiders Saddlery often has good deals on English and Western needs
• eBay – I have to mention it since you’ll probably check there.  I would recommend finding a local store and trying things on first before shopping on eBay.
• CraigsList – again, buyer beware here.  Try things on in a store so you know the sizes you’re looking for, and treat it like shopping at a thrift store.  Sometimes you’ll get a deal, often you’ll get what you pay for.
• 4-H club tack sales – check your area to see if there are tack sales put on by 4-H clubs.  In Western Washington, we have a huge tack sale every year that is like a giant swap meet.  You can get some fantastic deals if you’re willing to dive in and stand in lines to get through the shopping process.

Like I said, this is not to endorse any particular venue or website, it is just a way for you to get started.  Let me know if you have a favorite shopping place for your horse needs and I can add it to the list.