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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think American horse riding is much better than English?

76 replies

SweatyYFronts · 05/07/2019 08:38

I’ve dabbled in and out of horse riding since I was a kid. Have always loved it but the cost has stopped me from taking it up properly. In addition to this, I couldn’t understand the point of a lot of it! All this pompous rising trot business and diagonals etc ... all seemed pointless! I just wanted to learn how to stay on and go fast! But as I’d only ever rode in Britain I assumed I must be missing something as all schools taught the same way.

Anyway, last year in America I went on a horse ride through the desert in Utah ... oh my god what an experience! There was no sillyness, no “rising trot” no “KEEP YOUR BACK STRAIGHT!!” ... it was just get on, hold on and ride.

DH is a complete beginner and within an hour we were both galloping through the desert having s whale of a time! In the UK asking them to teach me canter was like asking the pope to appear on Love Island!

Why is riding so silly and pompous in the UK? In America you see 5 year olds with the horse skills of a 60 year old pro ...

OP posts:

VivienneHolt · 05/07/2019 09:15

Western riding is great for beginners because it’s virtually impossible to fall out of a western saddle.

It’s not better or worse, it’s just a very different skill. There is so much variety in equestrian activities, much more than just Western v English. Even within the English style there is dressage / showjumping / endurance / eventing / polo / racing / mounted games / vaulting / hacking / showing etc. None is better or worse than any other - it just depends on what you like!

Original poster

SweatyYFronts · 05/07/2019 09:18

Oh so rising trot is designed to make it more comfortable for the horse? Ok that makes sense ... I always wondered what the point of it was because it looks so stupid! Glad to have learned something new :-)

OP posts:

Tattyroro · 05/07/2019 09:20

No experience of riding in the States, or the UK for that matter, but my daughter is obsessed. After a few years of lessons as you described, getting progressively more bored and frustrated, she now half loans a pony, and for not a great deal more than the cost of trotting round an arena for half an hour a week, she now heads of over the moors several times a week, had grown in confidence immeasurably and absolutely loves it. I'm sure that technically she is not perfect, but she looks to me to be riding so much better, and is enjoying it 100 times more. I think perhaps that most riding lessons are just a bit shit.

TheHodgeoftheHedge · 05/07/2019 09:20

DH is a complete beginner and within an hour we were both galloping through the desert having s whale of a time!

Honestly if this is true and your trail ride let/encouraged complete beginners to gallop, I would say they were negligent and dangerous.

Original poster

SweatyYFronts · 05/07/2019 09:22

They were native Americans (Navajo)

OP posts:

VivienneHolt · 05/07/2019 09:38

It’s not negligent to let a beginner have a gallop on a sensible horse in a western saddle. You could hardly fall out of a western saddle if you tried. And in any event, they have different safety standards in different places!

RabbityMcRabbit · 05/07/2019 09:39

I have to ask OP, when you rode through the desert, did you do it on a horse with no name...😂

CacenCrunch · 05/07/2019 09:44

DH is a complete beginner and within an hour we were both galloping through the desert having s whale of a time!

Poor horse having a beginner banging around on his back and hanging off his mouth while galloping along. I'm a horse riding instructor and would not let anyone canter or gallop until they had learnt to balance properly without affecting the horse or using the reins to hang on. Yes it's fun at the time, but there is a reason for teaching the way we do

PineappleTart · 05/07/2019 09:46

Have tried western after many years of riding English style and it felt really weird. Felt like I lacked control, legs felt too long in the stirrups etc. I didn't feel like I was connected to the horse in the same way as what I consider "normal" riding. But then I rode for 20 odd years in English style (dressage, showjumping, hacking etc).

Floralnomad · 05/07/2019 09:49

Depends what you want out of riding for me it’s improving not only my skills but also improving the horse .

ErrolTheDragon · 05/07/2019 09:51

Oh so rising trot is designed to make it more comfortable for the horse?

It's more comfortable for riders too, surely, than bouncing on your bum?

theunrivalledjoysofparenting · 05/07/2019 09:52

so rising trot is designed to make it more comfortable for the horse? Ok that makes sense ... I always wondered what the point of it was because it looks so stupid!

It doesn't look stupid at all. You're rising and falling with the horse's gait, moving naturally with the horse.

Riding is a skill that can take years to master. It's not just about sitting on a horse and going fast.

Mrbay · 05/07/2019 09:55

Having had a western lesson, nope it's not easier, at lot of the aids come from your butt.
All riding styles have their owns ways of doing things, sounds like you went on a hack where they didn't worry about your safety.

gwenneh · 05/07/2019 09:58

To be fair sitting trot isn’t “bouncing on your bum” when it’s done correctly; if it is, there’s no bouncing at all, because you’re aligned with the horse’s movement in the same fashion as rising trot. But for me those moments of harmony are difficult to find!

RandomAmanda · 05/07/2019 10:04

I have done both, both are great! There is variaties within Western riding too, similar(ish) to gymkhanas, it's not all cowboys or plonking tourists on and haring about.

Did anyone see the recent video of two horses, looks like a tourist rideout thing? Two people are sitting on one of the poor horses, one sitting behind the saddle kicking the life out of the poor horse.

@marthasginyard do you know of any other places in Ireland doing Western style riding? I'd love to ride again.

Original poster

SweatyYFronts · 05/07/2019 10:20

He wasn’t holding onto the horses mouth, he was holding on to the saddle

OP posts:

theunrivalledjoysofparenting · 05/07/2019 10:30

He wasn’t holding onto the horses mouth, he was holding on to the saddle

So not in control of the horse at all?

If you need to hold on when galloping, you're not ready to gallop.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 05/07/2019 10:33

Pineapple tart, glad it wasn't just me!

Greyhound22 · 05/07/2019 11:06

As a dressage judge

YABU

😑

Cornball · 05/07/2019 11:07

Well it's a sport so of course there is a proper way to do things, if you want to compete.

As for rising trot.. You're rising and sitting with the horses strides, it's fluid and moves with the horse so there isn't impact on their back. As opposed to a beginner slamming up and down on their poor back attempting a sitting trot 🤨 I'm sure many will agree, mastering sitting trot is harder than canter!

Cornball · 05/07/2019 11:10

No offence, but it doesn't sound like you're experienced enough to really pass judgement on our poncey riding!

HippyTrails · 05/07/2019 11:18

I would love to learn Western Riding have just googled & there is a place that teaches not far from me so may bite the bullet & have a go. I haven't ridden for a couple of years but really do miss it.

Blueoasis · 05/07/2019 11:20

Your type of 'riding' would send you straight to the floor on my horse. 😂 No way could either you or your husband manage a proper horse that isn't an easy, comfy ride. Please don't think horse riding is easy just because it's another discipline.

Even in Western, you would actually fall off a properly trained competition horse. They are far too quick and sensitive for you to handle. They are also very strong. The horses you rode are probably quite weak muscular wise in comparison, will be chosen because they are docile and have a smooth ride. Anything with impulsion is more difficult. Those horses probably don't last long either with novice riders galloping them all day long and go lame early in life which is a shame.

English riding and western riding is about precision. Doing everything so it looks effortless. When really you are doing a shit ton of work in the background to make it look effortless. You need a lot of patience, hard work and practice to pull it off. Even if you want to just go on hacks, because you still have to train the horse to accept all of the idiots you meet. That is probably the most difficult part of training really.

You've probably met the wrong people in horse riding, but it's not posh. How is shovelling shit posh? Or putting nappies on your horses hoof after getting pus out of it? Or cleaning its sheath if you do that? Nothing glamorous about horses. 😂 Take up a different hobby if none of that appeals.

sacope · 05/07/2019 11:26

He wasn’t holding onto the horses mouth, he was holding on to the saddle

Halloumimuffin · 05/07/2019 11:26

As people have said, often there is a legitimate safety or comfort reason why things are done the way they are. There's also a question of different priorities - I find hacking out quite dull. I much prefer to be in a ring learning movements and perfecting gaits.

Also be careful of thinking you can go off and gallop on any horses abroad, it can be dangerous even for experienced riders. I had 15 years of riding behind me when a foreign horse bolted with me and I had to throw myself off before he reached a busy dual carriageway.

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