What is Western riding?

For its enthusiasts, Western riding is not just a sport – it is a philosophy of life, the foundations of which were laid by the cowboys of the Wild West. In addition to special clothing and equipment, the impulse-controlled riding style with fine aids and the intensive rider-horse relationship are desirable characteristics of Western riding. In our guidebook, we present the sport of Western riding in detail and tell you everything you need to know about the equipment of Western riders and Western horses.

Origins of Western riding

Western riding is automatically associated with the cowboys from the „Wild West“, who had to work as effectively as possible with their herds of cattle in the vast steppe landscape from horseback. Not only do the horses have to be robust and comfortable to sit on – the cowboys also adapted the riding style so that the aids were as uncomplicated as possible in order to spend long working days in the saddle as comfortably as possible. Holding the reins in one hand also originated with the cowboys, who held the lasso with the other hand. The cowboys found sources of inspiration, among others, in the indigenous peoples of North America who went hunting with their horses or in the Spanish vaqueros who moved to America in the course of colonisation.

The Western horse

Every horse can be trained to become a Western riding horse. Character traits such as stamina, calmness, manoeuvrability and sure-footedness are an important basis for implementing the Western riding style as well as possible. The classic horse breeds that are bred specifically for Western riding are primarily Paint Horses, Quarter Horses and Appaloosas. They are characterised by the above-mentioned qualities of the interior and also by their special appearance, which contrasts strongly with the typical „English riding horses“:

• relatively low height at withers up to 15.3hh
• short back
• pronounced shoulder
• strong hindquarters
• pronounced musculature

Differences to English riding

The change from English riding to Western riding is connected with some profound changes. Apart from all the differences, however, we would like to emphasise one thing in common: the training of the horse primarily serves to keep the animal healthy and should therefore always be implemented in the interest of the animal’s well-being.

A direct comparison of the training scales of the two riding styles shows – the training goals are almost identical.

While the aspects of rhythm and suppleness belong to the basics of training in every riding style, in Western riding it is the softness that should be achieved instead of the contact from English riding. In English riding, contact means the permanent connection between the rider’s hand and the horse’s mouth. This contrasts with the softness of Western riding. Since the aids in Western riding are impulse-driven and only applied selectively, immediate reaction and softness to the rein aids is desired. The Western horse is being ridden on a loose rein and the rein aids are given with one hand as soon as horse and rider have been trained accordingly.

The engagement of the hindquarters from Western riding and the impulsion from English riding are very similar. An active hindquarters is, so to speak, the basic prerequisite for the impulsion, which plays a major role in the horse’s carrying power, but also in manoeuvrability and in controlling the different paces. In Western riding, the focus is on riding tight turns with the help of the activated hindquarters, but also on initiating manoeuvres from a standing position.

The final goal of the training scale in Western riding describes absolute responsiveness. This can be interpreted in a simplified way as absolute obedience to the rein aids as well as the leg and weight aids, taking into account the previous aspects of the training scale. While the highest goal in English riding is collection, which focuses on the development of carrying power, independent balancing with activated hindquarters, the desired result of training a Western horse is formulated somewhat more broadly due to the variance of the numerous manoeuvres in Western riding and the associated different physical requirements.

Aids

In Western riding, the aids are based on punctual signals that are intended to facilitate the work with the horse. Basically, the horse performs a command until it is replaced by a new signal. This simplified way of giving aids was of great importance to the cowboys in order to concentrate on driving the cattle herds and to be able to sit in the saddle for several hours.

In addition to weight, leg and rein aids, which are also known from English riding, Western riders also use voice aids as a complementary method. A classic example is the „Whoa!“, which is used when stopping the horse. The voice aids are never given as the sole aid, but are combined with the other aids in the saddle or given from the ground with hand signals or body language.

Most people associate one-handed rein control with western riding. Neck reining is done by touching the horse’s neck – the horse moves in the opposite direction as soon as the reins touch the neck. In the higher classes, the horse is ridden one-handed with the bit. Beginners and Western riders, on the other hand, ride two-handed in a conventional snaffle.

The posture

The correct seat in the Western saddle is not so different from the English riding style. The upper body is erect and should be straight and balanced, the head is also held straight and loose. However, in contrast to English riding, the leg lies much longer due to the longer stirrup straps. This can be attributed to cowboys, as the comfort of sitting with bent legs in the saddle is simply not as great as with a straight, loosely hanging leg.

Equipment and lifestyle

Probably the most striking unique selling points for Western riding are the equipment of horse and rider and the associated individual lifestyle of Western riders. While English riders tend to be associated with a classical appearance, the outfit for Western horses and riders is somewhat more casual. „Clothes make the man“ – the spirit expressed through clothing is also reflected in the attitude to life of the Western scene: the striving for freedom, uncomplicated manners and nostalgia from the Wild West are part of it for most Western fans. In Germany, Western riding is now more than just a faded romanticism of the USA; the sport of competition is gaining in popularity and is thus shifting the focus to the performance-oriented training of horse and rider.