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For many people, the decision on which horseback riding style to learn is easy. Those who love National Velvet, Olympic jumping events, or the precise choreography of dressage choose English style, whereas fans of John Wayne, rodeos, and the lure of the Old West choose Western riding. And then there are people who love everything there is about horses and can’t make up their mind which style to learn. This article is for them.
English and Western riding both involve controlling a horse in various environments and require cooperation between horse and rider to accomplish this. Both styles require riders to have a solid seat with the hips and shoulders balanced over the feet and the hands independent of the seat to avoid jerking the horse in the mouth and interfering with its performance. The primary difference between the styles, other than tack, is in how rider cues the horse for the actions he desires. With a little extra training and work, both horse and rider of one discipline can learn to work with a partner trained in the other discipline.
English riding evolved in Europe, which has a long tradition of using horses in the military. Most English riding disciplines can be tied to the training regimens used for military horses. In English riding, the tack is smaller and much more formal. Saddles within the various English disciplines are all designed to allow the horse the freedom to move in the most optimal manner for a given task, ranging from classical dressage to horse racing. English riders rely on their reins much more than Western riders. In English riding, the legs are used to provide cues, but
so are the reins, which are held separately in each hand. Most English riders also carry a
riding crop to provide further cues to their horses and tend to dress more formally when
they are in competition. English bridles also vary in style based on discipline, but most
feature some type of cavesson noseband as well as closed reins, buckled together at the
ends, that prevent them from dropping on the ground if a rider becomes unseated. Clothing
for riders in competition is usually based on traditional needs from which a specific style of
riding developed, but most standards require, as a minimum, boots; breeches or jodhpurs;
a shirt with some form of tie; a hat, cap, or equestrian helmet; and a jacket.