Silly question--english vs western

i agree :)

I ride English and have since I was 3. Western riders don't bother me at all. I share the arena with a few western riders frequently. I rode western a couple times at a horse camp and just for fun to try it but after a bad car accident, the seat and overall position it gives badly effects the pinched nerves at the base of my spine so I can't walk afterwards. I looooove watching the rodeos on TV though and when I take Caleigh to the fair I take some time to stop by and watch a few before western pleasure shows before going home.

I ride both and am not bothered by other english riders. The only time they do is when its the PERSON who is annoying me, not their saddle.

I think it's more the attitude I associate with some english riders that gets on my nerves. The poster who said they feel superior, that's exactly how a lot of english people I have been around act. I CAN ride english, not well though. I have been in a western saddle since I was three, and it's where I am most comfortable :) SOME Dressage and english riders I have encountered have a "I'm awesome cause I have a tiny saddle" attitude and it's really sad. My abilities may not make sense to you, because I ride a different style, but I ride REALLY well and I know that, so I don't appreciate guff off people. So just don't criticize what you can't understand, as bob dylan says ;)

See.. I know alot of people that ride english, But I am stricktly westurn.. It bothers me to see people who this they are better then other people for the saddle you ride in.. It is exacoly the same.. and personly I belive that westurn is ALOT harder then english, english, you learn the gates, you learn when to post, then you go fast, westurn you have to slow it down a bunch, keep your horse looking calm and if your horse goes faster then exceptible, then your not going to get anything higher then a 3rd..

I ride english (dressage, h/j, english pleasure, trail), a few things bother me but it can be applied to either displine. I hate when people ride peanut rollers, who are on the forehand or behind the verticle. Your might think you look good, but its not how anyone should be riding. I am not a fan of leverage bits, I see more of that in western. Unless you have soft forgiving hands you can mess up a horses mouth. I dont like those western "cowboys/cowgirls" who think they can break and ride anything.

i really like to watch wps classes at the shows. those horses are gorgeous and look so comfy to ride. and ive always wanted to try to ride a bull. I like how in western shows you try to look as flashy as possible, where in english you have to pretty much blend in and look discrete. i want bling on my saddle!

Haha..

I think both take equal ability... so people should just enjoy watching a good rider in whatever saddle they happen to be working in. They are too different for people to judge one in comparison to another, it's apples and oranges!

I agree 100% to this, ever since I have been in California I encounter ALOT of english riders and to this day I have not met one that has not bugged me, not because of their riding style but because of their "superior" attitude they have towards me because I ride western. I am a very relaxed person in the saddle and it really irks me when I ride around english riders and they turn and look at me with their nose up in the air like they are a better species or something. I would love to ride English someday, I am sure it would be so much fun, but the only reason I haven't is because I have yet to meet an english instructor without that "superior" attitude.

For whoever said they feel "superior" to Western riders..It's a mindset about status isn't it?

Some see English as more "refined" and "high class" and Western as the sloppy, cowboy, "cheap" style of riding, but Western isn't just hop on and go. Both English and Western require finely tuned horsemanship and attention to detail. Whether it's dressage or reining, it all requires skill. Both disciplines could learn a thing or two from the other.

Don't get caught up in the "who is better than who" debate. It's ignorant, it won't take you anywhere but down, and it's a senseless waste of time.