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What do you hold

9K views 57 replies 27 participants last post by  kitten_Val 
#1 ·
onto when/if your horse starts to act up? I am use to a Western Saddle and if a horse started to act up I would grap hold of the horn but I don't have that option on an English Saddle. LOL I hope I never need to know this info but just in case I would like to be prepared. :wink:
 
#3 ·
I think it's funny that if my horse is feeling "fresh" I will always grab my western saddle vs my english BUT if he actually starts acting up I don't grab the saddle at all. I usually just grab the reins with two hands and keep my right hand lower to keep him collecting and slowing while keeping my left hand about 5 inches higher to prevent him from dropping his head in an attempt to buck. It's just what works for me.
 
#4 · (Edited)
You're right, there isn't anything on an english saddle to hold onto.
You can attach a grabstrap to your saddle, or hold on to a breastplate/ martingale if your horse wears one. Or you could always grab a chunk of mane.
But I usually just try to deal with any problems on the flat rather than just trying to "hold on". Sometimes I lose my balance over a jump, in that case, I grab mane, so I don't fall onto the horses back or knock its mouth.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Ok thanks everyone. Shes suspose to be a really good well trained trail horse so hopefully there will be no problems. : ) Also what do you guys use for saddle bags if you are going on a long trail ride and want to take a lunch or something with you.
 
#7 ·
when i have to cowgirl the reins and give him a swat he bucks like all heck!! (He hates being tapped with reins or crops)
So when i have to give him a little smack, i will slip my hand under the front of my half pad and hang on. so far he's never gotten me loose out of the saddle. hahaha!!
 
#8 ·
trail riding in an Eng. saddle presents some problems. You can get pads that have a pocket in them . If the saddle is an All Purpose, it will have some D rings on the back to which you can tie things. I have just worn a small backpack for lunch. Very light that won't unbalance me. or fanny pack worn in front.

I don't grab the saddle at all if the hrose acts up. I just dont'; have time to think about that. But, you can buy a "bucking strap" and put one on if you like

I dont' grab the horn western either. I just fall off. I never think to grab it in time, it happens so quickly.
 
#10 ·
I have only ridden western I think twice in my life, and to me the horn is just a big lump that's in my way - or tries to either remove my bra or bruise my stomach when I get off the horse.

So I suppose it's what you are used to, but I don't grab anything nor do I want to. However you could grab the pommel of the saddle or a chunk of mane.
 
#34 ·
I have only ridden western I think twice in my life, and to me the horn is just a big lump that's in my way - or tries to either remove my bra or bruise my stomach when I get off the horse.

So I suppose it's what you are used to, but I don't grab anything nor do I want to. However you could grab the pommel of the saddle or a chunk of mane.
Same here. Still getting used to the western saddle, and it has been about 18 months! I keep spearing myself with it!:lol:

I grab mane too, if anything.
 
#12 ·
Hmm, my guy likes to play rodeo from time to time but honestly I never even thought about grabbing a saddle or anything else. I'd say it would throw me off balance even more. As the previous poster said, I use my legs to stay on and lean back so he can't throw me over his head. I can't imagine how I'd try to stop him, turn him etc. if my hands were busy holding onto something. So far he has managed to throw me off only once and that was a powerful buck when I was riding stirrupless and wasn't holding onto the reins. The only other time I fell off a horse was when we were just standing, I was talking to my trainer, horsie had his head low, ears relaxed, lower lip dropped, it was a nice sunny afternoon. The next thing I know is I'm on the ground, he jumped to the side absolutely out of nothing lol Since that moment I know I have to be always ready when in the saddle.
 
#13 ·
onto when/if your horse starts to act up?
You don't "hold" on anything in english saddle. You have your legs and seat to keep yourself in saddle. :wink:
 
#15 ·
Ok thanks everyone. I may see about takeing some lessons in English just to improve myself. I guess I could use my own horse right? I have never taken lessons when I was little and got my first horse my dad put me on and said do this to go that way, this to go, and this to stop. LOL Simple but it worked I have rode some pretty ruff horses but never been thrown. I was helping a neighbor once training a small filly that he was to big and heavy for and I was bareback and she reared up and I slid of her butt but I landed on my feet. ; )
 
#16 ·
I don't hold anything western or english. That's what deep heels & a good seat are for. My mom drilled us so hard as kids and we had to be able to do anything bareback first (even jumping & reining) before we were allowed to use stirrups. Then when we did get them (at least western) we were tortured by riding with marshmallows or raw eggs under our boot in the stirrup and expected not to mash them. I hated her for it then but she made me one of those riders that "stick like a tick."

I'm grateful now that she was so hard & expected so much. Most of my riding time is on greenies so I am 2 handing & teaching, I don't have a hand to give up for the horn if I want to work them through it properly. The last time I actually grabbed a horn was on an idiot of a mare that wanted to drift/blow out of her circles, she was being particular stubborn and I encouraged her rather aggressively to get off my leg and she blew sideways and if it wasn't for the horn I couldn't have pulled my leg up and into the seat of the saddle before she slammed my knee into the wall.
 
#18 ·
It's like riding a bike, it'll come back to you. I took a couple years off from horses after college & starting a family only to find I hated my chosen career and missed training horses lol! It took me a bit to find my groove again but it does come back :)
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#19 ·
I don't hold on to anything. The last thing I want to do when a horse acts up is lose the use of even one rein in order to grab onto the saddle, mane, etc. Balance, thigh muscles, and long legs (figuratively speaking, of course, since I'm only 5'3"). Also, when you reach forward to grab mane, you're often tipping yourself forward which is really going to put you at a disadvantage if the horse starts bucking.
 
#20 ·
I ride both Western and English, and don't hold anything. I use my balance and weight to keep me on.
If something goes really bad and I need to grab on, I grab mane. If something is already that bad, then I don't want to risk the saddle torquing around the back on top of it. The mane gives more stability. If you hold the horn, you could end up happily holding the horn while hanging under the belly :)
 
#21 ·
I grip reallllyyy tight with my legs and pull tighter on my reins give him a swift kick as to say you are a huge brat (thats not the word i use though) right now so cut it out. Beau is so afraid of deer its ridiculous, so this happens somewhat often.

As for trail riding with an english saddle TinyLiny suggested a small backpack, which is perfect. There is that brand called camelback and its a water backpack and has storage in it too and is about the side of half of your back it has the straps of a normal school bag and it clips in the front. they are so light and hold atleast 2 liters of water and snacks etc. i have one and i love it i use it for trails, snowboarding, walks etc.
 
#28 ·
Although I LOVE my Camelbak for hiking, I don't like backpacks/Camelbaks for riding, because they throw off my balance - especially in an unusual situation.

I have one of these I use when I trail ride in my Dressage saddle (there's also one for an all-purpose saddle)
Saddle Pad with pockets
Ooo I like that I may need one of those to.:wink:
 
#27 ·
There are three major types of English saddle.
General Purpose & Dressage & Jumping but there are many sub types.
Myself, I keep two saddles for the same horse : a GP and a dressage.
Saddles are bought especially to fit the shape of an individual horse’s back.
There are no horns on any English saddle and anyway the rider is unlikely to use a rope or lariat.
Most English riders find the horn an obstruction which catches up in jackets. It has no use except for‘pony walking’ – in which case the rider has to be careful of not getting the thighs trapped between the lead rope and the saddle top.
English riders generally carry whips (if anything) and maybe they fit spurs
The dressage saddle is cut straight with knee rolls to enable the rider to adopt the upright dressage‘ seat’ with a straight back and fairly long legs.
My own dressage saddle is flat topped and without knee rolls. The rider sits ‘on’ it. It is great and very comfortable for the dressage or schooling arena but useless for trail riding
The jumping saddle allows the rider to shorten the stirrups so as to bend the knees and lock the knees into the ‘knee rolls’ which help keep the legs in position when landing after taking a jump.
The GP is a compromise saddle, say a cross between a dressage and a jumping saddle, which is usually fitted with knee rolls. A regular trail rider (wanting to go ‘hacking’) would buy a GP saddle which is usually supplied with D rings to which can be attached by string saddle bags & wearing apparel. A GP can be used for jumping and even for lower level dressage.
On no English cut saddle is there anything to grip with the hands but the knee rolls and the depth of the seat give through the legs some security to the trained rider. Falling off is so easy.
Few riders these days ride in public without wearing a riding hat.
A leather English saddle, bought especially for a new horse will easily cost of $1500. Some popular dressage saddles cost well over $2500
Personally if I rode English in the US, I personally would probably buy a McLellan military saddle for use on top of a saddle blanket. (Macs are still made new in South Africa).
The terminology used by American riders in the English style is slightly different from that used in Britain.
The Aussie saddle, is essentially an English cut of saddle but one which is usually fitted with a tall cantle & pommel and deep knee rolls thereby providing the rider with a secure seat shape to sit ‘into’. Aussies work their cattle in Aussie saddles and they ride in a style akin to Western – a sort of halfway between English and Western. For the leisure rider they make several excellent saddles suitable for the leisure rider including the very expensive WOW which is fully adjustable for width.
 
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