why did you start riding english?

Hey there! I'm writing a paper for my english class on why people start riding english. This is just for research and I would really love stories to use. Thank you :)

First couple decades, I rode only western because that is what was taught & every trainer I had worked with was teaching me. Then I took lessons from a lady who taught both but because she was straight from England, her instructions were more geared to English. During a group lesson, another student was becoming frustrated on their English horse & since I trained horse's at the time, she asked to trade horses & do some work with him. After that time I was hooked! I like the close contact, the posting, the light saddle, everything was so new but the same, hard to explain, it just " spiced up" my riding experience! I still ride & show western but English is my favorite.
Posted via Mobile Device

I rode Western when I started to ride because the only place I could ride at dudnt have lessons and all their rent-by-the-hour horses had Western tack. Later on I started working for an Arabian farm and all the riding Arabs went English, so off I went into the world of English! I've ridden in a Western saddle here and there since then and it doesn't feel comfortable to me anymore.
Posted via Mobile Device

Being from England, riding English is very much the norm!

I did a little Western riding before I made the switch, but I wanted to get into English. It just seemed more "natural" my opinion, and it seemed like an excellent way to improve my abilities.

Now after several lessons in English I can see that I made the right choice!

What she said

Not much of other options available - in Latvia people ride almost 100% English, and there certainly are no Western lesson barns. So the choice is pretty obvious.

My love of horses seems to have been born into me. I am from a non horsey family yet from very very young, I loved horses and couldn't get enough. My parents took me to the Kentucky Horse park when I was quite young. They were doing a demonstration on all kinds of riding. They had dressage, western, jumping and then... In came an American Saddlebred. I was sold, I thought that was the most beautiful thing that I had ever seen.

When I got my first horse, it was an American Saddlebred and I never looked back. Still my favorite breed after all these years. So, I guess for me, it seemed natural too. I have ridden many different breeds and styles of riding over the years. English to me is most comfortable.

I live in the UK so English is the main riding style over here. As for why I ride, it's just always been part of my life and something I feel comfortable with, and I always feel more relaxed around my horses as it's something I know, i've been lucky in that I grew up in a farming environment so we've always had a horse. I don't think there's been a year when I was growing up where we haven't owned one at some point.

I started riding english because it was the only saddle I had at the time that fit my gelding... Though, after our fall earlier this year, I can't ride english anymore due to the pain it causes me, but can still ride western pretty well, (the pain isn't as bad).