[Roperchick]

I have been training my TB (Red) on collection and he seems to do better in English equiptment.

I have been using a twisted wire english snaffle bit and an english bridle on him and it works better to keep his head where i want it than ANY western bits i have used on him.

Plus when i am riding in my english saddle he is more balanced under me. And its not just him.

My mare (Josie) and Charlie are also better at collecting and following commands in English tack.

Has anybody else noticed that?

 

[rocky pony]

It seems like some horses just prefer one or the other..as well as some people, subconsciously..
I had a horse who did best ridden western with a western bit and bridle but in an english saddle, which was kind of funny.

 

[Roperchick]

its wierd because ive never ridden him in any english competitions and just barely started trying him in english and he does great. but hes been ridden western his whole life

 

[horsea]

I've noticed that, too. I think it might be because you are closer to the horse than in a western saddle. English also seems to have more direct cues than western.

 

[rocky pony]

Horsea I love your avatar hahahaha

 

[horsea]

Lol, thanks! I have it on a hoodie

 

[kassierae]

It really doesn't have much to do with tack. It's how a horse is trained and how well the rider rides the horse. A good rider can get the same type of collection in english tack as well as western tack, with work.

 

[GottaRide]

The style of tack that you ride with should not matter as to how the horse goes. It is a matter of training. Your post leads me to question the fit of the western saddle & also ask what kind of western bits you are using. If you are looking for collection, that comes from training. An ill-fitting saddle & mis-use of bits will cause problems in acheiving collection.

 

[jagman6201]

Very good post from GottaRide - but also what not so much confuses me but questions the OP's bias towards "english" is the fact that western horses are generally started and are taught to basic principles of collection in a snaffle or similar bit that is also used in english. I would also disagree that western is more "bit dependent" as some posters were inferring - rather I would hesitate to say that western is more focused on having their horses more in-tune with their seat aids in comparison with your average hunter rider (I say this lightly and for the GENERAL hunter population).

And regardless; collection does not equal a certain headset/position and you do not put or keep your horses head there...

 

[SorrelHorse]

I ride both english and western, and I find that when a horse was starte din english they act that way. however, when I put my jumping saddle on Annie she has no idea what to do. God forbid I put an English bridle on her, or she would hardly be rideable at all. Granted she's gotten a lot better, but she still prefers my reining saddle and curb bit ^^

However, Honey was started in English and is much more balanced in the jumping saddle. She fels very awkward western, like she's afraid its gonna eat her or something ^^

 

[CecilliaB]

I agree with others that tack wont make a difference so long as either saddle is fitted correctly. BUT if you are more comfortable in English then of course your horse is going to be

 

[Roperchick]

okay sorry my wording is missleading to what i was trying to convey

I have ridden red in my mothers western trail saddle and my all around saddle so its not a matter of fit. ive also ridden him in my english dressage and my jumping saddles. i WAS using a snaffle bit on him but i switched to an english 3piece snaffle.

as for training me and Diane have been working with him for on collection. he was doing pretty good for awhile and then my mom started riding him on trail rides. shes a really timid rider and is not very assertive with him so hes sort of forgotten his training.

Me n diane just started retraining him and ive found that he is working better in an english setup more than western

now that may be due to the way i ride in english or it might be that he registers the english tack as "working tack". my mother rides him in western bit/bridle/saddle etc. so he might see that as relaxed riding.

he might also just like english disipline better. differant horses respond to differant disiplines/ ridings styles etc.

as for head set instead of saying keep or put i was refering to how collected horses have their bodys in certain "form" that allows for them to be properly collected. Red tends to have h is head high and his nose out which makes him strung out and he isnt well balanced. so im working on bringing him together so he is more balanced and works better at differant gaits.

does that make more sense?

 

[charliBum]

your using a twisted wire snaffle...yeeeoouucchhh!