Western style horse back riding is perhaps a riding style most associated with rough and tumble cowboys and the storied Wild Wild West. Certainly, that is where this style got its start. In those times, due to the needs of the American cowboy, riders would train their horses to obey without the presence of heavy rein contact. This training provided a rider with the freedom to steer the horse with only one hand, while freeing up the other hand for roping and cattle work. Although born of the long gone golden era of cowboys, Western style riding is still quite popular today.
Like its counterpart, English riding, the Western style is still widely used in sport and can be commonly seen in horse shows and rodeo competitions. Rodeos, in fact, originated from the aforementioned roping and cattle work, and can be found not just in the U.S., but all over the world — Spain, Mexico, Canada, and even as far away as Australia. While there are some differences, surprisingly the equestrian equipment used in Western riding is not dramatically different from the equipment used in English riding.
Like English riding, the Western style requires a secure and solid saddle. However, the saddle is typically deeper and designed to remain comfortable to the rider for longer periods of time. Additionally, unlike its English counterpart, Western saddles generally feature a saddle horn that was historically used to hold and secure rope. Heavier and hard to replace stirrups are also typical of the Western style. A good Western style saddle is made up of a combination of both high quality wood and leather. Perhaps not surprisingly, many of the most well known Western saddle manufacturers are headquartered in the American South — particularly Texas where cowboy culture is still a beloved tradition. Popular manufacturers include Tex Tan, Timberline, Southern Trails, Blue Horn, and Alamo Saddlery.
Additionally, Western riding equipment also bears some similarities to the equipment used in dressage, or competitive horse training. The saddles used in dressage also need to be both secure and solid, but the style of dressage saddles are decidedly more formal. Saddle manufacturer, Germania, offers a stylish and sophisticated model at an affordable price that meets the needs of the professional dressage rider. Lastly, manufacturer Henri de Rivel offers both Western style and dressage saddles suitable for almost every rider.
Nicole Rousseau owns and operates http://www.allaboutequestrians.com.