Learn To Ride Western Overview

Western Riding is a style of riding depicted by the cowboys. It was developed in the old west to help drive cattle and do ranch work. The horse works long and low and all gates are slow and easy. The rider must learn to walk, jog, and lope.

Often the expression western style riding is being used, but again, it's not just a style - style implies more that the difference lies in the outfit, but to ride western means a different way, a different method, a different philosophy, means somewhat different aids and cues.

The horse doesn't know whether it's a western horse or not. It will either move away from pressure or against it, depending on how it was taught, it will wring its tail if you annoy it sufficiently, it will gap its mouth if you pull too much on the rein, etc. etc. This is why good English riders have little difficulty in adjusting to a well-trained western horse.