Converting to Western - advice

[Duke99]

Hi all
I'm really keen to start Western with my Welsh Sec D, Duke. You all sound like you're really enjoying it! :)
I'm not into competing, would like to do this for pleasure but I really know nothjing about it. Can anyone recommend any good books on the subject, including tack etc? Can anyone recommend instructors in Hampshire?
I'd really like to talk to someone about it and find out if it is for us and what it will take to change. At the moment it's all completely alien! :confused:
Any advice/info you guys can give me will also be greatfully received. :D
D99

[Joyscarer]

Have you ever ridden western?

If you haven't I would advise going to a RS and getting a western lesson first and speaking to them.

Mind you I would say that, I have never ridden western and have always fancied it so me and a couple of NR'ers are doing a western hack in a few weeks time :D

I mentioned my thoughts about going western to my horses physio and she said that my horse didn't have a long enough back and that a stock saddle would be the way to go if I wanted to go down that route. My saddler independantly said the same thing.

[western-saddler]

I am in Hampshire too - whereabouts are you? I know a great instructor - she is an AI, is a qualified WES instructor, has done her Monty Roberts certification years ago. :)

[Trio]

hiya if you're any near the forest then burley villa does alot of western. one of the girls there does all sorts of championships and her horse is amazing. they can prob give you some good advice.
it is so much fun and much more relaxed than english (although i still do both!)

[western-saddler]

Do they have western trained horses now? Years ago they used to do western tack on english trained horses. :) Be great if they do proper western lessons now!

[Harry Hobbes]

Can anyone recommend any good books on the subject, including tack etc? The best periodical on the subject is:

http://www.westernhorseman.com/

Western Horseman Publishing has extensive book offerings that are about the best collection available on the various aspects of western horsemanship:

http://westernhorseman.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=355&Itemid=109

Some good starter book are:

https://www.colosoft.com/westernhorseman-secure/shop/ridesmart.asp and...
https://www.colosoft.com/westernhorseman-secure/shop/ranchhorsemanship.asp

Best regards,
Harry

[Harry Hobbes]

I'd really like to talk to someone about it and find out if it is for us and what it will take to change. Here's a discussion (in post# 8) of the basics of a western-trained horse:

http://www.newrider.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47003

Best regards,
Harry

[bexj]

David Gray has produced a dvd of "getting started in Western riding" or something like that. I know it is available through Hooves Equestrian, but I'm not sure where else.

[Tuff_up]

ride it before you go and buy tack ect ect. Western saddles are harder to fit then english saddles so get a person who is knowledgable of western saddlesbefore you buy one too. I LOVE western i own both an english and western saddle and my english saddles does alot of catching dust, And i am purchasing yet another western saddle.

[Duke99]

Thank you all for your responses and links. :) Much appreciated and very intersting. I'll try to order those books and read up.
I am in the Portsmouth area so the Forest isn't too far for me. Duke has a long back so hopefully that won't be a problem - thanks for the heads up though.
western-saddler - Could you give me details about the instructor you know? I'm going to go look at Burley Villa now!
Thanks again guys. :D

[western-saddler]

Hi,

The instructor I know is Sarah Simmonds. Her number is: 02380 897661. She is a qualified WES instructor.

I will just add that finding the right western saddle for any horse is not necessarily easy. Whether the horse has a long back or not. With a horse with a long back you need to be extra careful as they are more prone to injury. :)

Look forward to hearing how you get on with Burley Villa. :)

[flump1967]

Been to a Sarah Simmonds demo - she is great and seems very nice too.

[Duke99]

Thanks Western-saddler. I will give her a call. :)
Yes, Duke has seen the physio more than once because of his back! :(

[Ruskii]

Have to say given my saddle *cough* problems (:rolleyes:)

I'm considering going Western as well, and am going on a Western Hack in a few weeks as well :D

I've ridden western before but it was many many moons ago, and I've forgotten a lot but when I did it all I remember is really enjoying it.

Might give that Western Saddler a call in a few weeks ......... ;)

[Duke99]

Good luck Ruskii. Let me know how you get on.
I've strted putting into practice the advice I've recieved from here. It's fun changing your style and Duke is more relaxed n the paddock but out on a hack it's a bit different! I always thought I was light on the hand but this has shown me just how much we both rely on it! :o
Duke was so full of himself yesterday on our hack and not easy to control. I'm not rushing things though, we'll get there. :)

[palmerlover52]

Thank you all for your responses and links. :) Much appreciated and very intersting. I'll try to order those books and read up.
I am in the Portsmouth area so the Forest isn't too far for me. Duke has a long back so hopefully that won't be a problem - thanks for the heads up though.
western-saddler - Could you give me details about the instructor you know? I'm going to go look at Burley Villa now!
Thanks again guys. :D

'nother Pompey person! ;)

I'm just going to be the obligatory annoying person, and say you must must must give us photos!!! :D

[LeftBrainer]

I'm thinking of going over to western as well. The boy likes long (3-5 hours) and lazy rides with the occasional mad cap gallop around anywhere with more grass than tarmac - no matter what the gradient! We like seeing how deep water is as well, whenever we find it. I figured a western saddle might be more more comfy for both of us. Getting a saddle fitter who does western seems easier said than done around our way :(

[western-saddler]

I'm thinking of going over to western as well. The boy likes long (3-5 hours) and lazy rides with the occasional mad cap gallop around anywhere with more grass than tarmac - no matter what the gradient! We like seeing how deep water is as well, whenever we find it. I figured a western saddle might be more more comfy for both of us. Getting a saddle fitter who does western seems easier said than done around our way :(

Hi,

Just to say that I can come out down your way. I 'try' not to travel too far but I usually fail ;) The only problem is that I am due to have a baby anytime now, but will be out and about again in August. Let me know if you need any advice or I can help at all.

Maria :)

[marieb]

Criollo horses are western trained.

[Keket]

Criollo horses are western trained.

Only if someone's trained them that way. They're not born knowing how to ride western. Quarter Horses are traditionally western horses, but I know plenty that have never neck reined, never seen a western saddle. Your statement is very misleading. Any horse can be trained western. And from what I've seen, a lot of Criollos on this site aren't trained western very well. A well trained western horse should stand quietly without contact. I can't tell you how many pictures I've seen of people on their "well-trained western" Criollo and they've got a ton of contact on a curb bit to keep that horse still!

[No_Angel]

The statement said Criollo horses are western trained, doesn't say how well they are trained or how good the rider is, and most Criollos in this country are already backed/trained before they get here.

My part bred Criollo, just turned 1, is already shows signs of being a fab western horse.

With regards to western saddles, I had been looking around to get one as I needed a bigger saddle, but with fitters few and far between I have treeless western saddles and they are much easier to fit and stay fitting:)
(if anyone is interested I am selling a western treeless:))

[Laura83]

Duke99, I'm thinking about doing the same.

Have loved QHs since I first saw one, they are perfect, so elegant yet incredibly strong at the same time and I just absolutely love love love what is the common temperament but of course there must be exceptions!

I had my first Western lesson with David Deptford at Sovereign Quarter Horses on Sunday and I grinned ear to ear all the way through. The 'jog' is just to die for, I got to ride his 18 year old Western QH schoolmaster gelding who was an absolute babe (but a little bit cheeky) and sooooo perfectly balanced once I'd got the jog right - basically a slow but springy trot, about the speed of a walk but diagonal 2-beat movement - and it was just amazing, apparently hard for a horse to do as he has to come round right underneath himself, but once he was doing it his hocks absorbed all movement and I couldn't feel his feet hit the ground (well, I could, but it was really light and springy). The Western saddle I found quite good to feel the back muscles move as I find it harder to do on an English saddle.

Never thought I'd like it, I intended to buy a Western trained QH for the versatility and temperament and retrain English if necessary, but now I think what the hey might as well stick with the Western.

The only disadvantage is that I can only do weekends and they are booked up for MONTHS!

Go have a lesson (preferably on a schoolmaster to see what it's really like) first!

[Keket]

I do realize that, NA. It just struck me as such a weird statement, like they came out of their mothers pretrained :D. Now that would be cool!

I'd love to see your part-bred. Coquette was that way; even as a baby she showed signs of being a cool, level-headed western pone. Why I'm now trying to make her into a hunter is beyond me. :p

[marieb]

Only if someone's trained them that way. They're not born knowing how to ride western. Quarter Horses are traditionally western horses, but I know plenty that have never neck reined, never seen a western saddle. Your statement is very misleading. Any horse can be trained western. And from what I've seen, a lot of Criollos on this site aren't trained western very well. A well trained western horse should stand quietly without contact. I can't tell you how many pictures I've seen of people on their "well-trained western" Criollo and they've got a ton of contact on a curb bit to keep that horse still!

What I meant was, if this wasn't clear....is that the Criollo horses that are imported into this country come already western trained and to a high standard.

For those for know nothing about them this is how I understand it works;
They are born wild and live free until they are 3 yo.
They are rounded up, branded, gelded (where required), broken and brought on, mostly as cattle horses. Some go on to do rodeo and polo. This process take approx 6 months per horse and is done by the Gaucho's. Highly skilled and world respected South American cowboys.
Their training is geared around working cattle, so they are taught to stand when being tacked up, groomed, feet trimmed, mounted etc and when the rider gets off and walks away from the shoulder. (Both of the Criollo's I have do this, everytime) If you walk away in front of them they will follow.
There is generally no contact with the bit its all done by neck reining using one hand usually the left, to allow the right hand free to work ropes etc.
They are also trained to move forward, back, stop, left and right with subtle shifts in body weight, and having ridden over a dozen different Criollo's I can confirm that they all do this, some are sharper than others, in that less body movement is required, but they all do it. Some require no contact with the bit at all and will come to a sliding stop from a canter just by the rider leaning back in the saddle. Obviously there are slight variations from one horse to another. They all have good mouths and no issues and that is all credit to the trainers.
There is usually no use of the legs for forward motion.
They are also taught to follow on a rope, not lunge around it or walk along side.
These horses are generally forward going but always controllable and sensible which is why they are so popular here.
Once an english/any rider is familier with the aids then this is a simple and relaxed way to ride.

There are plenty of Criollo owners on here who can confirm their horses are trained like this and are consistent in how they respond to these aids.

I hope I have cleared up what I meant and I agree that most horses can be trained to western riding by someone who knows what they doing. I would think it much easier to convert from english to western than the other way around but even that is done too.

To go back to the original thread subject, you have been given sound advice as to the way forward, lessons, books etc and I wish you luck and can confirm as a previous english rider, that it is much more enjoyable way of riding. Good luck with it....let us know how you get on.