Kind of an odd question...

[Luv 2 Trot]

Well, its more directed toward the "all-around" horses. Ya know, the hunt seat and western horses that dominate both worlds. As i was surfing the net and looking at horses for sale, i found a site of QH's and they had videos. So, i decided to watch the videos. There was a nice young horse that was being ridden hunt seat in a western saddle. The rider was posting and having the horse trot on and working the bridle to get its head set, but it was just akward. I rode and still ride western occasionally, but i dont school my hunt seat horse in a western saddle. Is it very common in the QH/ all-around world?

[cvb]

I can't say categorically about QH, but right now I don't have an english saddle that fits so ride in my western saddle. And just change the style and frame depending :)
There's actually a riding club in south of Scotland that is apparently going to run a dressage class but in western tack and paces... sadly its a bit of a trek from where I am

[Trewsers]

What is hunt seat? (heard somebody on about it the other day too - but is it actually anything to do with the style used when hunting?)

[jinglejoys]

I think it just refers to English style of riding

[Jessey]

Yep, hunt seat is just a P.C. way (;)) to referr to english style.

I rarely ride full on dressage style in my western saddle, though occasionally you will catch me posting when we are out on the trails 'making time' (really trotting out)

[Shadowlark]

I will quite happily school dressage in a barrel racing saddle and enjoy working horses in my split reins.. but will then actually run barrels in cross country reins on my western headstall. During a reining warm up I will "change gears" and ask my horse to work quite differntly, and do half passes shoulder ins and other such things to keep him thinking rather then just going thru the motions.

As long as both horse and rider are comfortable.. it really doesn't matter what's between you and the horse :)

[Trewsers]

Thanks jinglejoys and jessey - somebody was talking about "whippers in"?! and the style in which they ride (I was earwigging about somebody who'd been out hunting from our yard). Hence I thought hunt seat was something to do with this.....

[Jessey]

I also thought that for a long while, although I try for my dressage position as soon as I shorten my stirrup I get a bit of a 'hunt style' about me (so I have been told) I was taught to ride as a kid by a hunt mistress, so I tend to ride/jump with a slightly more forward leg position and sitting more on my bum :D