Styles of Riding

Western riding is quite popular and has several uses. It is preferred by most people when trail riding as the deep seat is extremely comfortable. Western is also a working form of riding, being seen on many farms and ranches, the horn on the western saddle is quite useful for roping livestock, hanging canteens or a spare halter, etc. Western is a popular class in the show ring in many breeds. In the western pleasure class, the horses are asked to walk, jog, and lope, some classes may be asked to hand gallop and to back. The western horse is ridden with a curb bit and no caveson in the show ring. The horse is judged on manners, the ability to perform the required paces, and the appearance of being pleasure to ride, a horse that could be ridden comfortably all day long. Western show saddles are beautiful, often with hand tooled leather and shining silver conchos. In the working western classes, you will see roping horses and cutting horses. These horses display the ability to cut off a specific animal from the herd, displaying amazing athleticism with stops on a dime, spins on the hind end and sliding stops. The roping classes require a fast, strong mount as well as a talented rider who is handy with his rope. In the rodeos, ladies perform in the barrel racing class where the horse and rider execute a pattern around three barrels as fast as possible. This is an extremely competitive timed event and it takes an extreme athlete to excell in this competition. Riding a good western horse is a relaxing, comfortable ride.

This is the saddleseat, or flatseat, saddle. It is used solely as a show saddle; although I trail ride in one as it is what I am comfy in. This saddle is mainly used with Saddlebreds, Morgans, Arabians, Hackneys, and other higher trotting breeds. The saddle allows for the rider to sit further back on the horse which, when ridden properly, pushes the horse's hind end down and under him, allowing for the extreme elevation of the front end as is desireable in these breeds. The front of the flap is straight down as opposed to the forward curve of the hunt seat saddle. The shape here allows for more freedom of the shoulder, also aiding in elevating the front end. At the shows, saddleseat breaks down to different categories. There is country pleasure, in which the horse is not as high stepping and manners are paramount. Next is english pleasure. In the engligh pleasure class, the horse will trot higher and also have more extreme hock action in the rear, manners are still important, but a jig here and there is not as penalized. Then there is the park horse class. The park horse is the extreme in athleticisim. These horses have a very animated walk, a trot that is out of this world with front legs reaching for the sky and a fully engaged, almost squatty hind end, and a canter that rolls up and down like a rocking horse. With Saddlebreds, they also have the five gated class which adds a rack... the rack is similar to the trot; however, while racking, the horse's legs do not work at a diagonal as in the trot, rather the left hind and left front will be forward together as the rear front and rear hind will be back. This is a natural gait of most Saddlebreds. When riding saddleseat, the bridle is a double bridle consisting of either a pelham bit with both a curb rein for head set and a snaffle rein for head elevation or it will actually have two bits, a tiny snaffle like bit called a bradoon for the elevation of the head set and a second bit, the curb for tucking the nose in. Following are a few photos of saddleseat horses in action.

Dressage is the art of clasical riding. The word is from a French term meaning "training". What it all boils down to is dicipline and harmony between horse and rider. In my belief, every horse should be taught the basics of dressage regardless of their dicipline before they learn anything more. Dressage teaches a horse how to correctly carry his body and weight and how to properly engage his hind end and collect his motion and foward energy. The movements of dressage starting at the training level include the basic walk, trot, and canter. In the training level, the horse is to learn balance and suppleness with much emphasis on the transitions between gaits. As the horse moves on, he will learn different movements such as moving sideways at the walk, the the trot, and even finally at the canter. The horse must also learn to smoothly execute serpentines and other figures. The horse even begins to learn how to extend, and even more impressive, to collect his gaits to a point where the horse is not moving forward at all. The levels go from training to Grand Prix, the highest levels being performed at the Olympics. It is truly beautiful to see and any rider can apperciate the true athelticism of both horse and rider. Classical riding is an ancient form, having first been recorded about 400 BC by the Greek Xenophon. By the 17th and 18th centuries, dresage became increasingly popular, especially in Europe. Probably the most familiar place dedicated to the art of dressage would be the Spanish Scool of Riding located in Vienna, Austria. Here is where the magnificent white Lipizzans train. Some riders here even ride without stirrups. Imagine performing an airs movement with no stirrups!

Show jumping is a thrilling dicipline. Beginners can start off with little 18" jumps and at the highest levels, the fences can range to well above 5'.... wow, talk about flying! The rules of showjumping are relatively easy, the rider must pilot his/her mount through a predetermined course generally consisting of about 12 fences or so, with the goal of not knocking any down. The horse and rider earns four faults for each rail they knock down, 3 three faults for the first refusal, 6 for the second refusal, and elimination for a third refusal, for falling off, or for taking the wrong course. Some shows also have a pre-determined time the course must be cleared in, resulting in penalties for every second over the time alotted. In the event that more that one rider jumps a clear course, a jump-off occurs where the fastest time with the least faults wins. Also, there is cross country where the rider must take the horse through a very long course with many many jumps and obstacles while racing against the clock. Cross country is very difficult for both horse and rider and is very competetive. Three-day eventing includes a day of dressage, and day of show jumping, and a day of cross country. The horses who three day event are true athletes of the horse world. There is also steeplechase, which I think is crazy. Picture a long course with many many jumps, similar to a cross country course, but with slightly easier jumps, and everyone racing each other at the same time. It is very dangerous; if a rider in the front of the pack happens to fall off, he/she will most likely be trampled by the rest of the riders close behind.

Sidesaddle today is almost solely for showring performances and parades or demonstrations. Generations ago, before women we allowed to wear pants and had to wear dresses, sidesaddle was the only way a woman could ride a horse. It was imperative that she be able to keep her legs and ankles completely covered from men's prying eyes (how times have changed!). Women could ride sidesaddle either western or english, and very talented riders could even jump sidesaddle. Ocassionally, today, one may even see an extremely talented rider competing in sidesaddle dressage. Sidesaddle is a treat to watch at the shows when the class is filled with talented riders and horses. Just imagine, cueing your horse with both legs one on side of the horse!

SIDESADDLE

Thank you to Homeland Arabians for the Styles of Riding