Classical dressage and western ranch or dressage

Does anyone do both?

Sequentially, not concurrently. Four years ago I competed in dressage, next year I’ve set a goal of competing in Ranch Horse.

Two different horses --very different. Dressage horse (now unrideable due to inoperable bone chip) is a 17.2 hh OTTB with a racing and 3-Day background.

Ranch Horse is a 15 hh Foundation Bred QH (Hancock/Two-eyed Jack) with a really good mind and a lot of innate talent (or he’s just really smart).

Personally, I like the Ranch Horse practices much more fun for me. I haven’t attended any shows or clinics yet, so I can’t speak to “the people” --but then I generally find that people are what one expects: expect people to be stand-offish and snobby, they are. Expect them to be helpful and kind, they are.

The only group of horse people I am uncomfortable with are those who extol their discipline and denigrate all others. I have met dressage people who when hearing that I fox hunt, cannot say enough critical things about fox hunters —and fox hunters who when I say I ride reiners (used to) can’t say enough nasty things about reiners —and contesters who criticize pleasure riders --etc etc etc.

Hey, we all love horses --so live and let live.

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Yes, I did both, concurrently, with my last 2 horses. I am bringing along a youngster now and will do the same. :slightly_smiling_face:

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Not me, but Kathleen Bailey in Maine has been competing her Morgan Kennebec Rugby in regular dressage, Western dressage, ranch horse, jumping, eventing etc.

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daughter does both classical dressage and western ranch horse on the same horse. Horse is a Morgan

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Rugby just won a hunter derby today but it was an outside course so he just thought it was more cross-country!

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Thanks everybody, I am having so much fun with my 6 year old that I bred. We started in classical dressage and now starting to play in the western world, he doesn’t move like a pleasure horse even though he is 1/2 qh. So we will see what this year brings…

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