Converting from English to Western

[lachelle]

I have a horse trained in Hunter/Dressage that I’d like to put a little western training on. I know NOTHING about western riding.

Does anyone have any good web or other resources out there for someone in my position? I can find tons of info about taking a western horse and making it english but none the other way around.

I would like to get some western tack for this horse, but don’t know where to start on that either :no:. I’m a competent rider in the hunter world…so it feels so weird being in this position!

The horse is a 13 year old Arabian. He raced before I got him at 4 years old, did some hunter stuff when he was 5-7, dressage from about 7-10 and the last few years he’s just been kind of sitting. I’m honestly just trying to find a job for him that he enjoys!

[RPM]

What sort of western training do you want to do? Western dressage? Western pleasure? Reining? Roping? Barrel racing? Etc.?

Why do you want to train him western? Honest question, not being critical at all, just wondering.

I’m no western expert but have tried a little western dressage.

Can you borrow a lightweight one-cinch western saddle to see how he likes it? What kind of bridle have you used on him? Bit?

Are there any QH/other western shows in your area that you could visit and maybe meet some people who do both western and hunt seat with the same horse? They may have some good advice.

Can’t personally vouch for any of these but you could check them out if you want:

https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20131009151656AAXiP9m

This one makes me think:
http://gatohorse.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-to-western-train-your-horse.html

I like one thing the first link says: a horse is not “western” or “English” – it’s a horse. It will do whatever you ask, as long as it can. Good centered riding is good centered riding, whether you use a jumping saddle, a trail one, a barrel one, a reining one, an Aussie or a trail or a McClellan. It’s basically just good riding, although good western is a little less in the horse’s mouth with contact, and more about moving off your seat and legs. Ideally, that is.

[lachelle]

@RPM;7669154

What sort of western training do you want to do? Western dressage? Western pleasure? Reining? Roping? Barrel racing? Etc.?

I’m thinking Reining. Maybe occasionally doing some barrels or poles on him.

@RPM;7669154

Why do you want to train him western? Honest question, not being critical at all, just wondering.

He does not like the hunters, and is not good at it. AT ALL. He was good at dressage, but I still don’t feel like he liked it. He is an Arab, after all, so he is highly opinionated. I have done some barrels and poles on him in English tack…he LOVES it. After running the poles about 2 or 3 times, he kind of “figured it out” and put himself on auto pilot. He likes to run fast ( considering that’s what he was bred for). I like the idea of reining because there is a lot of structure to it, and it would make him use his brain. He’s a very intelligent horse, and I think he would be good at it.

Otherwise, he is sitting in a field without a job, other than being a lead-around horse for the children’s camps at our barn in the summer, and getting ridden about once a week just to “keep him in somewhat shape.”

@RPM;7669154

Can you borrow a lightweight one-cinch western saddle to see how he likes it? What kind of bridle have you used on him? Bit?

I’ve ridden him in a synthetic wintec, and he didn’t seem to mind it any different than his hunter saddle. He currently goes in an eggbutt snaffle.

The only people I know in my area that do any western riding show in western pleasure. I don’t think he would be very good at that because it’s a still a “put your head down, and be slow” discipline which is the part about the hunters that he hates.

[Silk]

I was/am in a similar but different position I am medically compromised but did not want to give up riding. Someone (my farrier’s wife) suggested western pleasure. Once I got into a western saddle, I have no interest in going english again. I was a fairly successful junior, then a semi successful adult hunter rider. My hunter hated western…seriously wnted to buck me off. However, my hackney (jumper) took to it like a fish takes to water. He developed a fantastic jog and is just starting to slow the canter to an eventual “lope”. Since you have an Arab, he will be expected to go slightly different than a stock horse…more suspension and he can actually show a bit more animation as a western pleasure horse. The light horse breeds, such as arabs, NSH, etc do carry their heads higher and should not be penalized for it.

As for tack…are you looking to show? or just looking to game him (barrels, poles, etc)? For training, schooling, riding at home, I actually love my synthetic wintec snaffle. My Jumper went in a pelham or double bridle so converting him to a simple western curb was easy…and he actually responds well to it.

Are you looking to teach him to neck rein? Some take to it easy. Some do not. I was lucky. I think if you have a dressage background, you will have an easy time converting to western. Its a similar deep seat and similar collection/impulsion from the hind end.

have fun, but beware…you may really enjoy it!!!

[Bluey]

If I understand correctly, you want to learn a new discipline and at the same time train your horse in it?

Find a very good trainer that works with people like you, that come to western with horses that also need retraining.

You may find that learning yourself on an old western trained schoolmaster will help you and your horse tremendously, while your horse is getting cross trained.

[spotted_draft_x_fill]

Since you said your horse doesn’t really like to go slow, I would stick with barrels or poles. In reining you do have to do a slow lope as well as faster ones in a circle and of course the spins, sliding stops and roll backs. If you do go to barrels and poles get a barrel saddle, the bits depend on you horse. You can make your own poles for real cheap. Either buy some traffic cones or find some and get some pvc pipe. I started my TB on poles, he likes it so much he would get antsy while my DH was setting up the poles. The third time I was getting him ready to take thru the course, he was so antsy I gave him his head, and he started weaving all on his own :). Even if you don’t compete, it’s always fun to do.

[SportArab]

I went the other way, from western to dressage and jumping with my Arabians and Arab-crosses.

Sounds like your guy would be happiest doing things like pole bending and barrels - both of which seem to just require lots of practice.

Is there a barrel racing barn anywhere near you? I had my stallion boarded at one for a couple of years and we would periodically take a spin around the barrels in the indoor just for fun.

[lachelle]

Thanks for the great recommendations so far everyone!

I really do think speed events is probably where my guy would be happiest. He doesn’t like slow at all. He much prefers to go really fast with his head in the air. I tried for YEARS to make him into something he didn’t want to be, so now it’s time to let him choose his job. He actually already somewhat neck reins. I can ride him in a halter/lead rope and he will walk/jog and neck rein. Probably not the “proper” way…but thats what all us folk at the hunter/jumper barn call it :lol:

He’s actually, technically, my mother’s horse. Although she does not ride. He is her big, expensive pet. And I’m sure he’d be content sitting around and eating hay and just getting groomed and fed treats for the rest of his life, but his giant round barrel (think beach ball on legs) says otherwise

We have barrels at the barn already. Can I do barrels in a synthetic saddle like a wintec? What bit/other gear would you recommend?/Can I still ride him in an eggbutt snaffle around barrels or will I get laughed at? Is there REALLY a big difference between a western trail saddle, barrel saddle, etc.?

[spotted_draft_x_fill]

Here’s a website that tells you the difference between all the saddles
http://www.western-saddle-guide.com/types-of-saddles.html

[NoSuchPerson]

Have you seen that thing going around Facebook that says:

How do you get a bikini body?
Put bikini on your body.

Well, in a lot of ways, the answer to the question “how do you convert your English horse to western?” is just that simple: Put a western saddle on him. Like RPM said, good centered riding is good centered riding, no matter what kind of saddle you’re using.

For some good general info on western saddles, go to The Horse Saddle Shop web page (http://www.horsesaddleshop.com/), scroll down to the bottom, and click on “Explore our Help Center.”

If you’re really interested in reining, you need to find yourself a trainer to help you. But, I wouldn’t rule out western pleasure just because of what you’ve seen in stock horse shows. Arab western pleasure is different from stock horse western pleasure.

[StarPattern]

Lachelle, I sent you a private message!