First western horse and having so much fun!

[La_Gringa]

Hi I haven’t posted in awhile, but here I am. I am leasing a great mare and learning Ranch Sorting and Team Penning… and I have to say …wow I love it.

Now to just get used to the tack and learn how to sit that stop OMG… lol. My horse is very fast.

Hope y’all are doing well!!

[Plumcreek]

I have Ranch Sorting on my radar. There were 72 teams qualified and entered at the recent AQHA Select World Show.

[AliCat518]

Oh man I agree! Ive started riding my retired gelding western and sitting the trot is killing me! I’ve had to shorten my stirrups A LOT to be able to post. I find it really hard to sit the trot and keep my heels down when I have my stirrups at a “normal” western length.

[BensMama]

Welcome to the dark side.

[Mukluk]

I realize I am a complete dork. But I take my big 16.2 OTTB team sorting sometimes and I just go all decked out in my English stuff. She loves to chase the cows and no we haven’t ever won but we do OK and me and the big girl have a great time! We don’t mind if you laugh at us!

[Beverley]

Ooh, shoot, I’ve worked cattle in my English saddle more than once.

I used to do monthly trail rides w/Back Country Horsemen almost exclusively in my English saddle (these days riding western a bit more often for those)- and often hear disappointment when I show up western, because they are beyond the laughing stage and incredulous at negotiation of steep stuff (and a horse fitter than theirs) in an English saddle.

[Bluey]

I have helped the neighbors work cattle pulling up in my two horse trailer with all the logos on it from the handicap race that trailer was for winning.

Then gathered and sorted pairs on my right off the track, still in race training colt (that I had started on cattle first over a year before).
I was riding on my Stubben, to the great amusement of the punchy cowboys.
We got the job done just as if the horse was wearing a proper western saddle.

[La_Gringa]

I have been doing it now since August! I am so happy doing it! I have been to two real sortings and placed in the top ten in both!

I have now bought my own horse, to do this. I am giving up my lease for this new girl I just got. She’s a PMU mare, 1/2 TB, 1/4 QH and 1/4 Perch. She’s a great girl, green still and in training but I think she will be great. She loves the cows so far.

I love how relaxed and not stuffy the people are.

I am definetely on the dark side now in my western gear. LOL I still have my Devoucoux saddle though. I maybe plan to hunt this mare later on. She is a great jumper! She looks like an Irish Hunter, in body type.

[equinekingdom]

I’ve barrel raced in an english saddle before…placed 6th out of 25 people.

[sorrelfilly721]

I started team penning and sorting for the first time this year. There’s a small club that holds events every Friday night in the summer behind the high school. I had a BLAST. I’m a dressage rider, but someone gave me a cutting bred APHA. She had never been on cows, but after a couple times, she got good at it. We had so much fun! I don’t have her anymore, but I’m hoping to take my leased Oldenburg mare up this year. Even when we’re bad at it, we still have fun and everyone has always been super supportive.