The elusive husband horse

[Calvincrowe]

Why must a horse ridden in a western saddle have to neck rein? I’ve never understood if all you’re doing is trail riding—not performance—why a simple snaffle bit and direct reining wouldn’t be the easiest for a beginner to use,

Put DH up on your horse in a borrowed western saddle to see if he even wants to really ride before making a purchase of tack or horse,

[OTTBs]

@exvet

for her bridle shower gift

Shouldn’t the gift have been a bridle then? (Heh, heh.)

I need a bridle shower!

[exvet]

What can I say, I’m very narrow in my focus? At least my soon-to-be DIL was happy with the gift even though I didn’t attend the bridal shower…rode in a Lilo Fore clinic instead. I might have attended a bridle shower though a bit late as I would have still rode with Lilo Fore

[exvet]

Yup, yup, yup…that’s virtually what we did. All 3 of mine go back and forth between their dressage saddle and the western saddle. Here are pictures of our mustang who is the proverbial husband horse (he doesn’t look thrilled in the picture but actually loves to spend time out on the trail). I already had my homebred (destined to be my next dressage mount) who I had just backed when I purchased/adopted this guy. Then, I retired my pony who I had competed to PSG. Then purchased the second one pictured below as a 3 year old and my next up and coming dressage mount. Pony went to be a babysitter to a friend’s horse so we still have 3 on property (though I own all 4) and all very happy.

and one of my ‘dressage’ horses, 4 year-old Morgan. Both are sportin’ their western saddles. Neck reining can be ‘faked’ on both but typically their ridden two handed using their snaffle. The 4 year old is wearing his dressage bridle.