Made my first video to music today. It is of a horse my daughter Izzy is training to jump for a friend. I have posted it to YouTube but I am also putting it here...my blog journal.
I have always been and will always be a western reining cowgirl... But I have decided to learn to ride English...
If you're just learning to ride you may be curious about the differences between English and western riding styles. Personally, I think there are more similarities than differences. And one is not more difficult to learn than the other, because becoming very proficient in either takes time, dedication and practice.
But, here are the basic differences for you to compare.
Equipment:
The Western riding style developed according to the needs of 'cowboys'. The Western saddle is made to distribute weight more evenly over the horse’s back so horse and rider can counterbalance the weight of a roped cow. The seat of a Western saddle is comfortable for long hours over rough terrain. The horn anchors a lariat when roping cattle.
English riding takes many of its traditions and equipment from European mounted military styles.
Type of Horse:
Western horses tend to be compact and traditionally capable of steady travel all day with small bursts of speed to chase stray cattle.
English style horses tend to be taller.
But some individuals have surprising talents and a stocky Quarter Horse may surprise you in the dressage ring, while a Thoroughbred might have unexpected ‘cow sense’. Chances are your horse and you can find some success—and certainly fun, at any discipline or riding style no matter his type or breeding.
Gaits:
·Walk very similar for both English and Western.
·Trot/Jog: A jog is very smooth, relaxed, and slightly faster than a walk. The jog is useful for following herds of cattle. Riders sit a jog, and do not post. A trot is posted unless a sitting trot is required in the show ring.
·Canter/Lope: The Western lope is a slow relaxed canter. An canter can be very elevated, extended, or collected with many variations in speed depending on the specific discipline or style.
This is one of my favorite reining videos of Stacy Westfall. It is a bit long but well worth the watch.
Horse people keep stallions for all types of reasons. Breeding is the most common. So the castrations I am most familiar with are on yearlings or 2 year olds. Today we did a 7 year old Quarter Horse I named "Lincoln", because the owner was not on-site to tell us his name.
PREPPED
A castration on a older horse has some challenging qualities you don't have with yearlings. Mostly they are just bigger...the horse and the balls!
ONE OFF...ONE TO GO
There were 5 assistants along with the veterinarian on this job. Sounds like a bit of overkill but it went so smoothly and everybody just had one job to do, so we could all do our job really well. Lincoln was a terrific patient and I know will be a great horse for this family now that his testosterone is cut off...
FINAL CHECK...HE IS STANDING AND READY TO SLEEP IT OFF!
Made my first video to music today. It is of a horse my daughter Izzy is training to jump for a friend. I have posted it to YouTube but I am also putting it here...my blog journal.
