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Horseback Riding & Trails

The horses were trained to change direction at a very light touch on the neck and the cowboys often used their body’s position in the saddle to communicate commands. The style required a very deep seat for comfort and to protect the cowboy from slipping when performing roping or other ranching duties. As a result, the cowboy and horse communication was styled for light rein application. 

The biggest difference in equipment used in Western and English horseback riding styles is the saddle. The Western-styled saddle has a knob where the lariat used for roping is wrapped once the breakaway animal has been captured. The seat is deeper than the English saddle and the stirrups are covered by taps to prevent branches and long grass from getting caught in the stirrups. The cowboys wear pointed shoes with rather high heels in comparison with English horseback riding boots. This is to prevent the buckaroo’s feet from slipping right through the stirrup, which can cause severe injury when the rider falls, especially if dragged behind a speeding colt.

The bit part of the bridle also differs between the English and the Western horseback riding styles. The English riders use shorter reins with a Pelham type of bit or the double bridle. The cowboys use one pair or longer reins and a curb bit. When it comes to riding clothes, the English prefer the hard hat dressage cap and formal dressage clothing consisting of the boots, tights and the shirt with a formal jacket. Western riding attire consists of the wide-brim traditional cowboy hat to protect against the sun, loose shirt, denim, sometimes protective leather around the legs, known commonly as chaps which protect against scratches, the high heel pointed boots and if driving cattle, the bandana.