The last few weeks in April the weather had been so warm that it was great to get back in the saddle in the sunshine. Well today was a memorable riding day for me….as my Karate Master would say "think out of the box" and today I rode "out of the box".  

 I was fortunate to be given a ride on a Western Schoolmaster (a horse that is well schooled, meaning that it knows what to do even if you don't!).  The horse I rode is an Appaloosa gelding about 15.3hh called Vinny.  Vinny is boarded at Taylor Farms in Owego and owned by a young lady called Sarah. As I rode up to the arena I could see her riding Vinny and they looked impressive. So when she offered me a ride on him I couldn't wait.  

 Sarah and I were riding horses in the outdoor arena when we swapped mounts. I as usual was riding English and Sarah was riding Western.  Sarah has experience in riding both Western and English riding, she is also very tall so my stirrups were too long but I didn't mind. 

 I have been riding English for years and have lots of experience but all of a sudden I felt like a beginner again. Although I have seen people ride Western and talking about riding Western, and have even ridden on a trail in a Western Saddle, this was different. Sarah was great at answering my questions and explaining the differences between the two equestrian styles. In Europe we tend to say that if you can ride English you can always adapt to riding Western, and when riding English in Europe if you did something wrong your instructor would often say don't ride like a cowboy! 

 Nowadays there is more respect for Western riding and it has become an art just like riding English.

 I knew the reins were held in one hand, but Sarah gave me an insight into the etiquette of riding western with regard to your legs, seat, and hands.  Although the reins are held in one hand there are a couple of ways you can hold them, either a bridge or placing them over your fingers. Your other hand (left hand)  hangs down with your hand in a fist and your thumb in.  Your legs need hang long, and to make the horse go, unlike English riding where we use our lower leg, you use your inside upper thigh muscle and kissing!  Not literally! But by making a kissing sound Vinny went into a faster pace for instant trot….or I should really say jog!  The jog trot is slow and therefore you don't need to do rising (posting) trot, if you tense up you end up bouncing up and down in the saddle which isn't much fun, so you need to feel the horse's rhythm which is a little like our sitting trot but the jog is much slower. 

  Vinny seemed to take care of me, and he was such fun to ride. I made a kissing sound and he would jog then a long kissing sound and he would lope. (Maybe I could use these sounds to get my husband to work around the barn and paddock for me!)   

 Riding Western was more different than I thought it would be.  The horn did prove a bit nerve racking for me, and I wouldn't attempt to jump (although years ago on a trail I did jump in a western saddle and I stayed more upright so the horn didn't hit me). The horn of course has a purpose which is to tie your rope around when lassoing a steer, something I would love to be taught to lasso. It looks so easy but I expect it isn't. 

 As I said before, Vinny is schooled to be ridden either Western or English and can be seen competing at local shows, particularly the Skyline Shows. I wish both Vinny and Sarah luck in their shows and am sure they will come home with a blue ribbon this up and coming show season, if they don't then the judge needs to polish her spectacles!

 By the way Sarah is a very talented artist specializing in Equestrian and Pet Art, for commissions and more details call Sarah on 625-5546.

 This month ride or do something equestrian out of the box! Enjoy your horses whatever discipline you may have with them.