Physics Of Horseback Riding

Introduction Horseback riding is a very popular sport all over the world and has been for several hundreds of years. Two of the most popular styles of riding are Western and English. Even though, both of these styles have the same basic principles and in the end are both horseback riding they have many distinct differences.
Gaits/Commands
Western riding is slower paced type of horseback riding. Western horses are trained to move at a slow leisurely pace and look like a pleasure to ride. A rider would use the terms walk, Jog and Lope to command the horse. A jog is slow two beated gait that would be used to move at a steady pace. A western rider will sit the jog and absorb the bounce in their feet and ankles. A lope is a little bit quicker than a jog and is three beated. A lope is used to cover large
Western saddles are usually very ornate and large. They have large stirrups for the riders to put their feet. The larger stirrups come from the need to have more support and stability while cowboys were riding in the rural countryside of the west. Also the Western saddle has a part called a Horn. The horn is located directly in front of the rider and just below their hands. The horn’s purpose is to give a rider something to hold on to for extra security when maneuvering through the rural terrain or executing different movements. The Western bridle consists on a piece headstall, one bit and one rein. The bit is large and has long pieces that hang on either side of the horse’s mouth called Shanks. The shanks are what help steer the horse indirectly. Also the bit has a port in the middle, which is a raised bump directly centered on the bit. This part is centered in the horse’s mouth to help stop the horse. One rein is attached to either side of the bit and then tied in a knot directly in front of the rider. The rein is kept loose so the rider is not applying direct pressure to the horse’s