I have been dithering about trying western for a number of years. I gave up on the idea a few years back when I had my little boy (human!) as I had not time to ride never mind retrain.

A lot of aspects of western appeal to me i.e. looks more relaxed for horse and rider, and the main attraction is to learn new techniques which would be good as it will get my horse thinking again - he switches of if its the same old try and winch into a dressage outline .

But...

I enjoy english riding for shows and we have had some good results locally in mountain and moorland classes.

So what I would really like to know is what would the benifits be to me and my neddy.

Are there are competative classes we can do? He is a 14.3hh welsh cob. He can already neck rein but thats about as far as our western riding has got.

How do I go about retraining him?

Hi fellow Welshie owner! I think I was in similar position to you. A year ago I wasn't reallly getting anywhere with my western training (Welsh Sec D 15.3!) although we had great fun at attending clinics I was having too many trainers imput and I was not really 'getting it' and progressing because I allowed a girl to show him English, another to hunt him and the odd person to take him out hacking as he's very safe. Then I would try to understand western paces but not really get anywhere building him up... so when we moved here, I contacted a chap who took one look at my horse and set up a plan of action. Every week we've had a lesson since April - July last year. Then he went off for 6 weeks full training to transfer into a Shank bit. In the beginning my goal was to be able to just lope! But as he progressed I changed my goals rapidly! Now we are entering shows and I am having fun learning reining patterns, having a go at Horsemanship classes and just enjoying meeting western folk at shows with their horses, be they QH or any other breed.

Western Equestrian Society have shows with any breed, not just QHs. They have a list of trainers/clinics/shows. My advice would be to go and find a trainer, see how they are with horses, how they ride. Get an idea of where your horse is at, where your riding is at, set some goals with your horse and go for it!

Benefits are there! Like, changing horses muscling for the better, level of fitness or way of going...suppleness will keep him healthy for longer? Softer horse in carrying himself with little contact on the rein, better balance...

Go for it! You know you want to?

Joey thank you, I would be grateful if you could pm some photos of your cob doing western. I tried riding western style in my english saddle today (Im quite english anal i.e. I cant do western in a dressage saddle...).

It was a bit of a revelation . I used some tips picked up from a post on new rider to try and ride . My horse tends to fall in on the left rein in trot and can be very difficult to canter. After 15 mins riding on the buckle he really softened, didnt fall in either rein and picked up canter lead no probs. I would love to slow it to a lope though...

Our background was endurance and so he is used to a long rein and neck reining .it was quite odd really s normally we go in the school and it purgatory for both of us, I am kick , kick (well leg,leg) and trying to get him into an outline, he is backing off the reins and not tracking up. No pressure and he was head down and soft and tracking up - so maybe just maybe I will give it a proper go.

Hi! Im in a very similar position to you, I have a welshie too and she too has difficulty in canter and is rather green in terms of the way she carries herself and her balance. She also tends to lean on one side. I had huge problems trying to find a saddle to fit ( english) and one that stayed put. My welshie is very spooky and really pivots when she spooks, thanks god she doesnt go far but its quick when she does it. i was flopping off onto the side, loosing balance totally and the saddle went out the side door! Anwya after a while of this i decided to try a western saddle instead and also to try and retrain her in western. I got a great second hand saddle that was fitted to her outline and body shape and fits a treat. I absolutely love it, i feel more secure and she really walks out in it, before we kind of shuffled along but now we stride!! ;D
I bought David Grays dvd, the first one, which is very good, shows you all the beginner stuff and alot of it is quite dressagy anyway. But he also shows the jog and lope and the different classes etc.
Ive gone right back to basics with Tilly and am trying to build her confidence as we go along. She moves laterally quite well one way off my legs( slight probs with the other direction!) and turns no problem. We are just beginning to learn rein back. She s a really bright little mare and learns quickly but is also very lacking in confidence so we are going very slow. She is about to have a two week holiday and then I will pick things up again. im going to the WEs show at Moreton Morrell in august, my first one so really looking forward to it ( not taking little mare tho!) to see how its really done!
Ive also spoken to Shane Borland ( Borland Quarter Horses) who is reallt friendly and we spoke about getting madam some training later in the year.
Well, hope i havent bored you senseless,let me know how you get on! all those welshies in westerns eh, have to form a quadrille!!
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Hi
Not too sure where everyone is based, but the guy who helped Joey with her handsome welshie is Alan Payne and he's just moved to a new training base in Leicestershire. He works with all breeds (of horse!!) and travels out to teach as well.
See you on Sunday at Markfield Joey?!?

Hee hee, Hi there Belle!
nice name!

Yep, got my PINK stuff ready, bathed his lordship and ready to remember my pattern this time...
won't sleep tonight I reckon...
see you tomorrow!