Q. Amanda, how long have you ridden?

I have ridden for the last thirty years, with a few gaps after losing my nerve from bad experiences with horses bolting, and a period recovering from back surgery eight years ago.

Q. Tell us about your English riding experience.

I have mainly ridden at riding schools or on friends' horses. As a teenager I was fortunate to be able to ride at New Hall School in Boreham where "weekend riders" were taught on pupils' horses at livery, enabling me to ride good, quality horses. The teaching was excellent, focusing on working the horses in an outline, and attempting basic dressage movements. The main limitations as a non horse owner have been not being able to build a relationship with one horse, and being restricted to indoor school lessons, with the occasional hack on school horses so excited they felt ready to explode!

When I started riding again last year I realised I wanted something different to what I had experienced in the past. A ranch holiday in Colorado prompted a couple of pre holiday western lessons at Valley Farm in Suffolk, and I loved it! The holiday was fantastic and I came home wanting to learn more. I have since been lucky enough to be able to ride friends' Quarter Horses locally that are western trained.

Q. What did you find most difficult whilst learning?

Western riding with one hand, a loose rein, and long stirrups made it impossible to disguise a poor seat with my usual short reins, gripping knees and unstable lower leg. The emphasis in western riding is on controlling with the legs and seat; English lessons focus much more on driving horses into a contact, and the reality for me ended up either hanging on to forward going horses or nagging with my legs on slower ones. Other differences that are difficult to adapt to are that the directional leg/rein aids are opposite to English style, and the paces are generally slower than in English riding. My background as an Osteopath is helping in that I try to visualise the muscle groups I need to engage, and have an awareness of how poor posture leads to biomechanical compensations throughout the body - if only it were as easy to change as it is to visualise!

Q. Have you found any similarities between English and western riding?

I have found similarities between Western riding and English dressage - strange though that may sound. For the rider, both styles rely on riding with a long leg and deep seat. Both focus on the quality of the horse's paces, balance and responsiveness to the rider. Training for both also involves plenty of lateral work and flexibility throughout the horse's body.

Q. As an osteopath, what affect does this style of riding have on the human body?

I used to ache after an English lesson across my upper thoracic spine, shoulders and lumbar spine from holding an upright position against a strong contact, slumping with too tight an angle in my hips and knees, and carrying my lower leg too far forward. My legs were seldom tired as I seldom used them effectively. After riding western style my lumbar spine now feels looser. I would recommend it to anyone who rides English style and suffers with back pain. Having a loose rein contact means my upper body is less inclined to be pulled in front of vertical. I am slowly adapting to riding with a longer leg, and consequently my shoulder, hip, and heel alignment has improved. This helps hold the lumbar spine and pelvis in their natural, neutral position, which in turn is better for balance and coordinating use of legs and body weight to control the horse. I have better tone in my adductors and quadriceps from six months western riding than thirty years previously! I am learning to hold and release isometric muscle contraction in my legs, to use each leg independently in giving aids, and am starting to hold my leg around the horse instead of gripping with knees/thighs and losing lower leg contact. Obviously these are things that English riding also aims to achieve. The difference I have found is that Western riding has made this more accessible to me as an average "once a week" rider, whereas I would possibly need to work to a higher level in dressage to achieve the same riding English style.

Q. What observations would you make re western Riding?

On the surface, the western riding style appears to be far more relaxed than English. I have certainly found it more comfortable and relaxing for a day in the saddle than English style. The reality, particularly from a competition viewpoint, is a lot of hard work goes into presenting that appearance of relaxed partnership between horse and rider.

Q. Is there anything about western riding that you feel uncomfortable with?

I still ride using a hard hat, and don't think I have the confidence yet to ride without one. Riders competing in western competitions in the UK tend to ride in traditional western style at shows, but many wear hard hats for day-to-day riding.

Q. What plans have you for the future?

I am considering buying a horse, but realise how difficult it can be to find the right one. Quarter Horses are a lovely breed; versatile with excellent temperaments, but genuine good all-rounders are rarely sold. The reality may be to buy a youngster and persevere with support from a good trainer to bring them on. Tempting, but a big commitment.

Q. What would you say to people out there who are thinking of giving western riding a go?

Find someone reputable to give you lessons, have an open mind and be prepared to feel like a failure the first few times! It is definitely worth persevering though. Even if you go back to English riding, you will have benefited from what you will have learnt. The Western scene in the UK is also very friendly and welcoming to outsiders, which is refreshing.