If you want to ride Western, be sure that you are using a Western saddle and not an English saddle. You may want to use a Western saddle for trail rides that last longer than 4 hours since you may be more comfortable. [6] X Expert Source Alana SilvermanCertified EAGALA Equine Specialist Expert Interview. 17 March 2020.

Western reins can be split or connected with a handkerchief, but all Western reins can be held with a single hand. English bridles tend to use a snaffle bit, whereas Western bridles can involve either a snaffle bit or a curb bit.

It might feel more secure to sit on the cantle. However, this is uncomfortable for your horse and you should move up a couple of inches.

One helpful hint to do neck reining correctly is that you should steer your horse in the direction of the inside rein. If the left rein is inside, the horse will turn left. If the right rein is inside, the horse will turn right. The Western-trained horse is always trained to move away from the direction of the rein touch.

Make sure that you do not lean your body, however. You want to remain upright and centered at all times. Use gentle shifts in your body weight to guide the horse. [10] X Research source

A jog is a slightly slower version of the trot, and the lope is a looser form of the canter.

In English you sit tall, but in Western you should round your back out slightly to keep you in your seat and keep your horse relaxed.

In general, a jog is a trot movement that happens to be slower and cover more ground. Like a trot, a jog must be a two-beat movement where the horse moves one pair of diagonal legs, then the other. However, you should sit deeper and back a little further in the saddle than you would for a trot. If you like, you can post during a jog. Posting is when you move your body up and down in time with the horse’s gait, and it is more common in English riding. However, there is a special posting trot in Western riding as well. [13] X Research source Most of the time Western riders jog in the sitting position, however. [14] X Research source