Long but may be helpful.....

I hope you love it as much as I do! I switched from Western to English when I was 11 years old (39 years ago) and never really went back. Now I feel more secure in the English tack. If the horse gets silly, I feel like there's a better chance of hanging in. After all, that's what I jump in. I feel now like I'm sitting ON the Western saddle.

So, as an unreformed tackaholic, I do have a few suggestions. See if you can borrow/try a couple of different English saddles. More importantly, see if you can get some riding breeches. Here's why: if you ride an English saddle in jeans, you'll likely feel uncomfortable, you'll slide around, and you can scratch the saddle with hard buttons on the front when you mount/dismount. I love full seat breeches. You'll feel like you're attached with velcro. Chaps will also work great if you have some. Kerrits make breeches in plus sizes, and I currently wear a 18/20W/2x and can fit in several brands like On Course. Your experience will be lots better if you don't feel like you're sliding around. Then see if you can borrow some half chaps to wear over your Western boots or whatever you ride in, you'll want leg protection from the stirrup leathers..

OK, finally the saddle. If you could try a Wintec, they're a great starter saddle. Inexpensive, well made, most have adjustable gullets, and they are really grippy. If you can't try a Wintec, see if you can find a good German, British, or Swiss made saddle. I'm a big fan of older Passier, Stubben, Kieffer, and Courbette saddles. Look for an all-purpose style with nice fat knee rolls and a fairly deep seat. A dressage saddle might also be a good choice because you'll ride with a longer leg. Don't buy one of the Indian made/no name saddles sold for $125 new. They're crap, they'll hurt you and the horse. There are some real deals on older Argentine made saddles, but you have to be aware that saddle trees can break, so make sure the seller will guarantee the tree is sound and the billets are safe. Your seat size will be about 2" bigger than you ride in a Western saddle (16"=18" English, etc....)

If there is an English tack shop near you, go and talk to the staff and sit in a bunch of saddles in the store. You'll be able to tell what feels more comfortable for you. Many stores have used saddles on consignment and may allow you to take one home to try on your horse. Even if you don't buy from them, you'll have a better idea of what you might like.

You can do a couple of things to make you feel more secure while you get used to the feeling. Put a grab strap on the front for a handhold, or put a belt or stirrup leather around the horse's neck where you can reach it to hold on. A breastplate will work too.

Get your aunt to help you get the tack fitted and adjusted correctly. Your stirrup length is important. Make sure the stirrup irons are the correct size for your foot. The kind with rubber bands on the side (sometimes called Peacock irons) are a good safety choice. Get a helmet if you don't ride in one. Troxel Sierras are great and I use mine when I ride Western too, they look nice and are cool and comfortable. It's OK to use a mounting block to get on.

So there are some other really nice things about riding English: the saddle weighs very little--you can put all your tack over one arm and take it to the horse. Your knees will probably hurt less after long rides. If you ride actively and post the trot, you'll get a better workout. You can try jumping which is a blast, and dressage, which is also fun and challenging in ways that people don't understand until they try it. I feel better communication with my horses and feel like a better rider. Sometimes I lug out the big old Western saddle and get my cowgirl thing on, but I definitely prefer English.

If you're anywhere near Arizona, come out and ride with me and I'll fix you up with whatever you need! On COTH, I'm Flagstaff Foxhunter and I have about 75 pounds to go, so your progress is inspiring.

Best wishes,

Laura