Don't miss our upcoming talk at the Horsemanship Showcase!
We take a sneak peek at what Kate will be sharing in the Talk Tent at the Horsemanship Showcase
Finding the Purpose: How Western Riding Can Enhance Your Horsemanship
I’ve lost count of how many riders have said to me, “I feel like I’m just riding around in circles.” Forty minutes in the school, a few transitions, some poles, maybe a canter if the footing allows – but no real sense of why you’re doing what you’re doing, or what’s actually changing for your horse.
Western riding has a reputation in the UK for being its own little world: different tack, different shows, different people. But at its best, Western work is obsessed with something every rider needs, regardless of discipline:
Purpose.
The horse understands the job.
The rider knows why they’re doing an exercise, not just ticking it off.
The work feels meaningful, not random, for both sides.
In my new 30‑minute talk, “Finding the Purpose: How Western Riding Can Enhance Your Horsemanship,” I’m going to dig into how Western principles can sharpen your riding and your feel, even if you never sit in a Western saddle.
We’ll look at:
“Get the feet, get the mind” – why directing the feet changes everything about how your horse feels.
Patterns with a job – using simple Western‑style patterns to stop aimless schooling and give your horse a clear task.
Rewarding the try – timing your release so your horse actually wants to search for the right answer.
Calm, forward, straight – with self‑carriage – borrowing Western ideas about a horse carrying itself, not being held together.
And we’ll put it into real life context:
The horse who is “good as gold” but endlessly bored in the arena.
The nappy or anxious hacker who needs more purpose than “just get past it”.
The horse who’s never really been shown how to organise their own body.
My aim isn’t to turn you into a Western rider. It’s to give you a lens you can use in whatever discipline you love – a way to keep asking:
What is the job here?
What am I actually trying to build?
Does this feel meaningful to my horse?
If that sounds like the kind of conversation you want to be part of, keep an eye out for make sure you are there! Tickets are still available for this weekend’s Horsemanship Showcase.
Let’s make your next ride feel a bit less like “just going round” – and a bit more like you and your horse actually know what you’re doing it for.
About the author:
Kate Wensley is an experienced horsewoman, former riding instructor and equestrian editor, currently working on her forthcoming book ‘Cowgirl Like Me.’
To find out more visit Cowgirl Like Me Media.