There are two main styles that a person may chose when riding a horse. They are English or Western. English saddles are smaller and lighter; whereas, Western saddles are bigger and significantly heavier.
English style is used for different sporting events. Jumping, hunter, dressage, equitation, cross country, horse racing, and polo are just a few examples. An English riding must wear a helmet (or hat) with a formal shirt and jacket and tall boots. The rider rises to the trot on every other beat in English. This action is called posting.
Western style is more relaxed, but it is also used for sporting events. Pleasure, reining, cutting, barrel and pole racing, trail, and halter are a few examples. For show, Western style varies. It can be from ornate shirts to simply a collared shirt and jeans. The rider sits deep in the saddle at all times in Western.
Each rider has a preferred style. I personally prefer English, but I still ride Western.
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