“We may ride in different saddles, but we both get on from the same side.”(3). There has been a continuous feud over whether western or english riding is better. “... we both get on from the same side.” is to help end the fued because each riding style has their own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore the riding styles are portrayed as different, but they are not completely distant. When it comes to english riding the horses tend to be taller, and the breed of horse used depends on the sport, or type of riding. The discipline used in each riding method differs, but have the same purpose. Discipline is the way the horse is trained to react towards the different maneuvers of the reins. With each individual discipline technique used comes…show more content… For western and english riding each piece of tack has the same purpose, but are designed differently for the specific riding style. The western tack was designed to coincide with the needs of cowboys who worked cattle on horseback. The english equipment was designed based off of the European mounted military style (1). The first piece of tack used is the saddle pad or saddle blanket. The saddle pad is used to protect the horse's back, give the saddle more cushion, and absorb the sweat. The western saddle pad is a rectangular shape and is bigger than the english saddle pad. The western saddle pad also tends to be thicker than the english saddle pad. The english saddle pad is usually the shape of the saddle or a rectangular shape that has a thin outline on the outside of the saddle (2). The next piece of tack that would be put onto the horse is the saddle. The saddle is used for the rider to sit on the horse and allows more stability than riding bareback. The western saddle was made to distribute weight more evenly across the horse's back and balance the weight of a roped cow. The western saddle is also more comfortable for long rides through rugged terrain. It also has a higher pommel which is what the horn is anchored on. The high pommel and horn help the rider anchor the rope used for roping cattle (1). The english saddle is flatter and used for less constant. Also, its seat is not as deep as the western saddle and does not have as much slope (1). The next piece that is connected to the saddle is called the cinch or girth. The cinch or girth is used to strap the saddle to the horse, it is what keeps the saddle on the horse, when tightened correctly. They have the same purpose but in western riding it is called a cinch and in english it is called a girth instead (2). The next piece that can be used is a breast collar or breastplate. Theses are optional to use, but they help the saddle from slipping.