Western is better for the horse than English riding

I ride English, Western, and sometimes saddleseat. I'm not going to uphold the position that English riding is better for the horse than Western, but rather that they are both equal in their benefit for the horse. I'll agree with everything in your first paragraph. It seems like just a typical overview of equestrianism and the differences between the two sides. Let's move on to your second paragraph. I'm going to address each event separately, starting with Western. Reining: You say that reiners run on loose reins; however, they really only show on loose reins. In training, riders often take up the reins in two hands and use a contact similar to dressage. However, when unskilled hands do this to a horse wearing only a curb, that can cause large amounts of pain from the huge amount of leverage. In skilled hands, a reiner can work easily and freely - but in the wrong hands, it can be painful. Ranch work: Working on a ranch can be very rewarding for humans and horses alike. However, we have to keep in mind that it's not all fun and games; even if the horse isn't being asked to collect itself or work in a frame, it's facing the trials and tribulations of working out in the open, sometimes in harsh and unforgiving environments. There is nothing inherently wrong with ranch work, but done insensitively, it can be painful or even fatal. Cutting: I have seen many horses absolutely love to cut. I've also seen horses that are downright terrified of cows. For some horses, cutting is fun and it comes naturally, but for others, the cow would be cutting them. Again, there is nothing inherently wrong with cutting, but if someone were to force an unsuitable horse into it, it would be scary for the horse and dangerous for the rider. Barrels/Poles: Some horses run, and that's what they do. They love it, they're good at it, and they have a competent rider to race them. However, if their rider is like many of the lower-level gamers who tie boots to stirrups, rely on massive bits to stop a hot horse instead of proper horsemanship, or use the crop indiscriminately, a fun event quickly turns into an abuse fest. A good horseperson can ride a timed event with no abuse - but a bad horseperson will quickly sour a horse in any event. Now let's move on the the English disciplines. Dressage: Most horses in dressage are at the lower levels, where the frame you describe isn't required or even encouraged. The ideal training level or first level horse travels in a relaxed manner with some impulsion. In those levels, the horse is required to trot a 20m circle on a loose rein, stretching forward and downward to show acceptance of the bit and willingness to go forward. All dressage tests, even at the Olympic level, require a free walk, where the horse stretches toward the ground through the neck on a loose rein. Rolkur, as you describe it, is illegal under FEI rules, and many riders have been issues sanctions for practicing it at shows. I'm fairly certain the "tie horse up and beat its legs" is a training practice not used often, if ever. Perhaps you're referring to piaffe training, where a horse is tapped with a whip on the haunches or back legs to help it keep a trot rhythm in place. Jumping: Cross country horses are, in my opinion, the fittest athletes of them all. They are slowly conditioned so that not only can they handle the stresses of running and jumping cross country, they recover quickly and can do showjumping the next day. Horses that refuse repeatedly are eliminated from competition. It is nigh on impossible to force a horse to do anything it does not want to do. Fences in cross country are also some of the most dangerous because of their solid nature; however, many new fences now have frangible pins which can prevent rotational falls. As an added preventative measure, horses wear grease on their legs to help them "slip over" a fence if they strike it. Cross country injuries are rare, but they do happen. Racing: Racing is, of course, the most controversial discipline of the whole of equestrianism. The harm done to the animals here is higher than anywhere else. That said, Thoroughbreds are bred to grow quickly. Any horse at any age can suffer the same injuries they do. The Jockey Club has one of the best injury reporting systems of any breed - it may be that we just don't know injuries or deaths exist in other disciplines. Saddleseat: The horses here are hot. They can be spooky. But the winners are powerful, strong, and they adore their jobs. Shoeing is a game of guess and check, and sometimes it takes years to find the right balance for a horse. Generally, the toes are quite long for show season, but in the off season, many horses are trimmed shorter to give their tendons a break. At the least, they get a keg shoe only - those packages are expensive! In Saddlebreds, Arabians, and Morgans, saddleseat horses are shown in a double bridle. The shanks are longer than in dressage, but nowhere near 9". Most shanks are closer to 7" - and with a horse that powerful, I don't blame the riders for wanting that level of control. Of course, the curb rein is used only to collect the horse, not steer or rate speed. The snaffle is what most riders use the majority of the time. Saddleseat horses are built to carry their necks and heads the way they do; check out any picture of a saddlebred stripped for inspection and you'll see what I mean. Their necks are set on practically vertically, and their throatlatches are slim and allow their heads to come in close to the vertical. Saddleseat barns don't turn out as much as dressage, jumping, reining, or cutting barns - partially because the horses wear shoes that, if ripped off, would bring a good percentage of the foot with it; and partially because the horses need to be hot to work well.