Teaching riding lessons for years, I have always of Riding appreciated the type of lessons and the better riding skills offered by an English saddle. I would always explain to my students, that it was like learning to drive a car. If you learn to drive standard you can always drive an automatic car. English saddles are certainly smaller, require you to use your legs more and to learn to ‘post’ (your body is off the saddle when the horses leg closest to the rail is extended). These skills alone teach balance, coordination and once accomplished, you can use the bigger, and maybe somewhat more comfortable, western saddle.