Spectators and riders alike can experience the beauty and versatility of many breeds on display at local shows and competitions. Most MHSA Disciplines fall into one of these groups: Western (Stock Seat), Dressage, Hunt Seat, Saddle Seat, and Driving.
[/fusion_builder_row_inner]Western, or stock seat, riding originated in the United States, with the utilitarian saddle, and its iconic saddle horn being part of the tools of the trade for anyone working with livestock from the back of a horse. From those very practical beginnings, this discipline has developed into a favorite for competition and pleasure riders alike, allowing riders to enjoy a pleasurable ride, without the necessity of posting the trot, and is suitable for many breeds, from Quarter Horses, to American Saddlebreds, Morgans, and Arabians, to the more exotic Friesian. Western riders focus in competition on the pleasure, horsemanship (equitation), and trail divisions, and, in recent years, western dressage has enjoyed a great boom in popularity.