I am also considering eventing

If your just starting showing i would start with equitation. Many of the pros started with equitation and it makes your performance in hunter or jumper look much cleaner :) By the way, your horse is gorgeous.

equitation and hunters are a good foundation for jumpers/eventing. also it depends on how your horse moves. does he have high hock action and a high headset? he will prob. be better in eq and jumper than hunter, but hunter training's a good place to start. if he has flat hock action and a level headset (like my app gelding) he should do ok in hunters. you can always do jumpers/eventing for fun!

I would definately do equitation or hunters. Equitation will give you and your horse a more solid foundation to build on later in your training.

its like the fued between jumpers and hunters, each group has to prove that they are in the superior arena, and that their sport is more intense, its the same with western they have to prove that they are the better riders and that their sport is more dangerous, i personally think wester ruins horses, and its sooooooo boring

LOL you should read the COTH forums sometime. its interesting to read what all the dressage/hunter/jumper/eventers have to say about each other sports and everything surrounding them.

Well it really depends on what type of western and what type of english. I personally ride both but am definately more english. Western pleasure is REALLY hard to do. But I personally believe games are the easiest thing ever. Also for english, open shows and flat equiatation classes are really easy and very similar to what Western Pleasure people do. But Jumpers, Hunters, and Dressage are very difficult and take a long time to learn and get good at. One other thing about the western/english controversy is that a lot of people who ride western are afraid of falling from an english saddle. I mean, seriously, it's so much easier to fall in an english saddle than a western saddle!