Western

So today I tried Western. Let me tell you: IT.IS. HARD. Here is the story of my Western encounter:
When I walked into the barn, Dolly, my horse, had not been tacked up, so I had to help put on her saddle while one of the instructors showed me how to put on Western tack. It was heavy. When it was on Dolly, finally, I looked at it and thought "that looks pretty comfortable." Then I got on Dolly. The saddle was so big. The stirrups seemed much too long. And the saddle was hard. I was terrified. The stirrups were going to come off my feet any second. "OK, ride her down to the arena" the instructor, well, instructed. I was very scared to ride in this unfamiliar tack on my own. I felt unbalanced. But I put a smile on my face and rode down to the barn. There, I was instructed by the person who owned the barn, my usual instructor, to "walk her around a few times and then we'll trot" Trot? I could barely take the walk, let alone the trot. And I knew that in Western riding, you sat the trot. I suck at sitting the trot - I bounce about a foot out of the saddle usually. Before I knew it, I was in for a bumpy ride. My instructor said "Trot!" I kicked Dolly. I bounced and rubbed against the uncomfortable saddle. My feet tried their hardest to come out of the stirrups, or so it seemed. I was tense. The saddle rubbed my butt and upper thighs,so now they're probably sore. Did I mention that I was scared out of my wits? I was kind of glad when the strenuous lesson ended, but I still want to give Western a few more chances. One thing that's for sure is, it is so different from English. Is anybody reading a pretty experienced Western rider?