Western riding (horse show)
Encyclopedia
Western Riding is a competitive event at American horse show
s, particularly those for stock horse
breeds such as the American Quarter Horse
. It is not to be confused with the general term "western riding
," referring to the many forms of equestrianism
where riders use a western saddle
; instead, it refers to a particular class where the horse and rider complete a pattern that incorporates elements of both reining
and trail
classes, but requiring horses to perform in a quiet style akin to that of a Western pleasure
class. Horses are evaluated on “quality of gaits, lead changes at the lope, response to the rider, manners and disposition." While all three gaits
are required, most of the pattern is performed at a lope
. Emphasis is placed on the horse's smoothness, even cadence, and precise, clean flying lead changes.
, a jog over a log, a lope, a lope over a log, a jog to lope transition, a large serpentine with four "crossing lead" changes, a shallow serpentine with 3-4 line lead changes, a halt and a rein back. All lead changes are required to be completed within the designated lead change area.
The horse enters the ring at a walk. It passes the starting cone and continues walking a few strides before jogging. It is traveling down a long side of the arena. Once it jogs, it jogs over the log, which has cones placed to either side of it. Once it has crossed the log and all four feet are on the second side of the log the horse picks up a lope. It lopes around the short end of the arena passing a cone on its left. Now the horse is moving down the second long side of the arena. Once it has passed the cone, it moves left switching its lead to the right lead. The horse passes the next cone on its right and starts shifting right switching its lead to the left. The horse will continue on this shallow serpentine through the cones for four loops completing the four line changes.
Effectively about half of the pattern is completed. Next, the horse will continue on his left lead down the second short end of the arena turning at another cone for a 180-degree turn at a lope. It will cross the arena completely making a lead change in the middle between the last cone and the next cone. Passing this cone on its right the horse will do another 180-degree at a lope continuing this large serpentine pattern around the cones for a total of four lead changes all completed around the centerline of the arena. During the large serpentine, the horse will lope over the log while loping around the cone. Once the horse has completed all the lead changes, it will pass its last cone on the left. Now it will do a 270-degree circle loping up the centerline of the arena. It will halt in line with the cones at the center of the pattern backing.
. The scores will be on a scale of 0-100 with a 70 being an average score basis. Points are added or subtracted based on credits or faults observed.
occur:
One-half (1/2) point
to front)
One (1) point
center point and between the markers
feet) at the lope
Three (3) points
stopping when called for in the pattern, within 10 feet (3 meters) of
the designated area
change area or out of lead at or after the marker after the designated
change area
when correcting an extra change or incorrect lead)
30 feet (9 meters) after crossing the log at the jog
Five (5) points
(note: failures to change, including cross-cantering. Two consecutive
failures to change would result in two five point penalties).
175
bucking and rearing
Disqualified - 0 score
steps with front legs
change leads
(11) Faults, which will be cause for disqualification, except
in novice amateur or novice youth classes, which shall be faults
scored according to severity:
consistently)
the nose is carried behind the vertical consistently.
should be judged accordingly in maneuver scores
nose is carried behind the vertical
Credit is given for
Horse show
A Horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and...
s, particularly those for stock horse
Stock horse
A Stock horse is a horse of a type that is well suited for working with livestock, particularly cattle. Such horses are riding horsescharacterized by agility, quickness, and powerful hindquarters...
breeds such as the American Quarter Horse
American Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name came from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less; some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph...
. It is not to be confused with the general term "western riding
Western riding
Western riding is a style of horseback riding which evolved from the ranching and warfare traditions brought to the Americas by the Spanish Conquistadors, and both equipment and riding style evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy in the American West...
," referring to the many forms of equestrianism
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
where riders use a western saddle
Western saddle
Western saddles are used for western riding and are the saddles used on working horses on cattle ranches throughout the United States, particularly in the west. They are the "cowboy" saddles familiar to movie viewers, rodeo fans, and those who have gone on trail rides at guest ranches...
; instead, it refers to a particular class where the horse and rider complete a pattern that incorporates elements of both reining
Reining
Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the riders guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops. All work is done at the lope and gallop; the fastest of the horse gaits...
and trail
Trail (horse show)
Trail is a competitive class at horse shows where horses and riders in western-style attire and horse tack navigate a series of obstacles. Contestants ride the course one at a time...
classes, but requiring horses to perform in a quiet style akin to that of a Western pleasure
Western Pleasure
Western Pleasure is a western style competition at horse shows that evaluates horses on manners and suitability of the horse for a relaxed but collected gait cadence and relatively slow speed of gait, along with calm and responsive disposition. The horse is to appear to be a "pleasure" to ride and...
class. Horses are evaluated on “quality of gaits, lead changes at the lope, response to the rider, manners and disposition." While all three gaits
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...
are required, most of the pattern is performed at a lope
Canter
The canter is a controlled, three-beat gait performed by a horse. It is a natural gait possessed by all horses, faster than most horses' trot but slower than the gallop, and is used by all riders. The speed of the canter varies between 16-27 km/h , depending on the length of the stride of the horse...
. Emphasis is placed on the horse's smoothness, even cadence, and precise, clean flying lead changes.
Procedure
Each horse performs individually. There are usually four patterns from which a judge may choose, all containing a walk, a jogTrot (horse gait)
The trot is a two-beat diagonal gait of the horse, where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time. There is a moment of suspension between each beat....
, a jog over a log, a lope, a lope over a log, a jog to lope transition, a large serpentine with four "crossing lead" changes, a shallow serpentine with 3-4 line lead changes, a halt and a rein back. All lead changes are required to be completed within the designated lead change area.
Lead Changes
Lead changes are the most important part of competition, though they are not all that the horse is judged on. All lead changes are to be precise, performed in the center of the markers in the designated lead change area, switching both front and hind leads simultaneously while maintaining frame and composure. The horse is to be responsive and quiet.Example of a Pattern
Pattern One from the AQHA Hand Book Show Rules 453B Western Riding can be described as follows:The horse enters the ring at a walk. It passes the starting cone and continues walking a few strides before jogging. It is traveling down a long side of the arena. Once it jogs, it jogs over the log, which has cones placed to either side of it. Once it has crossed the log and all four feet are on the second side of the log the horse picks up a lope. It lopes around the short end of the arena passing a cone on its left. Now the horse is moving down the second long side of the arena. Once it has passed the cone, it moves left switching its lead to the right lead. The horse passes the next cone on its right and starts shifting right switching its lead to the left. The horse will continue on this shallow serpentine through the cones for four loops completing the four line changes.
Effectively about half of the pattern is completed. Next, the horse will continue on his left lead down the second short end of the arena turning at another cone for a 180-degree turn at a lope. It will cross the arena completely making a lead change in the middle between the last cone and the next cone. Passing this cone on its right the horse will do another 180-degree at a lope continuing this large serpentine pattern around the cones for a total of four lead changes all completed around the centerline of the arena. During the large serpentine, the horse will lope over the log while loping around the cone. Once the horse has completed all the lead changes, it will pass its last cone on the left. Now it will do a 270-degree circle loping up the centerline of the arena. It will halt in line with the cones at the center of the pattern backing.
Scoring
The scoring method is very similar to that of reiningReining
Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the riders guide the horses through a precise pattern of circles, spins, and stops. All work is done at the lope and gallop; the fastest of the horse gaits...
. The scores will be on a scale of 0-100 with a 70 being an average score basis. Points are added or subtracted based on credits or faults observed.
- A contestant shall be penalized each time the following
occur:
One-half (1/2) point
- (1) tick or light touch of log
- (2) hind legs skipping or coming together during lead change
- (3) non-simultaneous lead change (Front to hind or hind
to front)
One (1) point
- (1) hitting or rolling log
- (2) out of lead more than one stride either side of the
center point and between the markers
- (3) splitting the log (log between the two front or two hind
feet) at the lope
- (4) break of gait at the walk or jog up to two strides
Three (3) points
- (1) not performing the specific gait (jog or lope) or not
stopping when called for in the pattern, within 10 feet (3 meters) of
the designated area
- (2) simple change of leads
- (3) out of lead at or before the marker prior to the designated
change area or out of lead at or after the marker after the designated
change area
- (4) additional lead changes anywhere in pattern (except
when correcting an extra change or incorrect lead)
- (5) in pattern one and three failure to start the lope within
30 feet (9 meters) after crossing the log at the jog
- (6) break of gait at walk or jog for more than two strides
- (7) break of gait at the lope
Five (5) points
- (1) Out of lead beyond the next designated change area
(note: failures to change, including cross-cantering. Two consecutive
failures to change would result in two five point penalties).
175
- (2) blatant disobedience including kicking out, biting,
bucking and rearing
Disqualified - 0 score
- (1) illegal equipment
- (2) willful abuse
- (3) off course
- (4) knocking over markers
- (5) completely missing log
- (6) major refusal - stop and back more than 2 strides or 4
steps with front legs
- (7) major disobedience or schooling
- (8) failure to start lope prior to end cone in patterns #1 and #3
- (9) four or more simple lead changes and/or failures to
change leads
- (10) overturn of more than 1/4 turn
(11) Faults, which will be cause for disqualification, except
in novice amateur or novice youth classes, which shall be faults
scored according to severity:
- (A) Head carried too low (tip of ear below withers
consistently)
- (B) Over flexing or straining neck in head carriage so
the nose is carried behind the vertical consistently.
- (g) The following characteristics are considered faults and
should be judged accordingly in maneuver scores
- (1) opening mouth excessively
- (2) anticipating signals
- (3) stumbling
- (4) head carried too high
- (5) head carried too low (tip of ear below the withers)
- (6) over-flexing or straining neck in head carriage so the
nose is carried behind the vertical
- (7) excessive nosing out
Credit is given for
- (1) changes of leads, hind and front simultaneously
- (2) change of lead near the center point of the lead change area
- (3) accurate and smooth pattern
- (4) even pace throughout
- (5) easy to guide and control with rein and leg
- (6) manners and disposition
- (7) conformation and fitness