REINING

How to ride and show a Reining horse

Learn how to ride a high level trained reining horse.  Are you a beginner rider wanting to learn more about reining, and how to do it? Well this blog post is for you.  I will be talking about NRHA pattern 6.

What to wear

You must wear a button up collard shirt, blue jeans, chaps, western boots spurs are optional for the horse, and a cowboy hat. If you don't wear this you will get an automatic disqualification. 

What is Reining?

Reining was founded in 1966 by an organization called the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA). Theres many different levels of classes for all ages. Reining is a judged event. In the NRHA handbook it states that, “To rein a horse is not only to guide him but also to control his every movement. The best Reined horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated completely.” Every rider walks into the arena with a 70 which is a perfect score. You want to walk out of the arena with a score at 70 or above it. You are judged by each maneuver. In the arena you have 6 cones that are your markers for your maneuvers. 3 cones on each side  2 in the front towards the gate, 2 in the middle and 2 at the end of the arena. You must hit the center markers when completing your circles to have the be perfect. 

Maneuvers

A maneuver is a part of the pattern you have to complete. Each maneuver is judged like this +1/2 +1 +1 1/2 are all good scores. -1/2 -1 -1 1/2 are all bad you don’t want to minus your maneuvers. Spins, sliding stop, circles, lead changes, rollbacks, back up are all maneuvers. 

Before every pattern begins you must walk or jog to the center of the arena unless it is a run in pattern. 

Spins 

To spin to the right you sit deep in the saddle, open your right leg, and kick with your left leg. Your hand must stay in the middle. 

To spin to the left you sit deep in the saddle, open your left leg, and kick with your right leg. You spin 4 times each way to complete the spin maneuver. 

Circles 

In the circles you start in the middle of the arena and whatever way the pattern tells you to start off with you go that direction. In pattern 6 you go to the left. Begin on the left lead by opening your left leg wide and pressing your right heel into the horses side. complete 3 circles to the left. The first 2 large and fast the last one small and slow. to do a large fast circle you lean forward standing on your toes in the stirrups and have your rein hand near the horses ears. To slow the horse down for the small slow circle. you must sit deep in the saddle and bring your hand back near the horn of the saddle. all circles must be completed in the center of the arena in line with the middle cones. to change leads to go to the right on your last circle to the left keep tapping the horse with your right heel. when you get to the center open your right leg wide and kick with your left leg. Complete 3 circles to the right the same way you did to the left. When you’re about to complete your small slow circle tap the horse with your left leg consistently then when you’ve reached the middle markers open the left leg wide and kick with your right leg to change to the left lead. 

Sliding Stop

To compete a stop you must start from one end of the arena and run all the way down gradually building speed. Once you get passed your marker sit deep in the saddle throw your legs out pick your hand up a little and say “woah!” 

Rollback 

After you complete the sliding stop wait a second. Rollback to the right you open your right leg wide twist your upper body to the right elbow up and bring your hand to the right. Apply pressure with your left leg. 

Rollback to the left you open your left leg wide, twist your upper body to the left, elbow up and bring your rein hand to the left, apply pressure with right leg. 

Back-up

After you complete a sliding stop wait a second. Open both your legs wide, bring your rein hand up, and cluck. 

Pattern 6

In this pattern you walk or jog to the center of the arena facing the judge. Begin spinning to the right 4 times. Count each spin as you pass the judge (1,2,3, WOAH). Spin to the left (1,2,3, WOAH). Begin your circles on the left lead first 2 large and fast, last circle small slow. 

-change leads in the middle of the arena- 

2 large fast circles to the right last small slow.

-change leads in the middle of the arena-

Complete half a circle to the left once you reach the right side of the arena run all the way passed the center marker. Stop and rollback to the right. Run back up the wall and complete another half circle on the right lead. Run on the left side of the arena passed the center marker. Stop and rollback to the left. On the left lead complete another half circle to the left and run down the right side of the arena. Run passed the center marker again and stop. Wait a second then back up. Tilt your hat at the judge to indicate a “thank you Im done with my pattern.” Walk out of the arena dismount off the horse. Drop your bridle for the bit judge. Once you get the “Ok” put the bridle back on the horse, and watch your run that was recorded to see what you need to work on and what you did great at.