The Western horse and rider have numerous options available for competition and recreation, making it one of the most varied sports in the world. Among the most common Western disciplines are gymkhana, endurance riding, mounted shooting, versatility ranch riding, and others.
The 15 Most Popular Western Riding Disciplines Explained
Western Pleasure
Western pleasure showcases mounted riders displaying their horse’s gaits on a flat surface. The judge has the authority to direct Western pleasure horses and riders to walk, jog, lope, and reverse. In contrast to the English disciplines’ “trot and canter,” Western riders strive for slower gaits and utilize a lighter contact on the horse’s mouth, resulting in less collection in the frame. During evaluations, judges award points based on various criteria such as the horse’s movement, responsiveness, disposition under saddle, and others.
Western Horsemanship
The term “horsemanship” is used to describe the rider’s position while on the horse. Similar to Western pleasure, Western horsemanship requires the horse to move at different gaits such as walking, jogging, and loping. However, in Western horsemanship, the correctness of the rider’s position and the effectiveness of their aids are evaluated. Riders who are quiet, balanced, and exhibit good form, especially when riding quality horses, tend to perform well in horsemanship classes. In English riding, the term “equitation” is used to indicate horsemanship. Equitation competitions can be found in the omnibus section at English hunter and saddle seat horse shows.
Reining
Reining showcases the high significance of a horse’s ability to respond to pressure, which is one of the most valued skills on a working ranch. The modern reiners have developed from the essential need for ranch horses to possess outstanding agility and responsiveness when it comes to stopping and turning. The concept of reining originated from the cowboys’ desire to showcase their mastery over their horses. In today’s reining competitions, participants execute a predetermined sequence of skills and receive recognition for their control and fluidity. Freestyle reining, a well-liked variation, involves riders performing a choreographed routine synchronized with music, often wearing costumes.
Cutting
quick ability to turn and a good instinct. Cutting is a sport that originated from ranch riding, where cowboys often needed to separate a cow from the herd. It is a Western discipline that demonstrates the intuitive skills of cutting horses while working with cattle. During a cutting event, a cutting horse and its rider are accompanied by two to four support riders on turn back horses. Together, they outmaneuver a cow and keep it in the center of the arena, preventing it from returning to the herd. The turn back horses also help maintain order in the herd while the cutting horse focuses on a single cow. Additionally, the turn back horses put pressure on the selected cow, encouraging it to try to rejoin its herd. The main goal of cutters is to showcase their horse’s fitness and eagerness to work with cattle. Successful cutting horses must possess the ability to make quick turns and demonstrate good instincts.
Judges in the modern pairs contest value a strong interest in cattle and the instinctive talent to anticipate or understand cow behavior, also known as “cow sense.” This attribute, along with a horse’s bravery, appearance, and the complexity of the run, is a significant aspect that judges consider. Riders receive recognition for maintaining slack in their reins and enabling their horses to handle the cow autonomously.
Barrel Racing
Barrel racing is a highly popular Western equestrian sport due to its fast-paced action, with an average run time of 15 seconds. This sport is exclusively for women at the professional level. The objective is to race against the clock and circle three barrels arranged in a cloverleaf pattern. It is crucial for riders to ensure that all barrels remain standing throughout the race. If a barrel falls, a penalty of five seconds is added to their overall time. The winner is determined by the horse and rider with the fastest timed run.
Rodeo
The rodeo showcases various Western disciplines, with multiple riders participating in multiple events. American rodeos typically feature seven or eight different events, which can be classified into two categories: roughstock events and timed events. In roughstock events, such as saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, and bull riding, the scores are based on both the rider’s performance and the stock’s performance. Timed events, on the other hand, focus on speed and usually consist of barrel racing, team roping, calf or tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and breakaway roping. To gain a deeper understanding of the scoring system for eight common rodeo events, refer to the provided information.
Trail
Trail riding can refer to riding horses outdoors or on equestrian trails, both casually and competitively. Competitive trail riding is not exclusive to Western riding, but it is more commonly associated with Western attire due to its popularity in the American West. In competitive trail riding, riders and horses must navigate various obstacles typically found on a trail, such as wooden bridges and water features. The riders are timed, and the courses are usually expected to be completed within five minutes.
The Quarter Horse breed, along with Paints and Appaloosas, is a popular choice for Western riders of all disciplines. Whether it is navigating trail obstacles or sorting cattle, modern Western horses need to possess qualities such as calmness, obedience, and versatility. Its strong and stocky build, as well as its quiet demeanor, are what make the Quarter Horse breed the ideal choice for Western disciplines.
Pole Bending
Pole bending is a type of slalom event where the horse and rider navigate a serpentine pattern around six poles. These poles are evenly spaced at a distance of 21 feet (6.4 meters). The objective is for the horse and rider to enter the arena and ride at maximum speed towards the last pole. They must then execute a sharp left turn around the pole. Afterwards, they will maneuver through the remaining poles in a twisting fashion. Once they reach the end, they will turn sharply and gallop back through the poles in reverse order. The winning team is determined by the shortest completion time without any faults.
Working Cow Horse
Referred to as reined cow horse, this discipline combines reining and cutting, necessitating collaboration between the horse and rider to guide a cow through a sequence of maneuvers. A working cow horse event typically consists of three components: reining, a cutting section, and fence work.
Unlike a timed event, this is a judged competition where you will be required to execute a series of maneuvers, including holding a cow at one end of the arena, running it along the perimeter, and bringing it into the center of the arena. Additionally, you may be tasked with maneuvering the cow in both clockwise and counterclockwise circles.
Team Penning
If you have ever witnessed sheepdog trials, then you can get an understanding of what team penning entails. Team penning is a timed competition in which a group of three riders is required to choose between three and five steers from a herd and guide them into a small pen within a specific time frame, usually around 60 seconds. Once all the chosen steers are inside the pen, the gate can be closed and the team that completes the task in the shortest amount of time is declared the victor.
Roping
If you have seen a western movie where cowboys use lassos to capture steers, you will understand the concept of roping. It involves teamwork as the horse chases a calf or steer, while the rider throws a lasso to capture the animal. After this, the rider dismounts and restrains the animal. The type of roping event varies depending on whether you are working alone or with a team.
Versatility Ranch Riding
Also referred to as western ranch riding, this type of competition aims to assess a horse’s versatility in terms of ranch work and overall western riding skills. It incorporates aspects from western horsemanship, reining, and working cow horse competitions, while also featuring a diverse range of trail obstacles and a conformation class in which riders are not mounted.
In addition to showcasing a horse’s natural movement and conformation, it can serve as a testament to their level of training.
Cowboy Mounted Shooting
Sometimes referred to as western mounted shooting or mounted shooting, this activity is not exclusive to either men or women. Participants are required to ride their horses at full speed around an arena while firing blanks that are capable of bursting balloons from a distance of 20 feet (6 meters). The balloons, usually brightly colored, are strategically placed to create obstacles such as barrels and poles for the rider to navigate around. Additionally, there is a line of balloons at the end, known as the run down, where riders can shoot while exiting the arena in a straight line.
Cowboy mounted shooting, which resembles traditional western activities, is frequently showcased at reenactment events. The rider’s performance is evaluated based on both precision and speed in shooting all of the balloons.
In addition to donning traditional western clothing (refer to the description provided), you will be required to wear a dual firearm holster for your revolvers.
Mounted Drill
Mounted drill teams, typically consisting of 4 to 20 horses/riders, are commonly seen at horse fairs and parades. They showcase meticulously coordinated maneuvers set to music, often while holding flags. Judged on multiple factors including accuracy in formation, timing, horsemanship, and coordination, as well as the originality of their performance and crowd reception, each team creates their own pattern.
It is necessary for all riders to wear clothing that matches, and the horse’s equipment should also match. In certain cases, events might even demand that all horses are of the same color or breed.
Gymkhana
A gymkhana is described in the dictionary as a horseback event that takes place in a day and involves races and various competitions. These competitions can consist of barrel racing, pole bending, flag racing, stake racing, and other speed relays.
Teams frequently participate in simultaneous competitions, but in segregated lanes, which is more prevalent among children and at 4-H events.
What should I wear when western riding?
In terms of western apparel, it often differs greatly from the traditional appearance found in numerous English disciplines. For the majority of western occasions, participants are obliged to don a vibrant long-sleeved shirt (either solid, patterned, or adorned), along with western show pants or jeans combined with chinks or chaps. Furthermore, square or pointed cowboy boots and a cowboy hat or riding helmet are also essential elements of the attire.
I choose to purchase from Rod’s True Western because their prices are very responsible, they offer free shipping for purchases over $100, including international shipping. They also have a wide selection of western show clothing, boots, chaps, chinks, and accessories like scarves, earrings, and belts.
