Many individuals opt to engage in competitive events with their horses, which can be either individual or team-based. Some activities are assessed based on written rules and specifications, while others involve timing. Each event is governed by its distinct set of regulations, and the majority of them are organized by local, regional, national, and occasionally international entities.
Western Competitive Activities
There are several competitive activities available for horse owners in the western region.
- Horsemanship
- Western Pleasure
- Reining
- Cutting
- Roping
- Working Cow Horse
- Western Riding
- Trail
- Gymkhana
- Team Penning
- Rodeo
Horsemanship
Equitation and Horsemanship refer to the rider’s skill in maintaining a balanced, accurate, and effective position on the horse, as well as their ability to control the horse appropriately. In classes focusing on equitation and horsemanship, the rider’s performance is assessed, although a well-trained, smoothly moving, and responsive horse greatly enhances the chance of winning. To evaluate a rider’s equitation and horsemanship, a pattern may be utilized, where the rider must execute designated maneuvers with their horse.
Western Pleasure
In pleasure classes, horses are evaluated based on their skill in executing the necessary gaits in a calm and pleasing manner. The horse should give the impression of being a delightful ride, displaying both smooth movements and good behavior. In the majority of competitions, the horse is expected to perform a walk, jog (western trot), and lope (western canter) in both directions of the arena, as well as move quietly backwards.
Reining
Reining horses demonstrate their rider’s control and responsiveness through a predetermined pattern. This pattern includes flying lead changes, spinning turns, sliding stops, and adjusting their stride length. These maneuvers showcase the horse’s ability to effectively respond to the rider’s commands.
To gather more information, you can visit the National Reining Horse Association’s website.
Cutting
During cutting competitions, the horse prevents a cow from rejoining the herd by using its skills to anticipate and outmaneuver the cow’s attempts to do so.
To access further information, please refer to the website of the National Cutting Horse Association.
Roping
Roping events demonstrate how a horse can follow a moving calf or steer, enabling the rider to catch the animal with a lasso and briefly control it. There are various roping events available for both groups and individuals. Team Roping involves a duo consisting of a header, responsible for roping the steer’s head, and a heeler, responsible for roping the steer’s heels. The team that successfully ropes the steer in the shortest amount of time emerges victorious. In calf roping, a single participant must rope the calf, get off their horse, and quickly tie three of the calf’s legs together.
To access further information, please visit the website of the United States Calf Ropers Association.
Working Cow Horse
Working cow horse classes test the horse’s maneuverability and control by the rider, as well as its ability to work and control cattle. The competition comprises prescribed reined work and actual cow work, with judging based on good manners, smoothness, cow sense, and ease of reining. In the cow working part, one cow is introduced into the arena. The horse must keep the cow on the end of the arena, make turns in both directions along the fence, and circle the cow in both directions.
To find more rules or information, you can consult the National Reined Cow Horse Association.
Western Riding
Horses in Western Riding are assessed based on their capability to execute a prescribed sequence that highlights their skill in performing flying lead changes smoothly (where they change their leading legs at the lope without slowing down to a jog or walk). Additionally, their gait quality and rhythm, obedience to the rider’s commands, and composure are also taken into consideration during evaluation.
Trail
During trail classes in horse shows, horses are required to navigate a variety of obstacles that simulate those often found on trails. These obstacles assess the horse’s capability to navigate them securely, calmly, and willingly. Examples of obstacles can include gate opening and closing, walking across a bridge, opening a mailbox, backing through poles, or weaving through cones.
Gymkhana
Speed events for horses involve testing their agility and speed. In these events, horses are timed and the winner is determined by the fastest time. One such event is barrel racing, where horses race around barrels arranged in a cloverleaf pattern. Another event is pole bending, which requires the horse to maneuver through six closely placed poles. In a stake race, horses run around two poles in a figure 8 pattern. Additionally, there are numerous other speed events available for horses.
If you want to find out more, please visit the following websites for additional information.
Team Penning
Team penning is a contest that requires a team of riders to separate certain cattle from a herd, lead them into a pen, and maintain them there within a specified time limit. Although team penning is particularly favored in the Western United States, its popularity is on the rise nationwide.
To obtain more information, please visit the website of the United States Team Penning Association.
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competition that showcases activities reflecting the essential skills cowboys utilized while working on the range. The most common rodeo events are bareback and saddle bronc riding, where participants aim to stay mounted on an untrained horse for 8 seconds, and bull riding, where cowboys strive to stay on a bull for 8 seconds. Additionally, timed events like calf roping and team roping demonstrate the abilities cowboys required to catch animals for various purposes such as treatment or branding. Barrel racing is a highly popular event that highlights the agility and speed of the horse. The oversight of rodeos in the United States falls under organizations such as the National High School Rodeo Association and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
6 Tips To Ride A Horse Western Style
At first glance, western riding may appear easy, but in reality, it requires significant effort, proper preparation, and strong horsemanship skills to create an illusion of simplicity.
To act, feel, and look like an experienced rider, follow this guide all the way if you are preparing to go on your first horseback ride. We provide fantastic advice on riding a horse in the western style. So, grab your saddle and let’s go perform some impressive cowboy tricks, shall we?
1. Get A Horse That Matches Your Riding Ability
To start with, it is important to find a compatible horse. Your instructor will have the knowledge to determine the horse that is most suitable for you considering your riding skills. Therefore, if you lack experience in riding, they should allocate a horse that is slower, sturdier, and generally exhibits a calm behavior.
If you encounter a horse that is jumpy or restless, or appears to be less comfortable than what you are accustomed to, it is important to voice your concerns immediately. It is advisable to exercise caution, even if you have experience riding western, when dealing with unfamiliar horses.
If you say something now, it will be less dangerous and less embarrassing than when your horse gets out of control during the ride.
2. Hold Your Reins Properly
In Western style horse riding, it is customary to hold both reins in one hand, which differs from the English style where the reins are held in two hands. Holding the reins in a single hand allows for some arm relaxation and promotes a more relaxed movement of the horse’s head.
To guide your horse in making a turn, slightly shift the hand holding the reins forwards and towards the desired direction. Additionally, most western riders modify their body positioning towards the intended turn, which helps communicate the signal more effectively to the horse.
3. Keep Your Eyes Up
When embarking on western horse-riding training, your instructor’s initial advice will always be to maintain your focus on the desired direction. Despite its commonality, diverting your gaze downwards can disrupt your journey.
By looking forward, you not only improve your ability to see where you are going, but you also enhance your balance, thus allowing you to keep the horse balanced. The greater your stability, the more proficiently your horse will move.
