Riding Disciplines

[Gretchen Peterson]

There's more to riding than just Western & English!

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WESTERN

Using western tack, these events are used with western style horses..

Gaming & Speed Events - All you need is a fast horse for these events. These events include Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, Goat Tying, Flag Races, Break Away Roping, Roping, Carry the Mail, Key Hole Race, Rescue Race, Michigan Pick Up and the Stake Race.

Western Pleasure & Horsemanship - Slow moving horses with smooth gaits will excel at western pleasure, while the rider is the main focus in horsemanship.

Reining - This is where a horse is tested on his skills that could be used on the ranch - quick sliding stops, roll backs, circles at various speeds, spins, and flying lead changes.

Working Cow Horse - This event is much like the English Rider's Three Day Event... The horse is worked in Reining, Cutting and Fencework. Read the following for Fencework and Cutting.

Cutting - Used for show or on the actual ranch, cutting horses must sort through a herd of calves and keep on away from the herd. In a show, the horse will be judged on how well the horse reads the cow, and how fast he responds to the calf's own moves. On the ranch, they'll single out a calf so it can be branded, vaccinated, or for other reasons.

Fencework - This is when a horse must execute a series of circles while driving the cow, and hit the fence to run the calf down, turn, stop the cow, and do it again heading back.


ENGLISH

Dressage - The foundation of ALL riding, Dressage is the most important thing one person can learn. In show, the horse and rider move up through levels. Each level increases in difficulty, the highest level is Grand Prix.

Eventing - A three day event consists of Dressage, Cross Country and Show Jumping.

Cross Country - A timed event where horse and rider must gallop through a natural terrain that has several testing jumps to test the skill, intelligence, agility and courage of the horse and rider.

Show Jumping - Also called Stadium Jumping, this is nothing but a test to see who can get through the jumps in the quickest time.

Racing - Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, Paints, Appaloosas and Arabians are all raced, but never at the same meet. Racing that involves hurdles is called 'Steeple chasing'.

Hunters - Show hunters must show elegance, and carefullness over fences. In all respect, 'rail hunters' or show hunters, should be preparing for a life off-the-rail, so that one day they are prepared for a proper hunt.

Games - English style games include Polo and Polocrosse. Pony clubs offer gymkhanas, where the child and his or her pony/horse must go through several obstacles - be it for fun, or competition purposes.


MISC DISCIPLINES

Driving, Saddleseat, Bareback, and Australian style riding.