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WHAT IS REINING?
| The Reining Australia Incorporated, is an organisation dedicated to the promotion of the Reining Horse in Australia. The Association was formed in 1987(National Reining Horse Association of Australia) to encourage the showing of Reining Horses by providing worthwhile purses for which they can compete, by developing a standard method under which all reining contests can be conducted, and by acting as a forum for their breeders and trainers. In 2007 the NRHA of Australia changed its name to Reining Australia. Reining Australia is an affiliate of the International body NRHA based in the USA. As stated in the National Reining Horse Association Incorporated By-Laws, one of the objectives of the Association is, "The development of suitable and proper standards of performance and judging". The NRHA Handbook specifies the rules under which reining horses will be judged. The following is intended as a guideline for the application of the rules for the judging as specified in the NRHA Handbook: The Handbook includes ten (10) specific patterns which the reining horse must execute exactly, and it also contains certain specific rules involving the penalties which are applied if a certain horse fails to perform these specific patterns as required. The Handbook also describes in detail the standard by which a reining should be judged. This description remains unchanged throughout the evolution of the NRHA, and the following paragraph clearly defines the quality required of a reining horse and is our strongest tool in providing clear and consistent evaluations of quality. "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 to completely. Any movement on his own must be considered a lack of or temporary loss of control; and therefore a fault that must be marked down according to severity of deviation. After deducting all faults set here within, against execution of the pattern and the horse's overall performance, credit should be given for smoothness, finesse, attitude, quickness and authority of performing various maneuvers, while using controlled speed which raises the difficulty level and makes him more exciting and pleasing to watch to an audience". The scoring of reining horses is on a positive numeric scale with 70 denoting a correct performance. NRHA patterns are comprised of several distinct maneuver groups which judge's are asked to evaluate on an individual basis dependant on execution as dictated by the pattern description and the rules for judging. The individual maneuvers are scored in 1 point increments from a low of -1.5 (extremely poor quality) to a high of +1.5 (excellent quality) with a score of 0 denoting a maneuver that is correct with no degree of difficulty. The total of the scores applied to the maneuver groups is combined with the starting score of 70 and from this gross maneuver score, any penalties are deducted to calculate the horse's final score. So a horse starting on their first maneuver with a score of 70 could end up after this first maneuver with a score of anything from a low of 68.5 to a high of 71.5 and this continues with every maneuver. All NRHA patterns are divided into 7 or 8 different maneuvers. These maneuvers required of a reining horse are as follows: WALK IN The walk-in brings the horse from the gate to the centre of the arena to begin its pattern. The horse should appear relaxed and confident. Any action, which may create the appearance of intimidation including starting and stopping, or checking, is a fault which shall be marked down according to severity. STOPS Stops are the act of slowing the horse from a lope (canter) to a stop position by bringing the hind legs under the horse in a locked position sliding on the hind feet. The horse should enter the stop position by bending the back, bringing the hind legs further under the body while maintaining forward motion, ground contact and cadence with front legs. Throughout the stop the horse should continue in a straight line while maintaining ground contact with the hind feet, hence the 'sliding stop'. SPINS Spins are a series of 360 degree turns, executed over a stationary (inside) hind leg. Propulsion for the spin is supplied by the outside rear leg and front legs, and contact should be made with the ground and a front leg. The location of hindquarters should be fixed at the start of the spin and maintained throughout the spins. ROLLBACKS Rollbacks are the 180 degree reversal of forward motion completed by running to a stop, rolling (turning) the shoulders back to the opposite direction over the hocks and departing in a lope (canter), as one continuous motion. The written pattern states no hesitation. However, a slight pause to regain footing or balance should not be deemed hesitation. The horse should not step ahead or backup prior to rolling back. CIRCLES Circles are manoeuvres at the lope (canter), of designated size and speed, which demonstrate control, willingness to guide, and degree of difficulty in speed and speed changes. Circles must at all times be run in the geographical area of the arena specified in the pattern description and must have a common centre point. There must be a clearly defined difference in the speed and size of a small, slow circle, and a large, fast circle; also, the speed and size of small, slow right circles should be similar to the small, slow left circles; and the speed and size of the large, fast right circles should be similar to the large, fast left circles. BACKUP A backup is a manoeuvre requiring the horse to be moved in a reverse motion in a straight line a required distance of at least 10 feet (3 metres). HESITATE To hesitate is the act of demonstrating the horse's ability to stand in a relaxed manner at a designated time in a pattern. In a hesitation, the horse should remain motionless and relaxed. All NRHA patterns require a hesitation at the end of the patterns to demonstrate to the judge(s) the completion of the pattern. LEAD CHANGES Lead changes are the act of changing the leading legs of the front and rear pairs of legs, at a lope (canter), when changing the direction travelled. The lead change must be executed at a lope (canter) with no change of gait or speed and be performed in the exact geographical position in the arena specified in the pattern description. The change of front and rear leads must take place within the same stride to avoid penalty. RUN DOWN & RUN AROUNDS Run downs and runs through the middle of the arena, and runs along the side and ends of the arena. Run downs and run-arounds should demonstrate control and gradual increase in speed to the stop. |
Web Page Last Updated : 1st January 1970
