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“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 to no apparent resistance and dictated to completely”. Jim Willoughby

 

Reining Australia a non-profit organization was formed in 1988 with the purpose of growing and supporting the exciting equestrian sport of reining nationally.   

We have affiliates nationally who we proudly represent through providing a competitive arena where we hold true the values family, respect, and sportsmanship.

 

Reining Australia offers a wide range of programs for all our members as example:

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• A National Hi Point programme

• Green Rider Program for entry level riders

• Gold Buckle Futurity Program aimed at 4-year-old horses

• Youth Program run in conjunction with state bodies

• Para Reining Program 

• Hall of Fame and recognition programmes to recognise those who have gone above and beyond in our industry

• Internship/Apprenticeship Program for those who wish to become trainers

 

The pinnacle event of the reining year is the Reining Australia National Reining Championships featuring the Gold Buckle Futurity and Affiliate Championships and the significant prize money on offer. 

 

Every Reining Australia sanctioned show is conducted in accordance with the RA Rule Book show rules and horse welfare standards.

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Membership Benefits

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• Reining Australia members can participate in all approved regional, state and national shows.  

• Reining Australia shows have a selection of classes designed to provide a level of competition for everyone – from beginning green riders to elite professionals.

• All Reining Australia shows utilize accredited judges who have completed comprehensive training and passed rigorous testing before receiving their judge's privileges. This means that the consistency and fairness of scoring is the same at every show, in every level of competition.

• Reining Australia keep accurate track of all horse and rider earnings. 

• Reining Australia provides unique and comprehensive networking opportunities for members to connect with other members, top owners and some of the best horseman & women in Australia.

• Reining Australia operates a website and Facebook page for its members which provides current information about all aspects of the sport.

• Reining Australia operates a fun yet competitive Youth program.

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Reining Maneuvers

Each reining pattern includes seven to eight different maneuvers. These maneuvers trace back to what you could see a horse doing on an actual working ranch.  Patterns can include: Walk in, jog-in, sliding stops, spins (turnarounds), rollbacks, circles, backups, hesitations, flying lead changes, and run downs.

What exactly are the judges looking for in each maneuver?

 

• Walk in: The horse walks into the area through the gate and travels to the center of the arena in a relaxed and confident manner.

• Jog-in: The horse will jog the majority of the way to the center of the area. Similar to the walk in, horses should be relaxed and confident with no appearance of intimidation from the rider.

• Sliding stops: Stops will be performed by bending through the back and bringing the hind legs under the body in a locked position. This locking position creates the sliding stop. Ideal stops will draw straight lines in the dirt with the hind legs always having contact with the ground. The horse’s front legs should maintain forward motion and contact with the ground during the stop.

• Spins: Sometimes referred to as turnarounds, spins are pivots on the hind end. What makes a spin different from a pivot is the speed. The horse will complete this high speed pivot by maintaining a stationary hind leg.

• Rollbacks: A 180 degree reversal of direction following a sliding stop. This is a continuous motion after the stop and should not have any hesitation other than regaining foot balance.

• Circles: Completed at the lope, circles will be designated by size and speed. Judges are looking for control, willingness, and degree of difficulty in speed and speed transitions.

• Backups: Must be at least 10 feet. Horses will move in a reverse manner in a straight line.

• Hesitations: Shows the ability for a horse to pause and relax for a designated time. This is typically done after the last maneuver of the pattern.

• Lead changes: A flying lead change is required in most reining patterns. For a flying change, the front and rear pair of legs change leads at the same time. There should be no change of gait or speed and performed in the part of the arena stated in the pattern. (The alternative to a flying lead change is a simple lead change, where the horse breaks from a lope down into a jog or walk before picking up the opposite lead.)

• Run downs: Performed either along the sides of the arena or down the middle, a horse will gradually increase speed towards the sliding stop.

 

How are reining classes scored?

According to the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA), each horse and rider combination starts with a score of 70. From there, each pair can either earn positive or negative points depending on how they perform each required maneuver.

Each maneuver is scored with the following 1/2 point increments:

• -1 1/2 extremely poor

• -1 very poor

• -1/2 poor

• 0 average

• +1/2 good

• +1 very good

• +1 1/2 very excellent

Positive credit points are given for smoothness, finesse, attitude, quickness, and speed which all raises the difficulty of the patterns.

A penalty score of zero can also occur. For example, failure to complete the pattern as written would result in a score of zero. If the horse spins 5 times instead of the required 4, or runs circles out of order, this would also result in a score of zero. Other scenarios, such as an equipment failure, changing rein hands, or using two hands on the reins are all causes for a zero score.

There are also instances where a rider will receive a “no score”. This is due to either abuse of the horse or misconduct of the rider and is the equivalent of disqualification.

 

​​​Reining Horse Conformation

Horses need certain physical characteristics to excel in the sport of reining. A horse that is naturally built for the maneuvers makes training a whole lot easier.  not too bulky, to allow for finesse and easy movement.

 

Reining Horse Size

Reining horses tend to be on the smaller side, averaging between 14.2 hands to 15 hands. Their small stature helps keep their center of gravity low to the ground. This low center of gravity helps achieve the quick, sharp movements required by the sport.

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How long does it take to train a horse for reining?

A good rule of thumb is to give your horse a solid 2 years for reining training. Most reining horses are started as 2 years olds and not shown until they are at least 3 years old. This can be seen as controversial in the horse industry, as young horses are still growing and developing during this time.

Extreme care is used with these young horses. Training sessions are kept brief and to the point. Top show barns will also have monthly check-ins with their vets to ensure their young horses are in tip top shape during this process.

 

Horses that are transitioning from another discipline may take a little less time to switch to reining based on the horse’s prior training knowledge. However, it’s always good to take it slow and make sure your horse is fully acclimated to the new physical demands of the sport.

 

Tips for Beginners

Go into the pen with a goal to score a 70.” By using this mindset, you will focus on completing the maneuvers as correctly as possible.

As a beginner, this will allow allowed me to set aside the stress of trying to “wow” the judges, and instead focus on clear communication with your horse to complete the pattern as written.

 

Some Valuable Tips:

#1 Watch reining classes

Watching other riders complete reining patterns is one of the easiest ways to learn. By watching classes, you can catch common mistakes and see how riders/trainers handle them in the show pen.

As a bonus, watch paid warmups to get a front row seat to real time training sessions.

# 2 Attend clinics

Whether it be as a participant or an auditor, attending clinics is a great opportunity to learn from some of the best trainers in the industry.

#3 Learn the rulebook

Understanding the sport’s rules and scoring metrics is critical to a successful reining run. Nothing is worse than having a great go and forgetting to run past the last set of cones.

Learn from the mistakes of others and read the rulebook!

#4 It’s okay to be nervous

It is absolutely okay to be nervous before your first reining class! In fact, being a little scared means you truly care about what you’re about to do. Even the most successful reining trainers can get nervous before their big runs. Take your nervous energy and channel it into excitement.

After all, showing horses is supposed to be fun