Help understanding reining

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Permalink Reply by SkyHilaryLove on October 6, 2008 at 5:09pm

I dont rein but I too would like to know about it.

Permalink Reply by Cindy Jeffery on November 3, 2008 at 5:27pm

Yes reining is considered western dressage, some of the maneuvers (movements) are the very similar if not the same. The biggest difference is "no frame" at least it is not kept by the rider. Reining horses are trained and some have it bred into them to work off a loose rein. They are encouraged to carry them selves and to perform as if they are "willingly guided" as it states in the NRHA rule book. Some similarities to dressage are: individual pattern work using a pattern laid out in the NRHA (National Reining Horse Association) rulebook, there are specific maneuvers (movements) within the pattern that the horse is judged on. When the horse walks in the arena he/she starts out with 70 points and according to how willing the horse is that day penalties are deducted or points added according to how the judge interprets the performance of the pattern. When you and your horse are done the pattern a final score is given and hopefully you don't go below 70 because that is a good clean run. When the judge adds points and doesn't penalize that means your run was a little bit better then just a good clean run and that's how you get in the money. If your horse is submissive to you in dressage tests and you don't need to fight him/her to get through, you should do pretty good in reining. You will just have to relearn some stuff like weaning yourself off the face, this will make the 2 of you a little insecure for a while until you get the hang of it. Start out by getting with a local reining bunch, they will be excited to help you learn, hopefully they will have beginner patterns to try, short, slow ones that will build your confidence. I have some I can email to you if you are interested. Good Luck and happy reining :-)

Permalink Reply by Cindy Jeffery on November 3, 2008 at 5:31pm

I'm sorry I didn't answer all of your questions, but when I saw bridleless I thought of Stacy Westfall as no doubt you saw her video on Youtube. What would really be good to do is get her DVD's at www.westfallhorsemanship.com they are excellent. I had the privilege to watch her seminars at the Mane Event in Chilliwack, B.C. Canada, she has some wonderfull training techniques which help prepare your horse for the reining pen and bridleless.

Permalink Reply by Gary Marsolais on April 14, 2009 at 9:42am

We have a Quarter Horse Stallion that I ride bridless at home....he has been a reining horse all of his life, he's now 10.... he is so well trained that he understands the queues I give him with me legs and my voice....he actually travels nicer without the bridle, holds his head better and looks very natural and pretty....it's something to see and feel.

Permalink Reply by Reinersue on January 4, 2010 at 2:38pm

Happy New Year Barbara F.
I've been in reining for 18 yrs. now. I would be happy to answer any questions that you have.
To answer some of your questions:
"What are the goals of reining" To have an extrememly well trained horse. From NRHA handbook: "A. General
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 control. All deviations
from the exact written pattern 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."

Permalink Reply by Reinersue on January 4, 2010 at 2:39pm

"The frame of the horse?"
Collected

The levels?
In Canada, we have provincial and national. Reining Canada is our national organization. They have a website.

Permalink Reply by Reinersue on January 4, 2010 at 2:42pm

"How do you ever get to the point where you can go bridelless?"
Our reining horses are trained to have little to no contact on the reins. We have contract when we are frist training the horse or when we need to make a correction.
The sign of a trained reining horse (or any western horse) is to have little to no contact on the reins and yet communicate exceptionally.
So bridless is just another level of 'no contact on the reins'. We use all other cues such as voice, legs, body etc as our cues.
And of course, the horses are very well trained.

Hope this helps. Please check out www.nrha.com for information. As well as my website: www.reinersuehorsemanship.com

Reinersue