THE
ART OF REINING
Reining is
defined on the NRHA
web site as a judged event designed to show the athletic ability of
a ranch type horse within the confines of a show arena. In NRHA competition,
contestants are required to run one of ten approved
reining patterns, included in the NRHA Handbook.
Each pattern includes small slow circles, large fast
circles, flying lead changes, roll backs over the hocks, 360 degree
spins done in place, and exciting sliding stops that are the hallmark
of the reining horse.
THE
REINING HORSE DEFINED
The
NRHA handbook further describes the reining horse. It says "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..."
THE HISTORY OF
REINING COMPETITION
Reining
originated from the moves that cattle horses adopt when on the job.
It was first recognized as a sport in 1949 by the American
Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), the world’s largest equestrian
organization currently counting more than 320,000 members and some
four million horses. Its members, be they competitors, coaches, breeders
or horse owners, greatly contributed to giving the western ranch type
horse the international recognition it enjoys today. The managing
body of reining is the
NRHA, which originated in 1966. The organization now consist of
over 15,000 members and over $1.3 million dollars in prize money being
paid out in 2007. In 2000 reining was added by the FEI
as its seventh discipline, the only western discpline to be a part
of the World
Equestrian Games. Reining became a full medal sport in 2002 at
the World Equestrian Games in Spain. It is the hope that reining will
be included in the 2012 Olympic games in England. In 2010, Lexington,
Kentucky will be host to the World
Equestrian Games.
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