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Reining began on working cattle ranches, where a cowboy or vaquero used their horses to gather, move and hold cattle
on the open range. These horses had to be athletic, quick and agile. They had to be extremely responsive to a
very light rein. In years gone by, cowboys and vaqueros took pride in their hard working, well-trained horses.
Challenges often arose as to who had the best horse. The most talented riders would put their horses through a series
of stops and turns, letting the watching crowd determine which rider and horse were the best. These displays are the
forerunners of today's reining competitions.
Today's reining competitions provide a venue for hundred's of riders to demonstrate the skills of their highly trained
and conditioned horses. Trained judges score the reining horse based on its execution of the maneuver groups required
in a specific pattern. All patterns are divided into seven or eight maneuvers.
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Sample NHRA Reining Pattern #1
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