To rein a horse is not only to guide them, but also to control their 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 their 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 them more exciting and pleasing to watch to an audience.
Tack and Attire
- Refer to Western tack and attire requirements on pages 17-26.
- The 4-H armband is required.
Optional: Chaps, protective boots, splint boots, skid boots, or leg wraps. Sliding plates of moderate width (3/4 – 1 ¼ inches wide) may be used on the hind feet.
Prohibited: Hackamore bits, gag bits, unorthodox and severe mouthpieces or pressure headstalls. Tie downs, martingales, draw reins, cavesson noseband, and any crop or whip.
Scoring Procedures
Scoring will be on the basis of 0-Infinity, with 70 denoting an average performance. The individual maneuvers are scored in 1/2 point increments from a low of -1 1/2 to a high of +1 1/2 with a score of 0 denoting a maneuver that is correct with no degree of difficulty.
General Regulations
- All contestants will gather at the arena at the proper time. Upon call, each contestant will perform the required pattern individually and separately. Working order for contestants should be drawn or randomized.
- The arena should be approximately 80 by 200 feet or larger.
- Each horse will be judged on the neatness, dispatch, ease, calmness, and reasonable speed with which it performs the pattern.
- Any horse not following exact pattern will perform unplaced and receive the lowest ribbon placing.
- In case of doubt, a judge may require any contestant to repeat their performance of any or all the various parts of the pattern. A judge shall also have the authority to require the removal or alteration of any piece of equipment or accoutrement which, in the judge's opinion, would tend to give a horse an unfair advantage. No inhumane equipment will be allowed.
Individual Pattern Scoring
- Each contestant will perform the required pattern individually and separately. All horses will be judged immediately upon entering the arena and judging will cease after the last maneuver. Any fault incurred prior to the commencement of a pattern will be scored accordingly.
- Scoring will be on the basis of 0-Infinity, with 70 denoting an average performance.
- In reining all changes of lead should be a flying change of lead unless the pattern specifies otherwise regardless if the pattern states flying change of lead or change leads all are to be a flying change unless simple change of leads is specified.
- The following will result in no score:
- Abuse of an animal in the show arena and/or evidence that an act of abuse has occurred prior to or during the exhibition of a horse in competition
- Use of illegal equipment, including wire on bits, bosals, or curb chains
- Use of illegal bits, bosals, or curb chains; when using a snaffle bit, optional curb strap is acceptable; however, curb chains are not acceptable
- Use of tack collars, tie downs or nosebands
- Use of whips or bats
- Use of any attachment that alters the movement of or circulation to the tail
- Failure to provide horse and equipment to the appropriate judge for inspection
- Disrespect or misconduct by the exhibitor
- Closed reins are not allowed except as standard romal reins.
- A rider may untangle excess rein, where excess rein may prevent the rider from continuing the pattern, where said excess can be straightened without affecting the performance of the horse, during hesitations, or when settling a horse; rider's free hand may be used to hold romal in the normal fashion.
The following will result in a score of 0:
- Use of more than index or first finger between split reins
- Use of two hands (exception in Junior, Snaffle Bit, or Hackamore classes designated for two hands) or changing hands
- Use of romal other than as outlined in No. 10, Western Tack — performance
- Failure to complete pattern as written
- Performing the maneuvers other than in specified order Including maneuvers not specified, including, but not limited to backing more than 2 strides and turning more than 90 degrees.
- Equipment failure that delays completion of pattern; including dropping a rein that contacts the ground while horse is in motion
- Balking or refusal of command where pattern is delayed
- Running away or failing to guide where it becomes impossible to discern whether the entry is on pattern
- Jogging in excess of one-half circle or one-half the length of the arena
- Over spins of more than 1/4 turn
- Fall to the ground by horse or rider
Neither a No Score nor a 0 is eligible to place in a go round or class, but a 0 may advance in a multi-go event while a No Score may not.
- The following will result in a reduction of 5 points:
- Spurring in front of cinch
- Use of free hand to instill fear or praise
- Holding the saddle with either hand
- Blatant disobediences including kicking, biting, bucking, rearing, and striking
The following will result in a reduction of 2 points:
- Break of gait
- Freeze up in spins or rollbacks
- On walk-in patterns, failure to stop or walk before executing a lope departure
- On run-in patterns, failure to stop or walk before executing a lope prior to the first marker
- Not completely passing the specified marker before initiating a stop position
Starting or performing circles or eights out of lead will be judged as follows:
- Each time a horse is out of lead, a judge is required to deduct one point. The penalty for being out of lead is accumulative, and the judge will deduct one penalty point for each quarter of the circumference of a circle or any part thereof that a horse is out of lead. A judge is required to penalize a horse one-half point for a delayed change of lead by one stride. Deduct 1/2 point for starting a circle at a jog or exiting rollbacks at a jog up to two strides.
- Deduct 2 points for jogging beyond 2 strides, but less than 1/2 circle or 1/2 the length of the arena.
- Deduct 1/2 point for over or under spinning up to 1/8 of a turn; deduct 1 point for over or under spinning from 1/8 to 1/4 turn.
- A 1/2 point penalty deduction will be given for failure to remain a minimum of 20 feet (6 meters) from the wall or fence when approaching a stop and/or rollback.
- In patterns requiring a run-around, failure to be on the correct lead when rounding the end of the arena will be penalized as follows: for 1/2 the turn or less, 1 point; for more than 1/2 turn, 2 points.
- Faults against the horse to be scored accordingly, but not to cause disqualification:
- Opening mouth excessively
- Excessive jawing, opening mouth or head raising on stop
- Lack of smooth, straight stop on haunches – bouncing or sideways stop
- Refusing to change leads
- Anticipating signals
- Stumbling
- Back sideways
- Knocking over markers
- Faults against rider to be scored accordingly, but not to cause disqualification:
- Losing stirrup
- Failure to run circles or figure eights within markers, if there is not a cone in the middle of the arena to designate the size of the circles, is not considered a fault depending on the arena conditions and size; however, failure to go beyond markers on rollbacks and stops is considered a fault.
Pattern explanations: Ride all patterns as they are written.
X Marker
___ Catner or lope
_ _ Back
Patterns — Any one of the following reining patterns may be used at any show. However, Nebraska patterns #1, #2 and #3, are suggested for Junior Riders 13 years and younger, and patterns #4, #5 and #6 are suggested for Senior Riders 14 years and older. Additional NRHA patterns are provided. For more reining resources visit: NRHA.com.
Ride all patterns as written, not drawn.