
Reining competitions have exploded in popularity since becoming accepted by the United States Equestrian Federation as an international sport. Reining is the western form of a ballet where the horse and rider are the performers. As is the case with many other western disciplines, the forerunner to the reining shows of today started with informal match ups between cowboys who were eager to show off the skills of their horses. In addition to being a top shelf athlete, the cowboy’s horse had to be good minded with a willing and honest temperament. The rigors of the working cattle ranch required a horse that could run fast, stop quick, be light to guide, and have lightning fast turns. Reining has a uniquely American heritage, and was born on the working cattle ranches where the cowboy required a nimble, quick, athletic mount. What dressage is to the English discipline, reining is the equivalent to the Western discipline. It is also right at home on the ranch, but may not quite measure up to serious cow work as expected from the heavier, sturdier roping saddle. Many of these saddle are perfectly capable of being used as a training saddle or as a trail saddle. The reining saddle is the saddle of choice for the serious competitor in the show pen, but it can also have other uses. Each previously owned saddle has been expertly cleaned and oiled, with the saddle tree and leather inspected and repaired to make sure every used saddle is a sound purchase and is up to the job. Never a bad selection! Check out used reiners that are in very good condition. The horn on many cow horse and cutting saddles can be too high and get in the way. So watch out for this if you’re trying to find one saddle to use for both reining and say, reined cow horse. Freedom of movement for hands and reins is imperative. The horn and swells should be of minimal height so as not to impede the rider’s hands or get in the way of the reins.What are the 7 main features you should expect in a reining saddle? The saddle should also help minimize interference from the rider by aiding balance and stability during a challenging ride filled with precise, explosive moves from their mount.Ī good quality, close contact saddle can go a long way to better run, improved form and higher scores. The well-designed reiner helps maximize balance, agility and transmission of cues between you and your horse. You want a saddle that is built to allow unimpeded communication. Any reining competitor knows that in order to put in their best performance, they need equipment that allows utmost communication between themselves and their mount.Ī good reining saddle is designed to do this. In reining, the rider controls the horse’s every movement – from standing still to sliding stops. What sets a reining saddle apart from other western and ranch saddles?
