Where they come from
Western riding grew from ranch work. Many competitions test skills a cow horse needs.
Major events
Reining: a set pattern of spins, circles and sliding stops. Cutting: separating one cow from a herd and keeping it away. Western pleasure: judging a calm, smooth, comfortable horse. Trail: navigating obstacles calmly.
Scoring
In reining, each maneuver is scored up or down from a base of 70. Cutting is judged on the horse’s skill with the cow over a set time.
Following the action
In reining, the crowd often cheers during a long sliding stop or fast spin — that’s a cue to watch.
Sources
By National Horse Co. Editorial Team · Checked against cited sources 2026-10-03. National Horse Co. is not affiliated with the organizations cited.