Working Cow Horse - Today

Today

Reined cow horse events which are "open" to all breeds and held by the National Reined Cow Horse Association (NRCHA). Working cow horse events are also held at breed specific shows, such as at an American Quarter Horse Association or Arabian Horse Association show, The general rules between various organizations are usually similar to the NRCHA in that the horse is required to perform two or three different sorts of work in one or two sessions. One session consists of reining work, where a reining pattern is performed. This is often referred to as the "dry work." The other is the cow work, where a single cow is released into the arena and the horse is asked to first hold the cow at one end of the arena (known as "boxing") then run the horse along the rail of the arena, turning it back without the aid of the fence (known as "fencing"). Lastly, the horse maneuvers the cow into the center of the arena and cause the cow to circle in a tight circle in each direction (known as "circling"). All this must be accomplished before the cow is exhausted. In three event competition, a "Herd Work" session is also included. The herd work is similar to cutting where a single cow is "cut" from a herd of cattle and prevented from returning to the herd by the intervention of the horse and rider. Herd work is most often included in three year old futurity and four & five year old derby classes. Herd work is also included in a "Bridle Spectacular" class. (The Arabian Horse Association omits the reining work in its breed shows.) The horse is judged on the ability to control the cow, as well as speed, balance, responsiveness to the rider.

Today's reined cow horse competitors train horses at two levels, similar to the original Californio method. Younger horses, three year olds, can compete with a snaffle bit. Four and five year old horses can compete in either a snaffle bit or bosal; six year and older horses compete in a "bridle". Horses working in curb bits, often "half-breeds," so-called because the port is about half the size of the original spade bits used by the Californios. Occasionally, one will see a skilled rider with a horse in a spade bit, but because of its potential severity, the difficulty and time involved in training a horse to a spade, and the well-bred horses of today which can perform without such bits, most horsemen avoid the spade.