"The extended trot, or the long trot, is the signature move of ranch riding,” says trainer and showman Aaron Ralston. “No other western show event requires your horse to stay in a long trot instead of a lope.”In the...
Split reins are by far the most versatile type of reins used in western riding, but they can be a bit challenging to master. The two separate reins can get tangled, dropped, or become uneven while riders struggle to...
Marked by fluid lead changes around a cone-marked course, western riding is a challenging class for all-around competitors. But with skill, preparation and careful navigation, you can guide your horse to a penalty-free score. Here, trainer Bruce Vickery shares...
Developing a special partnership with a horse takes equal parts hard work, perseverance, and passion, but once formed, such a bond can last a lifetime. For Japanese-American cowgirl Miko Moriuchi McFarland and her American Paint Horse, Sparkle Grady One...
A versatile ranch horse can do anything his rider asks—including pulling gear or livestock with a rope connected to the saddle horn. Versatility ranch horse competitions mirror real-life ranch tasks that include a rope-drag obstacle in the ranch trail...
Of all the ranch versatility events, ranch riding has gained the most popularity; it’s also become the most competitive. If you’re on a quest to achieve high marks in ranch riding, three-time American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Versatility Ranch...
If anyone could be labeled a hunter princess, it was me. For nearly four decades I strove for the perfect hunter round and learned to maintain a semblance of grace during an equitation class. Yet I would eventually end...
Will your horse ride over logs easily and with interest? In popular ranch riding classes, log obstacles are part of every pattern. Most often, the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) patterns call for walking or trotting over logs. A...
A staple piece of tack for many West Coast western riders, romal reins can be a bit of a mystery if you learned how to ride in the eastern parts of the United States. While this rein started as...
Years ago, if you attended a Saddlebred horse show, you could expect to see high-stepping, animated horses shown in saddle seat and fine harness classes and not much else. And while the beauty and excitement of the saddle seat...
