Western

Rail and Pattern Performance Horse

With A Focus On…

Western Horse:

Training Tips & Strategies

Performance Show Competition Tips & Strategies

in Western Rail and Pattern Disciplines:

• Western Pleasure Horse
• Western Riding Horse
• Western Horsemanship
• Trail Horse

A western horse has three well-defined gaits or way of going. The American Quarter Horse Association, American Paint Horse Association and National Snaffle Bit Association all define these gaits in similar words in their rule books. For each Associations’ specific wording and rules visit their respective websites.   (see Links on the Side Bar)

In general terms they define these three gaits as follows:

1. The Walk

The horses walk is a natural, flat-footed, four-beat gait. The horse must move straight and true at the walk. The walk must be alert, with a stride of reasonable length in keeping with the size of the horse.

2. The Jog

The jog is a smooth, ground-covering two-beat diagonal gait. The horse works from one pair of diagonals to the other pair. The jog should be square, balanced and with straight, forward movement of the feet. Horses walking with their back feet and trotting in the front are not considered performing the required gait.

When asked in a performance class to extend the jog, your horse should move out with the same smooth way of going but with a slight increase in speed.

3. The Lope

The lope is an easy, rhythmical three-beat gait. Horses moving to the left should lope on the left lead. Horses moving to the right should lope on the right lead. Horses traveling at a four-beat
gait are not considered to be performing at a proper lope. The horse should lope with a natural stride and appear relaxed and smooth. It should be ridden at a speed that is a natural way of going.

Tips for all gaits:

The horses head should be carried at an angle that is natural and suitable to the horse’s conformation at all gaits.

It doesn’t matter if you’re riding in a western pleasure class or a western riding class these same rules will apply to your horses’ movement. It might take you some time if you’re a beginning rider but eventually you’ll be able to count the beats at each gait as you ride your horse.

Two beats for the western jog and three beats for the western pleasure lope.

Practice by watching your horse on the lunge line, count the beats as he goes around at each gait. You’ll find after a while you’ll automatically see and know if your horse is attempting to be lazy and not move at a true gait or if he is true in his movement.

This is a picture of a One Hot Krymsun Western Pleasure mare with Mike Davis at the 2008 Reichart Celebration in Oklahoma.

Rail and Pattern Performance Horse Competition Categories:

These Performance Horse Categories are based on the age of the horse. Some Horse Associations or Open Shows / Non Breed -may have other show categories not listed here but these will be your main Categories.

A Futurity Class or Sweepstakes Class means that winning horses will win money and or prizes. The payout is determined by Horse Show Management and the Specific Rules of the Approved Breed Association if applicable. The Show itself must be approved by the specific breed association.

Yearling Lunge Line (1 year old on January 1 of Current Year)
2 Year Old Futurity Class
3 Year Old Futurity Class
Maturity Futurity Class
Green Horse Class
Jr Horse Class ( 5 years old and under as of Jan of the current year)
Senior Horse (6 years old and over as of Jan of the current year)

These categories are not horse age dependent but are rider status dependent. For instance a class might be Youth Showmanship or Novice Amateur Showmanship and or Youth or Novice Amateur Trail.

Showmanship
Trail Horse

Rail and Pattern Performance Horse Competition Based on Rider Status:

Open Rider ( A horse trainer or owner of the horse rides in this class)

Non Pro Rider ( The horse owner riding in a futurity class as a Non Professional Rider)

Amateur Rider ( A rider 19 or older who is not a horse trainer nor someone who has taken money or other forms of payment of any kind for riding or training a horse. An Amateur may not be a Horse Show Judge in any Horse Association. In addition you must be the owner of the horse you show.

Novice Rider ( To compete in these classes you must not have won  25 points or more in open, novice amateur, amateur, novice youth or youth divisions combined in a particular skill set.

For example: 7 novice youth western riding points + 3 youth western riding points + 8 novice amateur western riding points + 5 amateur western riding points + 2 open western riding points means you are not eligible for novice amateur or novice youth in the novice skill set Western Riding.

For example if you are over age 19 but under age 50 and have not earned 25 combined points in western pleasure you would be eligible to show in the Novice Amateur Class and you could also show in the Amateur Class.

The same rule applies to the Youth Classes.

Select Amateur Rider ( Rider Age 50 and over)

Youth -Rider Age 14 – 18

Youth – Rider Age 13 and under

Youth- Rider  Age 10 and Under

Each horse Association will have somewhat different rules so for example if you plan to show in the Paint Horse or Quarter Horse Association then you should check their specific rule book.