What is Reining? The Western Discipline Explained

What is Reining Horse Riding?

Often described as the dressage of Western riding, Reining is a western riding competition where rider and horse perform a number of precise movements, made to mimic those of a working horse. These movements include spins and circles, sliding stops, and rollbacks:

• Spins: a movement where the rider instructs the horse to perform a controlled rotation. 
• Circles: a movement where the rider instructs the horse to move in a circular motion of varying speed and time. 
• Sliding stops: a manoeuvre where a horse gallops at speed and then abruptly stops on demand, allowing its front legs to continue moving forward and its back legs to slide in a controlled, smooth, and balanced manner. 
• Rollbacks: a movement where, following a sliding stop, a horse undertakes a manoeuvre to make a 180-degree turn on its hindquarters, accelerating into a gallop in the opposite direction. 

The goal of reining in western competition is to demonstrate responsiveness to cues, display smooth movements, and maintain a controlled technique. 

What is long reining?

You might hear the term ‘long reining’ which, whilst it shares similar terms, movements, and characteristics to Reining, is a separate exercise. Long Reining is the process of training a horse using long reins, with a handler guiding the horse through movements and commands from the ground, by the horse’s side - it is often used to teach younger horses but is useful in refining the skills of any Reining horse. 

What is a Reining horse?

Quite simply, a Reining horse is a horse specifically trained for the discipline. But some key characteristics that make a horse suitable for the discipline include: 

• Athleticism: the discipline includes quick and sharp movements, requiring an agile horse to be able to adequately perform them under control. 
• Balance: Sliding stops, rollbacks, and spins require a lot of control, and so a horse must be trained to hold its balance to perform them well, and more importantly safely. 
• Trainability & responsiveness: because the disciple requires such rigorous training, a horse needs to be responsive to commands. 
• Calm temperament: Whilst Reining is an agile sport, it’s also about performance, and for a horse to be successful, it requires a controlled, calm temperament for precision. 

What is the most popular horse breed for Reining?

The most popular horse breed for Reining is the American quarter horse - they’re well known within the Western riding community to be strong, fast, and agile, with strong hindquarters for control and a naturally good temperament. 

Reining Competitions: The Scoring System

Within a Reining competition, riders and horses will be judged on each individual movement they complete. Each partnership is given a ‘starting score’ of 70, which is deemed ‘average’. For each manoeuvre, they are judged on a scale from -1.5 to +1.5, increasing by half-points, with +1.5 being ‘excellent’ and -1.5 being ‘extremely poor’. If mistakes are made on any movement, points are subtracted as a penalty, and the number of points depends on the size of the error. 

At the end of the routine, scores are calculated - any score above the starting point of 70 is deemed ‘above average’, and vice versa. 

Horse Reining Events in the UK

As Reining, and more broadly Western riding, increase in popularity in the UK, you’ll find more and more events popping up across the country, through organisers like British Reining, National Reining Horse Association UK, and the Western Equestrian Society UK. We’ve picked just a few examples of what events, competitions, and clinics are on offer. 

1. The British Reining Championship Show 

An annual show organised by British Reining, this event is the highlight of the British Reining calendar and a real celebration of the sport. It attracts top talent from across the UK but also features a multitude of different classes to accommodate all skill levels. 

The show is held each year at big Equestrian venues; previously the show has featured at Bodiam International Arena, and the Sovereign Quarter Horses. It is a key event for Reining riders, with the Championship show often serving as a qualifier for the National Reining Horse Association affiliate championships, which gives them the opportunity to start competing at international levels.

2. The British Reining Spring Show 

Marking the start of the Reining competition season, the British Reining Spring Show is another must-visit event, held each year at iconic Equestrian venues up and down the country. 

With a variety of classes for a range of age groups and abilities and a huge opportunity for riders to gain exposure, it’s an exciting event for Reining enthusiasts. It’s also a great place for professionals to prepare for future events in the calendar, like the British Reining Championship Show. 

3. The WES National Show 

Organised by the Western Equestrian Society, this national show celebrates an array of Western riding disciplines, from Reining to Barrel Racing to Cutting. It’s a show held in a competition format, with riders competing for points and prizes, acting as a key event in the UK’s Western riding scene. 

The show is held at different equestrian facilities each year and has graced venues such as the Oakridge Arena and Horse Creek Farm, where it’s been key in fostering a community among western riding enthusiasts. 

But there’s so much more to explore. Other events, such as clinics with key western riding figures, unaffiliated competitions, and shows happen across a number of venues throughout the year, targeted at riders with varying skill levels as well as enthusiasts, fans, and supporters.