# Another Ranch horse show question-?Square stop?



## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Soooo......I emailed the folks who are doing the show to ask the same question. They don't know either, and suggested that I come watch a show and see what others do! Really? How can you put on a show and not know what is expected? I understand this is mostly just a fun show, but if you put one on, I would think you should at least know what the terms you are putting on your website mean! Guess I will just have to practice ALL stops and hope for the best! lol


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Are you slow loping a circle before the square stop? If so its probably like a green Reiner class where you stop in centre of a circle at a slow lope. 

Essentially a stop without a slide. Getting is square ie. all four feet even is tricky, but doable.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Here is an example......these patterns are different from the typical NRHA ones.....seem easier. I am thinking just a stop without a slide too.......will be doable, especially since I typically do not have sliders on my guy, and most places around me are reiner wanna be's......so the footing is not safe to slide on most places. Shoot-these patterns don't even say fast or slow circles-guess it is whatever speed I choose......lol

Ranch Reining Pattern #4
HORSES MAY WALK OR TROT TO THE CENTER
ARENA. HORSES MUST WALK OR STOP PRIOR TO
STARTING THE PATTERN. BEGINNING AT THE CENTER OF THE ARENA FACING THE LEFT WALL OR FENCE.

1. Begin at center of arena, facing right wall or fence. Take a right lead
and complete a circle to the right, away from the judge.
2. At the center of arena, change leads and do two circles to the left,
approximately the same size.
3. At the center of arena, change leads.
4. Go to the end of arena and without stopping or breaking gait, run
down the center of arena past end marker.
5. Do a square stop. Hesitate.
6. Do 2½ spins to the right.
7. Run the full length of the arena past the end marker and do a square
stop. Hesitate.
8. Do 2½ spins to the left.
9. Run past center marker of arena, do a square stop.
10. Back to the center of arena (10-15 foot).
11. Do a 360-degree spin to the right or left.
12. Do a 360-degree spin opposite direction taken in #11.
13. Hesitate to show completion of pattern.


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Hmmmm makes ya kind of nervous when it says 'run down' and square stop....that's called scotching! Lol! I'm confused now too, because as you know in reining making a run down means sliding! Even saying a stop was 'square' means you slid straight! I'd be tempted to contact another competitor or a trainer who has done this before. I'm still thinking its just stopping.....I just wish they didn't write 'run down' first!

Let me know what you find out! I will probably be in the same boat this fall!


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Glad my guy is not a competitive reiner-and never will be....since I would not want to teach one who is (like my friends new Gunner) to just stop at the end of a run down and not slide....seems to me not to be the best thing to teach if you want to do reining (NRHA competitive type, that is)


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## Muppetgirl (Sep 16, 2012)

Yeah, I've learnt that there two ways to stop, the 'whoa' stop and the stop where you are shushing them down, my guy can do both. Yes and getting a horse to stop softly and lightly all while looking pretty WITHOUT sliding is a challenge, but doable.....I can slide better than I can stop without!!! I've also learnt to only say whoa when I want to slide, if I want him to stop without sliding I just dont sit so deep or brace so hard....or run down so fast!!! Lol!!


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Its just a regular stop. In the ranch horse classes you don't need sliding stops, they just want to see a responsive horse that stops on his hindend.

I love the ranch horse shows and I encourage you guys to try them!


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Hmm, I do find that weird that the show committee doesn't know their own definition. 

I know it doesn't give you time to prepare, but what if you can find the judge before the show starts and ask for the JUDGE'S clarification of the pattern? (Since they will be the one making the scores....).

It does not appear that you need to do a sliding stop (as it doesn't word it that way). Just make sure you are stopping completely even and, well, square!


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Thanks-yeah I do hope to do at least one this year.....and not a problem-we can do either one if need be. I just need to know what to ask for. Stopping is my guys favorite thing----along with being a statue. lol


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Usually a club will use another Assoc. rules, like the APHA uses ASHA rules for their ranch horse division. 
You can look and see maybe whose rules they are using, if in fact they are using another assoc. rules.
I have found if they want to truly see a sliding stop the pattern will call for it. 

I hope you go, I found the people to be great and it is very low key compared to a NRHA show. The ones I go to have a trail class, pleasure and cow working, it gives your horse plenty of things to do. You can enter them all or just one.


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## EthanQ (Sep 5, 2011)

Okay....I may just be too far out in the boonies, but what are ranch shows? We don't have any out here I don't think...


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

EthanQ said:


> Okay....I may just be too far out in the boonies, but what are ranch shows? We don't have any out here I don't think...


Google "Stock Horse of Texas" or "American Stock Horse Association".

They are fun, they have classes geared more towards ranch horses. Simple reining patterns, extended gaits in the pleasure, rope drags in the trail class and working and/or roping cattle. Not much bling, just working horses or a good gateway for young horses and beginning show folk.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Thanks Cowchick-time is at a premium in the summer, since the season in the north is SO short.....and, when you are the mom.....your horsey stuff comes last, but, I am hoping to put aside at least one weekend for this. I have looked at the other classes, and will probably do anything without a rope. That would be WAY beyond my abilities at this point. I am not good at doing stuff alone, so hoping to find a friend to go. THis show is using the ARHA rules, and even that didn't tell me much. I am pretty flexible and can fly by the seat of my pants pretty much. Plus, I go to have fun, not win at all costs.....so even if I laugh all the way through, it is all good.


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