# Reining



## mustangmaiden (Jan 27, 2016)

So there's two things I love watching: show jumping and reining. And I always find myself wishing I had the skill/confidence to do jumping or reining. But anyways, I'm really curious about reining, I don't know much about it other than the basics about circles, spinning, sliding stops, but I really want to learn more about it! 
So who's really into reining and can tell me more about it? 
And also, I still need to tune up my riding with just everyday stuff, but how hard is it to teach an old dog new tricks? Do people ever start riding in events when they're older or do they generally start as kids?


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

You can start new events whenever you like, all you need is a good trainer to show you the basics, then keep you right.

Reining is a whole lot of fun, I have had a few lessons on some nice reiners, and I HIGHLY recommend it, it is the sort of fun that leaves you grinning for days. It is also something where you really can grasp the basics in an afternoon, then spend the rest of your life trying to do it right....


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## mustangmaiden (Jan 27, 2016)

So there's hope for me then! I really haven't been interested in it for very long at all, but the more I look into it the more interested I get. And I have my mare to thank for that, (since I have been considering breeding her sometime in the future) I was looking into her bloodlines and noticed she had a lot of the same bloodlines that some reining horses do, and that's when I started looking into this whole reining thing. And as for breeding her, a horse I'd absolutely love to breed her to is Big Chex to Cash, who, as I'm sure you know, is a Reiner. But I don't know a lot about breeding, and if (and that's a big if) I do, I'm not sure if breeding her to him would be good or bad considering they have some of the same horses in their bloodlines, they both have Mr Gunsmoke as a great grand sire. 
Anyways, if I end up with a reining horse someday I might as well get into reining, and boy it sure does look like fun. 
Here is my mares papers


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Sure you can learn something new, as horses are a lifetime of learning
I started out showing reining and some working cowhorse, and now, when I'm older, have gone to all around/western pl horses
Kinda backwards , as most people, as many people start by showing reil classes, then move on to things like reining!
The motto from reining, is 'to rein your horse, is to control his every move'
Very hard to try and put into a paragraph as to what reining is, far as training, riding, and you would get a better idea by buying one of the many reining books out there, that start right with horse selection, to the training process
BoB Loomas, Craig Johnson, and a host of others,have put lots of info on reining out there


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Here is the site for the NRHA (National Reining Horse Association )

NRHA


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

I'm 29 and will be showing for the first time this year. I think learning these things as a kid has it's advantages...like you heal quicker after you hit the ground! But it can definitely be learned when you are older, and by the time people are "older" they typically have a better work ethic anyway. 

Start taking some reining lessons. I've said it before and I'll say it again, once you ride a finished reiner, you won't want to ride anything else!


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## mustangmaiden (Jan 27, 2016)

I think after I get a few regular lessons to build some confidence I might look into finding someone to give reining lessons! 
Last night I decided to look up what channel the horse channel was on and watch it (something I never do) and sure enough when I put it on, "inside reining" was on, I think that was a sign lol 
But I'm also seriously thinking about buying a book or two on it too


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

mustangmaiden said:


> I think after I get a few regular lessons to build some confidence I might look into finding someone to give reining lessons!


But NOT on your horse, unless it is a trained reiner!

Truly, splash out, go ride something that is a novice friendly trained reiner....so much fun


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

mustangmaiden said:


> So who's really into reining and can tell me more about it? * * * Do people ever start riding in events when they're older or do they generally start as kids?


 Can't say I'm really _*into*_ reining, but reining is part of the typical cowhorse class and I have also done the NRHA classes at our shows (and other shows) to get practice. 

NRHA patterns have MORE to them then cowhorse patterns do. Typically, you have Large Fast & Small Slow circles - Cowhorse usually has up to three on each side; NRHA patters can have more. Spins - Cowhorse has 3-1/2 max; NRHA up to 4-1/2 (and let me tell you, it is EASY to lose count! And it's easy to NOT stop when you are supposed to, LOL.) The way spins are done are slightly different for each as well. NRHA has roll backs; cowhorse there are no roll backs. Both have Sliding stops but again they are slightly different. And of course, there are lead changes.

Here's some videos on the differences:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BQW0MFUhL8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuYexA8k3J4

Then, if you do versatility/ranch classes, ranch reining is a little different from NRHA & cow horse.

I am getting better at reining, but it has NOT been easy. Looks easy, but execution is not, LOL. As Golden Horse said "you ... can grasp the basics in an afternoon, then spend the rest of your life trying to do it right". That is the truth! 

I started in my late 30's/early 40's (yea OLD!) on an Arab horse that did not even know how to lead change or spin! Long hard road, but we actually ended up doing real well. My AQHA mare is a natural at it. Hardly had to teach her to lead change and she came to me spinning. She's awesome. Now to get our stops down and we'll kick some booty! I went from not liking reining, to having a healthy respect for it, to liking it and now am on the verge of loving it. 



mustangmaiden said:


> But I'm also seriously thinking about buying a book or two on it too


Books are good for getting it in your head, but there is nothing that beats getting on a horse to practice. I have Al Dunning's book and Sandy Collier's book, both which are excellent. But I'm sure any book from the top guys in reining will be equally as excellent.

Lots of articles on America's Horse Daily site.

You can also rent reining videos at Giddy Up Flix.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

Reining is very fun for sure, but if you want to be competitive, you pretty much have to have a professionally trained horse......and I mean for year(s). Mine is just a grade horse I wanted to do reining on, so sent him for 8 months, and did OK at Green......but it was super expensive, and there was constant pressure to spend big $$ on another horse, which I refuse to do. So, we are doing ranch classes and starting reined cow horse. As mentioned, the spins are a little different, (less of a forward move than reining spin) and it is really fun, and at this point, and my just wanting to show for fun-more affordable.


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## mustangmaiden (Jan 27, 2016)

Ah I guess I've never heard of cow horse before, it might be something worth looking in to. And of course before I do anything I'd like to get lessons so I know if I like it. I don't really have any intentions of reining on my horse, although she does have reining bloodlines and could potentially be good at it one day, if I take lessons and like it I'll buy an already trained horse to start on. But if all went well I could potentially see breeding my mare for a reining foal


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## jenkat86 (May 20, 2014)

OP, check out cow horse and check out American Ranch Horse Association. They have reining and ranch reining and working cow horse...all that, but their shows and classes are at a much more..."beginner friendly" level, I guess you could say. Don't get me wrong, they still have the ones that think they can't be touched, but you can be successful in ARHA without making a deal with the devil.


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## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

You might also contact the NRCHA. They do free youth clinics throughout the year with some of the big name guys. I didn't see that they had one coming up, but if you contact them, they might be able to tell you when/where one by you will be. 

Also, if you are in the TX area, check out SHOT (Stock Horse of Texas), who puts on versatility ranch horse shows. They typically have clinics the day before shows and prices are pretty good. They actually have a clinic and show this coming weekend!


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## mustangmaiden (Jan 27, 2016)

Thanks for all the info! And I'd so go to the thing in Texas this weekend, but I live in Missouri! But the cow horse stuff is definitely something I'll look into more


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