# Similarities between English Dressage and Western Reining.



## verona1016 (Jul 3, 2011)

I ride dressage but admittedly know very little about reining. As for similarities, I'd start with the fact that they both ride/are judged on prescribed patterns, which are described based on markers around the arena. This is about where my knowledge of reining falls off...

You may find similarities in how the horses are judged. In dressage, the judging is based on how well the horse performs the movements in accordance with the level at which they're competing, with higher levels expecting the horse to be increasingly on the bit, showing greater degrees of self carriage, in addition to more difficult movements (for example, you start out at the lowest levels with just large circles at the different gaits, but eventually move up to lateral movements, collection and extension of the gaits, piaffe, passage, pirouettes, etc.) This is in contrast to other disciplines where the horse is judged on time (eg show jumping, barrel racing), the rider's position and/or presentation (eg equitation, showmanship), the horse's physical conformation (eg halter), etc.


----------



## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I'm up for guessing! Seeing as I am purely an observer of both (I have actually ridden a trained reining horse once . . .)

Compared to some other disciplines, they both emphasize "riding from the rear" in the sense that impulsion in collection is essential. Lightness in the forehand is also not optional. Both start in a very mild bit and work upward to a more severe bit as the horse's training advances. Exact maneuverability (more exact in dressage) is a big focus. As was mentioned, the competition test is in an arena and consists of a memorized pattern.


----------



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

The patterns in each can be learned in an afternoon, and take a life time to master.

Both are essentially a forward discipline, you always want the power there, and every movement you are think forward. 

Both are judged against the completion of patterns and correct execution of manoeuvres.

Both have a carefully scrutinized bit and tack ruling, and these will be checked.

In neither will the silver in your saddle, the bling on your bridle, or the sparkle in your shirt, earn you any extra points!


----------



## BearPony (Jan 9, 2013)

As for differences you could discuss the differences in tack and the traditions these difference arose from.

Also, the typical breeds/types/ideal conformation of horses used in each sport could be compared. As could the desired movement of the horse for each sport.


----------



## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

There are a lot of similarities 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqyV9kGQpEc

I think the cowboy rode the dressage horse better than the dressage guy did.


----------



## ShirtHotTeez (Sep 23, 2014)

LoriF said:


> There are a lot of similarities
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqyV9kGQpEc
> 
> I think the cowboy rode the dressage horse better than the dressage guy did.


That was great, enjoyed that - and some of the videos that followed 

:gallop:


----------



## Clava (Nov 9, 2010)

The quality of the paces (rhythm, balance, etc) play a huge factor in the scoring, if the beats are not even and correct then marks will be very low - not sure if there is a comparison there with reining?


----------



## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Dressage asks for elevation in everything - the reining horses seem to focus on being 'lower to the ground'


----------



## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

LoriF said:


> There are a lot of similarities
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqyV9kGQpEc
> 
> I think the cowboy rode the dressage horse better than the dressage guy did.


I did too. He was a better rider of both horses. That was pretty interesting. Even though I thought the reining horse seemed sort of frozen in his head and over-bent, he looked ten times more practical to ride than the dressage horse, who was wringing his tail the whole time and looked ready to pop.


----------



## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

As someone who rides and trains both dressage and reining they're a lot more similar than most give them credit. In fact most of my horses do both and most of my cues are exactly the same. 

I use the same leg cues, the same hand cues and even the same voice cues. I ensure that both horses of either discipline will ride on a loose rein with little to no hand signals, and can be ridden on either a lose rein or no rein. I delved a bit into how my collection is different for 'shows' but at home I expect the same amount of collection and forwardness out of both disciplines. However I do want to say that outside of the ring my dressage horses know 'down' collection and my reining horses know 'up'. 

I guess I'll cover what's different just in case. In dressage I use either a double bridle or a simple snaffle depending on the stage/preference of training. In western I'll use either a curb, snaffle or possibly what I personally call a hybrid which is both a snaffle/curb. (Think of a Tom thumb which is a curb bit but has a snaffle mouth piece or really any similar bit). 

As for reins when I'm preparing to show the dressage horses will have a bit of contact and the reining horses will have a longer rein. 

As for collection it's tricky. Defining collection is kinda like defining the color blue. For my reining horses I think of collection as 'forward and down' meaning that I've got forward motion, I've got restriced, slow motion but collected, and I've got 'down' which means if a cow would run into the arena and in front of my horse my horse would be able to cut it and already be collected. 

For collection in dressage I think of it a lot like saddleseat horses in terms of "up, back, forward". This means that I want forward motion, but I also want them collected and 'up' with little to no forward motion.


----------

