# Reining vs Cutting plans for a young filly



## silverowlfeather (Feb 20, 2009)

I'm a new member here, in fact this is my first post! I just bought a ten month old filly today because she was an incredible deal and I am trying to decide what her and I's future plans will be. She is bred to be a cutter her sire is Poco Flyer out of Delta Flyer Dam is Suzy QT Streke and she is a APHA solid. She also is apparently (nominated?/eligible) for the Iowa Cutter Breeders Futurity as a three year old. I didn't know that when I bought her yay for me  I found this out because I looked up and called her breeder on her papers who apparently sold her at auction at weaning to the woman I bought her from.

The problem is I don't know anything about cutting and have very little cattle experience---not that I know anymore about reining to be honest. But at least that doesn't require one to have acess to cattle!

My background is generic western lessons, trails, saddleseat lessons--never showed, and huntseat-never showed or jumped all entry level stuff.

What I have noticed about the filly immediately is that she just carries herself and moves differently than any horse I have ever had or been around. I have had, boarded for others at my house, or taken lessons on Thoroughbreds, Saddlebreds, a western pleasure QH, QH's and Paints that had nobody we could even identify at all on their papers. 

What I mean about she carries herself different is just watching her in the stall she gets her legs WAY under herself. Farther than any of the horses I have ridden or even closely watched do as an adult. Is that just a baby thing? She also was doing full turns in her stall. Pivoting a full 360 with almost not even hardly moving her inner hind leg. Again is that a any baby horse thing does it or is it something that will give me an idea as to what to have her trained to do in the next couple years?

Thanks! Sorry for my lengthy opening post!


----------



## county (Nov 29, 2008)

Well you have plenty of time at least to decide which way you want to go. There are a number of good cutting trainers in Iowa I know and have worked with if your interested I can give you some contact info and you can talk to them. Cutters are very freindly and like to work with new people that are interested in getting into it. You are right about needing access to cattle and that many times is a deal breaker but if your in an area that has some cutters many times they go together to rent cattle to use as a group.


----------



## silverowlfeather (Feb 20, 2009)

Thanks! I am actually in central Missouri but Iowa isn't far. She is just apparently via her sire eligible for that particular futurity. Know any trainers in Missouri? There are a quite a few cows around here to be sure so your probably right I could rent some with some other people. I just had not thought of that yet. 

Odd question but what is like to cut compared to other disciplines? I am one of those people that has tried a little bit of a lot but have yet to find something I absolutely love. I thought I was going to start dressage lessons. Then I went out and bought this filly! She was a craiglist post and I called about her a few days ago and was the second person to call. The first person had already agreed to buy her sight unseen but the seller took my name and number just in case. Then I bought her sight unseen other than the craigslist pics.....never thought I would do something like that. But actually physically and temperment wise she is better than I had hoped so I am thrilled.


----------



## county (Nov 29, 2008)

Whats it like to be on a cutting horse? The most exciting 2.5 minutes ever on horseback. Google the NCHA site and they have a list of trainers by state you could start their to find one.


----------



## Rebelappy (Dec 22, 2008)

she should be able to do both in my opnion alot of horses i have seen through trainers cross over you could look at working cow horse classes too its like a combo if both but where she isnt quiet a even a year yet let her grow up some see what she response to best she will let you know when and what shes ready for


----------



## silverowlfeather (Feb 20, 2009)

Yeah that's what my husband and I have decided too. I am just going to make sure all her ground work is in order and that she is kept in excellent mental and physical health and start looking for a trainer that has familarity with both disciplines to evaluate her in about a year. Let her chose what she does. I am kinda leaning towards reining because its closer to what I think I could do but if it turns out she has an aptitude for cutting I will take lessons in that and in the beginning have her rode by a trainer that really knows what they are doing. Cutting does look like a ton of fun though!


----------



## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Rebelappy said:


> she should be able to do both in my opnion alot of horses i have seen through trainers cross over you could look at working cow horse classes too its like a combo if both but where she isnt quiet a even a year yet let her grow up some see what she response to best she will let you know when and what shes ready for


I absolutely LOVE this post. In my opinion, not enough people have versatile horses. Doing more than 1 discipline will keep her from getting burned out on any one in particular and make her an all around better horse (with the right trainer). I wish you luck with your girl and would love to see some pix. Welcome to the forum.


----------



## Whiskey Lullaby (Feb 24, 2009)

smrobs and Rebelabby, I completely agree!! I've stated this in another post but my mare has strong cutting lines (Grays Starlight, Son O Sugar) but because cattle are hard to come by, we implement reining patterns and jumping. We work on everything!!!
In doing that, it keeps her fresh and she is easy to train because she loves to learn


----------



## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

It depends on if she's cowy or not. I have my horse who is cow and speed bred who LOVES cows. My friend has a cutting breed gelding though who just doesn't have the mind for it. 
I think someone else suggested it but what about working cow horse? If she's cowy enough for it, I would think that would be loads of fun.


----------



## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

Spastic_Dove said:


> I think someone else suggested it but what about working cow horse? If she's cowy enough for it, I would think that would be loads of fun.


Or ranch horse versatility.


----------



## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

Cutting horses and reining horses are both very athletic intelligent animals and in my experince a reining horse can usually excell in cutting and vise versa.


----------

