Ranch Horse Classes

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Ranch Conformation/Halter is a group class where each Horse and exhibitor will enter the ring individually and walk to the Judge, trot away from the Judge in an arch and line up head to tail for individual inspection, leaving enough room for the Judge to safely walk around your horse.

Horses will be judged on presentation, behavior and correct conformation with respect to form to function for a ridden ranch horse.

Horses will be shown in a tidy working halter.

Ranch Riding is an individual pattern class where the horse/rider will be judged on its ability to perform a pattern consisting of a free flowing walk, a jog, an extension to a trot, a lope, an extension to a canter and the transitions between these gaits. The horse will be also required to change leads (simple or flying change), stop, perform a controlled spin, cross poles, side pass, etc. according to the pattern set for the show.

Ranch Rail is a group rail class judging the walk, extended walk, trot, extended trot, lope, extended lope and back up.

Ranch Pleasure is a rail class where the horse will be shown individually.  Markers will be set up to designate gait changes. The course shall be set up to make approximately one pass of the arena in each direction. Gaits that will be judged are walk, extended walk, jog, extended jog, lope, extended lope, stop, reverse and back up.

If weather permits, Ranch Trail will be an outdoor class held on a natural obstacle course. The pattern of obstacles can consist of log crossings, side passing down logs, stepping up and down banks, dry creek crossings, backing up a creek bank, crossing a bridge, opening and closing a gate, walking over uneven ground, trough trees, turning your horse in an elevated box, with some open pasture jogging and loping.

If weather doesn’t permit we will set up a ranch trail course in the indoor arena.

Ranch Reining is based on AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse - Ranch Reining patterns where you show your horse’s ability to show large fast and small slow circles, spins, stops, roll backs and lead changes. There is a Walk/Jog pattern as well.

Each contestant, will work the mechanical cow in the arena, shall hold the mechanical cow on the prescribed end of the arena for 50 seconds, demonstrating the ability of the horse and rider to control the cow. This is will a remote operated cow and the riders will need to track the cow back and forth until the time runs out.