Reining Quarter Horse

A Reining Quarter Horse is supposed to be exceptionally agile, enduring and strong, as long as reining involves a number of tricks, which require great skill and experience both on the horse’s and rider’s part. Reining is often regarded as a western type of dressage, as it requires maximum accordance in the actions between the horse and the rider.

Reining Quarter Horses are bred in such a way as to be very trainable, intelligent and people-oriented. Because this is but the world’s most versatile and unique breeds, very few breeds can equal the American Quarter Horse in this sort of activity. Speed is actually what the horse has been bred for all the time, so this breed is irreplaceable for reining, because all the reining is done at the lope and gallop – the fastest equine pace.

Besides Reining, American Quarter Horses are adept at lots of other activities, such as ranching, cattle driving, speed racing, calf roping, barrel roping and other activities. Because reining involves lots of tricks, Reining Quarter Horses can be trained to perform in many other activities. What is most surprising about the American Quarter Horse, each and every purebred individual has the potential for most of the aforementioned competitions.

Reining goes back to the times when first Spanish settlers were arriving in America. They were faced with the necessity of making the environment suitable for living, and cattle was something no man could do without in those days. There was no infrastructure for cattle management, sometimes there was not even a fencing to keep livestock under control. Cowboys needed an agile horse that would be able to run fast and stop immediately when required. Many of these movements are included in what we know today as reining. For this reason, Reining Quarter Horses possess a remarkable agility, and they are best suited for work under tough conditions.

The American Quarter Horse was officially registered as a distinct horse breed in 1940, but it has come down a long and rocky path toward reaching its current status. The American Quarter Horse of today owes its best qualities to a number of other popular equine breeds, such as the English Thoroughbred, the Arab, the Barb, the Standardbred, the Turk, the Morgan, etc. If you purchase a Reining Quarter Horse, you will have many reasons to be proud, because reining is helpful in mastering most other equine activities.