Origins of Reining

Ranch to Sport

Reining originated from the moves that working ranch horses adopt when on the job...

Throughout American history, dating back to the earliest Spanish settlers in what today is Mexico and the Southwestern United States, including Texas and California, ranchers were required manage cattle from horseback. Cattle were moved, doctored, and sorted, often on open range without the benefit of fences or other means of confinement. A cowboy needed a responsive, and agile horse, one that could change directions quickly, stop "on a dime," and sprint after a rogue cow. The horse needed to be controlled mostly by legs and weight, ridden with only one hand and be soft and light, so that the cowboy's attention could also be on tasks that may have included roping, opening a gate, or simply waving a hand to move along a disagreeable herd animal.

Informal demonstrations of these ideal characteristics amongst ranch cowboys and vaqueros evolved into the sport of reining, as well as the related events of cutting and working cow horse.