World Equestrian Games and the Only Recognized Western Equestrian Event - FEI Reining

Throughout the month of the Alltech FEI Worldspeed. These maneuvers include:
Equestrian Games, you will see the majority of- Circles - Both fast and large and slow and small.
riders in breeches and the majority of horsesCircles are to be perfectly round and flying lead
donning English saddles. However, don't bechanges must take place at a predetermined
surprised when you see a few riders in cowboymark.
hats and chaps during the first week of- Flying lead change - The flying lead change takes
competition at the World Equestrian Games.place throughout the competition and the horse
September 25th-26th, the 28th and the 30thshould not break gait nor loose or increase in
mark the days that FEI reining will take place atspeed.
the games. The best horses in Western reining- Rundown - The rundown is when the horse runs
competition will meet at the Kentucky Horse Parkdown the side or middle of the arena. Typically
to show the world what the best reining horses intakes place prior to a sliding stop.
the world look like.- Sliding Stop - The horse goes from a full gallop
Reining is a Western event that has taken theto an immediate stop, often digging into the arena
world by storm. In countries that havedirt with the hind legs and sliding several feet.
predominantly been considered "English riding"- Back or backup - The horse should back quickly
countries, more and more horses are beingfor 10 feet in a straight line without hesitation.
trained for reining and more and more riders are- Rollback - The horse should perform a 180
wearing chaps and hats instead of breeches anddegree turn after a halt from a sliding stop and
helmets.go immediately into a forward lope. There should
Reining shows the athletic ability of the westernbe no hesitation in the movement.
type horse in the show ring. Similar to dressage,- Spins and Turnarounds - From a standstill, the
competitors are required to complete a patternhorse spins 360 degrees or more in place on a
that requires specific movements that take placestationary inside leg.
at specific points in the arena. However, instead- Pause or hesitate - The horse is asked to settle
of performing a piaffe or pirouette, these horsesbetween certain movements. Often takes place
perform rollbacks and sliding stops.after a spin.
Similar to dressage, the goal of the horse andReining harkens back to the days of working
rider is to make these movements appear aslivestock ranches when the horse had to be
effortless and harmonious as possible. Horses areobedient, willing and ready to perform complex
ridden on a loose rein and perform a number ofmaneuvers in an instant.
movements around the arena, often at top