|
Designed to showcase the maneuvers of a working ranch horse, reining is a judged competition that highlights the athletic ability of a horse through the performance of required elements such as small slow circles, large fast circles, flying lead changes, roll backs over the hocks, 360 degree spins, and exciting sliding stops that are the hallmark of the reining horse. Dubbed "Western Dressage", this variety of movements is linked into a graceful sequence with no observable resistance on the horse's part. For freestyle events, the movements are set to music and performed in costume. This is a particularly thrilling crowd pleaser.
 Reining is the fastest growing sport in the equine industry. As a result, the National Reining Horse Association (NRHA) has flourished. From 1992 to 2006, NRHA membership grew by more than 300% and the number of approved shows more than tripled. The annual purses have grown dramatically as well. In 1992, a total of 1.3 million dollars was paid out in NRHA competition purses. By 2004, this figure had mushroomed to over 7.4 million dollars. In 1998 Reining became the first Western Discipline and the sixth Equestrian Discipline overall to be approved by the United States Equestrian Team.
Reining is quickly gaining popularity not only in the USA but throughout the world. In 2000, reining became the first Western Discipline to be approved by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) and became a full medal discipline at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain. The 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany also featured reining as a full medal sport before large sold-out audiences. Reining was demonstrated at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia and is being considered as a full-fledged Olympic sport for the summer Olympics in 2012 or 2016.
|
