Western riding (horse show)

It is not to be confused with the general term "western riding," referring to the many forms of equestrianism where riders use a western saddle; instead, it refers to a particular class where the horse and rider complete a pattern that incorporates elements of both reining and trail classes, but requiring horses to perform in a quiet style akin to that of a Western pleasure class.

Horses are evaluated on “quality of gaits, lead changes at the lope, response to the rider, manners and disposition.

Emphasis is placed on the horse's smoothness, even cadence, and precise, clean flying lead changes.

Pattern One from the AQHA Hand Book Show Rules 453B Western Riding can be described as follows: The horse enters the ring at a walk.

The horse passes the next cone on its right and starts shifting right switching its lead to the left.

The horse will continue on this shallow serpentine through the cones for four loops completing the four line changes.

175 bucking and rearing Disqualified - 0 score steps with front legs change leads (11) Faults, which will be cause for disqualification, except in novice amateur or novice youth classes, which shall be faults scored according to severity: consistently) the nose is carried behind the vertical consistently.