The Judges Chair- Reining
Improve your training, presentation and score.
Score starts at 70, moves up or down per maneuver based on:+1 ½ Excellent, +1 Very Good, + ½ Good,0 Correct, - ½ Poor, - 1 Very Poor, -1 ½ Extremely Poor
Circles
The circle maneuver can begin with a walk or trot approach to the arena center, this is the case inPatterns 2, 4, 5 and 11. Remember that you are being judged from the moment you enter the arena, so you can be disqualified for any “Zero Penalty Score” rule infractions that occur. Typical mistakes include; walking into the arena and then straightening the reins with the freehand, this would result in a Penalty Score of Zero, meaning the final score forthe run is Zero. Another common error is to enter the arena, and then stopping while you wait for the preceding horse toexit and during this time backing your horse more than two strides, again resulting in Penalty Score Zero.
In these walk in patterns,the walk or trot to the center is judged as part of the first maneuver. If the horse needs constant correction withthe reins or is otherwise not willingly guided, it will decrease the Maneuver Score of the first maneuver. I see many riders that are overly concerned about keeping the horses head down and consequently jerk the reins all of the way tothe middle of the pen in an attempt to keep the horse in a low profile. It’s not unusual for me, as a judge, to count10 or more small jerks as I watch a horse walk in. Often the rider is not even aware that theyare doing it, but it does demonstrate a lack of control and must be reflectedin the first Maneuver Score. There isnothing in the rulebook that says a horses’ head should be below his withers ashe walks to the middle. Your score willnot be higher because of a low head. Keep it natural for the horse. Onthe other hand the horse that has his head up unnaturally high, showing concern for his surroundings is also not desirable. Chances are that the lead departure and/or the first circle will be poor with these horses. If they are concerned on the walk in, they are generally notgoing to guide well. The way you start the pattern very often dictates how the whole run will go, so you need topractice it. Practice the walk to themiddle and the departure. Have aknowledgeable person watch you or review yourself on video tape with a critical eye for detail. The judges’ job is to see the details and report them by way of the score; you need to be aware of whatit looks like if you expect to receive a good score.
Circles that follow spins or stops, such as patterns 1 and 6 require a slightly different plan. Most of these patterns require a hesitation following the spins followed by a canter departure. The hesitation is part of the spins, but it is important preparation for the circles. The horse should stand still, no foot movement, and from this position start the circles in a relaxed, willing manner. If you have trouble with the hesitation, the chances are your horse is nervous and is not going to run pretty circles. Especially with the necessary speed control when asked to slow down. Spend time practicing the hesitation it is more important than many people think.
If you find yourself out of the correct position in the center of the arena following your spins and hesitation, there is no need to correct it by side passing to the center prior to starting your circles. The judging of your circles begins immediately following the hesitation, the pattern book has no side passes in it and to add one is incorrect. If you are out of position because you started or finished your spins in the wrong place, this has already been reflected in the score given for the spin. It’s a done deal, you have already paid for it, and you cannot get it back. You need to go on and focus on the next maneuver, the circles, and score well on them.
A “Maneuver Score of Zero”for the circles denotes that the circles are correct. They have to start in the geographical center of the arena. Circles started to soon,before center is reached will reduce the score, as will circles started too late or too far left or right of center. Also, if you canter even for one stride on the way to the center it is aPenalty of 2. This Penalty will also be applied if you start the circles significantly before the arena center. You are in violation of the rule that says you must walk or trot to the arena center tostart the pattern.
All three circles must go through the center point of thearena. Being off center is a very common error and reduces the Maneuver Score significantly. Riders need to look for the center point a half circle before they reach it, in order to guide the horse through it without having to make a severe correction to reach it. Any severe course correction shows some lackof control and reduces the score.
A few walk steps are allowed before the canter departure when starting the circles. But the longer distance that is walked, the more the Degree of Difficulty is reduced. A higher Degree of Difficulty increases the Maneuver Score. The fewer walk steps the better. I coach beginners to take 2, 3 or 4 walk steps to get prepared for the correct lead departure. If they rush it, very often they come on too quick with the outside leg and the horse braces against it and picks up the incorrect lead; a bigger problem. As the riders gain more experience and finesse we try to reduce this to 1 or 2 steps.
Trot strides incur a Penalty. One or two trot strides priorto the first canter stride results in a Penalty ½, whereas more than two trot strides is Penalty 2. Note that one stride is four steps, one from each foot. To avoid trotting, prepare your horse for the canter departure, don’t rush it, subtly support him with the reins ,help him with the appropriate leg and then ask him to canter. Take your time to do it correctly.
A break of gait from the canter to the trot incurs a Penalty2. Often horses will start the circle bytaking one canter stride and then as the rider makes a quick course correction to guide him on the circle, the horse will trot one step causing the Penalty 2. Avoid this by taking your time in the departure and aligning your horse in the correct direction using the couple o fwalk steps. Be subtle with your hand in guiding him.
This Break of Gait Penalty is often applied in patterns that require a transition from a large fast circle to a small slow circle. For some misguided reason, some people thought it fashionable to make the transition soabrupt that the horse laid down a slide track. If in doing so the overall cadence of the lope is broken,such that the horse is no longer loping, even if only for one stride, then the judge must access a Penalty 2. To be acorrect circle transition, the horse must obviously slow down and changedirection to the slow circle, willingly and exactly in the center of thearena. This is much more important than how abruptly the change is made. Many riders train for the dramatic change and their horses’ check back when pulled on, starting to stop, but then do not maintain a slow consistent circle. This is not desirable as it risks a break of gait penalty and does nothing toadvance the score. It would be better to train the horse to come down to a slower consistent speed and maintain it willingly. Most riders can changedirection but the change of speed does not come until ¼ or ½ of the way intothe small circle, this is not Correct. If the judge considers that the infraction made the circle “Poor” rather than “Correct” a Maneuver Score of - ½ will begiven. Also, riders often continue to goslower and slower throughout the entire slow circle. This is not what thepattern calls for. A slow circle of consistent speed is Correct.
Another consideration is that slower is not necessarilybetter. If the canter is too slow for the ability of the horse to travel correctly, meaning that the horse is so slow that his movement becomes “trashy”, then the circles are obviously not correct. You need to determine what the ability ofyour horse is, and then practice a speed that is right for him.
Patterns such as Pattern 5 call for a stop in the arenacenter following the circles. This stopis important and is judged together with the circles. If the horse stops on the forehand, crooked, off center, mouth open or in other way shows resistance the score of thecircles can be reduced. Commonly a horsewill put in a trot stride during the stop. This is a Break of Gait and a mandatory Penalty 2.
The Lead Change is considered to part of the circle maneuver in several patterns. In Pattern 6 the first circles are to the left, and the first lead change is part of this maneuver. The change must occur in thecenter of the arena. You have a stride on either side of the center in which to execute the change. If you change earlier than this it is Penalty 1, a change that is delayed by one stride is Penalty ½, more than one stride and less than ¼circumference of the circle is also Penalty 1. Out of lead further than ¼ circle is 1 penaltypoint for every ¼ circumference of the circle. For example a delayed change for ¾ of a circle is Penalty 3. A horse that falls out of lead during thecircle incurs the same penalty, 1 point for every ¼ circle. Note however that in this case the ¼ circleincrements are measured from the point where the horse fell out of lead, notfrom the arena center as you would during a required lead change.
In every show there are fewpeople who choose to ride with a Romel rather than Split Reins. This sometimes presents a problem especiallyin Rookie classes. The rule book statesthat, when using a romel the riders’ hand shall be around the reins and the hand closed around the reins. Also any attempt to alter the length ortension on the reins with free hand, except during hesitations, will result ina Penalty Score of Zero. Often the rider is not aware that their hand is not closed around the reins, often just the index finger and the thumb actually hold the rein, and the other fingers arenot closed. During the heat of competition they also inadvertently pull on the Romel with their free hand. In both of these instances they can be givena Penalty Score of Zero. This is very often the cause of a video review by the judges because it happens so fast and is difficult to see.
If you are not precise with your pattern you can very easilyincur penalty points. It is much easier to get a penalty than it is to raise your score by increasing the degree of difficulty. Speed in the circlesincreases the degree of difficulty. So if no comprises are made due to thespeed, increasing the speed is necessary in order to be rewarded with “Good”Circles (+ ½), “Very Good” Circles (+1), or “Excellent” Circles (+1 ½). However compromises due to speed can quickly make the circles “Poor” (- ½) or “Very Poor” (- 1), common mistakes due to excessive speed are:
o Running hard but “climbing the wall”, meaning that they are so close to the wall thatit is obvious that they are not being guided by the rider, it is the wall thatis guiding them.
o Leaning on the inside rein. When riding left hand circles the riders hand is pulling hard to the right to keep the horse out of the middle.
o Missing the middle.
o Showing resistance to slowing down when called for.
o Open mouth.
o Falling out lead for one or more strides.
o Running scared with an appearance of resistance.
If you practice fast circles, be certain that you do not sacrifice the quality ofthose circles. Video your circles and look at them with a critical eye as to whether or not the horse is appearing to be “Willingly Guided”. If he is not,no amount of speed will give you a positive score.
Inorder to achieve above average circles also consider rein length. It is certainly allowed to guide your horse around the circles with reins and the way it is done is important. Hand low and reins short enough to provide constant contact with the horse, can be part of circles that receive a“Correct” (0), “Good”( +1/2) or higher evaluation from the judge, given thatall of the other components of the circle are appropriate. Reins that have noticeable slack in them throughout the circles increases the degree of difficulty and contribute to getting a “Very Good” (+1), or even “Excellent”(+1 ½) score. Good luck.
Lyle Jackson
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