A sturdy, muscled horse. The dying sun is gleaming off his coat and highlighting the planes of his athletic form. A cowboy, lean and weathered and wearing a broad felt hat has one hand on reins that are draped loosely across his horse's neck, one hand at his side. They pair is cantering in perfect unison, man still and quiet, horse working hard and fluidly. They come across the center line of the arena and there's a tiny skip in the horse's step and that's all it takes. You almost have to watch it over again, frame by frame, to catch the cues for the lead change. A spur in the side, a tightening of the cowboy's pinky finger. a shift of weight in the saddle. It's a miracle that the 1,000 lb horse has recognized such subtle cues. And yet. And yet he was so perfectly prepared, so perfectly schooled and calm, that he completed the change at high speed without a hitch or a fumble. The pair canter off in the other direction. The horse's mane is strung above his neck in a windswept crest, his tail out back is catching the sun, glistening as if with raindrops. The cowboy leans forward and his horse breaks into a gallop, head down, haunches working. They sprint down the middle of the arena- and come to a dead stop. Earth sprays up in a wave behind them as the horse's legs come under him and he sits on his haunches. The cowboy reins are still loose. Into a spin now, around and around until horse and rider are a blur of color and movement. They come to a stop after exactly three 360 degree rotations. They walk once around the arena to cool off. The cowboy dismounts and he and his horse walk into the setting sun, their shadows stretching out behind them, touching and wavering together.
This unity, this perfect fluidity of the complicated movements preformed to almost invisible cues, the amazing connection between horse and rider, a sport sometimes referred to as "dressage of the western world" or "dressage at high speeds"- this is reining.
I hope this site will provide an accurate representation of this exciting sport in the equestrian world. Please feel free to look around and visit the provided links if you'd like to learn more.
This unity, this perfect fluidity of the complicated movements preformed to almost invisible cues, the amazing connection between horse and rider, a sport sometimes referred to as "dressage of the western world" or "dressage at high speeds"- this is reining.
I hope this site will provide an accurate representation of this exciting sport in the equestrian world. Please feel free to look around and visit the provided links if you'd like to learn more.
****Note: This website is made with the sole intention of being a high school class project****