Borne of the 18th century Vaquero tradition, modern working cow horse competition requires a fast, well-trained horse that can control a half-wild cow, separate it from the herd, and drive it through a series of maneuvers. The competition is also referred to as reined cow horse because the horses are also required to perform a standard reining pattern as part of the competition. The horsemanship skills and horse training demonstrated in this competition reflect what a working cowboy might have to do to care for, brand, or otherwise handle a cow on a cattle ranch.

The NRCHA is the largest and most well known sanctioning body for working cow horse competitions, though many other breed-specific groups such as the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) host highly-regarded events, as well.

A typical competition requires the horse and rider to perform two or three types of work in one or two sessions. The types of work are reining, cow work, and herd work.

Reining Cow Horse

The reining component of a working competition essentially mirrors a typical reining competition, in which horse and rider are asked to perform a standard reining pattern and are judged on the quality of their performance. For more information, including scoring, visit our Reining page. Or take a look at some standard reining patterns.

Cow Work

In the cow work portion of a competition, the horse is expected to control a single cow at various points around the arena. First is €boxing€ which requires the horse to hold the cow in one end of the arena. Next is €fencing,€ where the horse will run the cow along the rail of the arena and turn it back without the aid of the fence. Finally is €circling,€ when the horse will direct the cow into the center of the arena and then drive it into a series of tight circles in both directions.

Herd Work

In three-part working cow horse competitions, the horse and rider will also be expected to perform herd work, which is effectively €cutting€ a cow, or separating it from the herd and holding it outside the herd for a set amount of time.

Working Cow Horses

Although NRCHA events are open to all breeds, it is the American Quarter Horse that dominates in these competitions. The breed's speed, balance, responsiveness, and innate ability to rate and control a cow have made it the first choice of competitors and working cowboys for generations.

The best horsess are the product of superior breeding and world class training. Identifying the best genetics and proper conformation of a reined horse prospect, then training such a horse to reach its maximum potential is the job of a qualified working cow horse trainer.