What is reining?
In reining, a horse and rider perform a set pattern of circles, spins, rollbacks and the famous sliding stop, where the horse plants its hind legs and slides several metres across the ground.
It grew from the skills a ranch horse needed to work cattle, and it is the only Western discipline recognised by the FEI.
Popularity
Big in the USA, Italy, Germany and Brazil. Still very new in India: a discipline worth knowing.
Feel the sport
A horse thunders down the arena, sits back on its haunches and slides to a stop in a cloud of dust. Then it spins like a top. Pure power under perfect control.
An Indian Parallel Fact
Reining has no direct Indian history. But its core skills (instant stops, quick turns and total obedience) were exactly what Indian cavalry horses needed in battle, and what Kathiawari horses are still admired for.
Fun facts
Reining horses wear special “slide plates”: wide, smooth shoes on their hind feet that help them slide.
Spins are judged on speed, correctness and the horse planting its inside hind foot as a pivot.
American Quarter Horses dominate the sport.
How it works in 60 seconds
Each rider starts at 70 points. Judges add or subtract up to 1.5 points for each manoeuvre, and penalties apply for errors such as going off pattern.
The highest score wins.
Questions people ask
What is a sliding stop?
The signature reining move: the horse gallops, then plants its hind legs and slides to a halt.
Is reining practised in India?
Western riding, including reining, is still very new in India, with only a few riders and stables exploring it.
Related sports
Sources & further reading
- FEI Reining Rules
- National Reining Horse Association (NRHA)
Last reviewed: November 2026. Spotted an error? Suggest a correction.