2017 patterns - NRHA

1 REINING To rein a horse is not only to guide him, but also tocontrol his every movement. The best reined horseshould be willingly guided or controlled with little orno apparent resistance and dictated to movement on his own must be considered a lackof control. All deviations from the exact written pattern must be considered a lack of or temporaryloss of control; and therefore, a fault that must bemarked down according to severity of deviation. Afterdeducting all faults set here within, against executionof the pattern and the horse s overall performance,credit should be given for smoothness, finesse, attitude, quickness and authority of performing various maneuvers, while using controlled speedwhich raises the difficulty level and makes him moreexciting and pleasing to watch to an audience.

2 To be certain you have the most up-to-datepatterns, visit for the most currentofficial version of the NRHA HandbookandPattern patterns 3 SCORINGPATTERNThe scoring of reining horses is on a positive numericscale with 70 denoting a correct performance. NRHA pat-terns are comprised of several distinct maneuver groups,which judges are asked to evaluate on an individual basisdepending on execution as dictated by the pattern de-scription and the rules for judging. The individual ma-neuvers are scored in 1 2point increments from a low of-11 2(extremely poor quality) to a high of +11 2(excellentquality) with a score of 0 denoting a maneuver that iscorrect with no degree of difficulty. The total of the scoresapplied to the maneuver groups is combined with thestarting score of 70 and from this gross maneuver score,any penalties are deducted to calculate the horse s finalscore, which is announced after each horse following patterns are to be worked as stated,not as drawn.

3 The drawn pattern is just to give the gen-eral idea of what the pattern will look like in the will be placed on the wall or fence of thearena as follows:(I) at the center of the arena(II) at least 50' (15 meters) from each end designated in the pattern for stops to be be-yond a marker, the horse should begin his stop after hepasses the specified pattern is drawn so that the bottom of the pagerepresents the end of the arena entered by contestantsand must be run as such. In the event that an arenahas only one gate and it be in the exact middle of theside, that side shall represent the right side of the pagethe pattern is drawn horses will be judged immediately upon enteringthe arena and judging will cease after the last fault incurred prior to the commencement of a pat-tern will be scored according to the Rules of judges decisions are the exception of Entry Level Ride & Slide Level 1classes, the following patterns are the only patterns to beused at NRHA events.

4 NRHA Green classes should useNRHA patterns but simple lead changes are patterns 56 NRHA PatternsPATTERN1 NRHA patterns at speed to the far end of the arena past the endmarker and do a left rollback no to the opposite end of the arena past the endmarker and do a right rollback no past the center marker and do a sliding up to center of the arena or at least ten feet (threemeters). four spins to the right. four and one-quarter spins to the left so thathorse is facing left wall or fence. on the left lead, complete three circles tothe left: the first circle large and fast; the second circlesmall and slow; the third circle large and fast. Changeleads at the center of the three circles to the right: the first circle largeand fast; the second circle small and slow; the third circlelarge and fast.

5 Change leads at the center of the a large circle to the left but do not close thiscircle. Run straight up the right side of the arena past thecenter marker and do a sliding stop at least twenty feet(six meters) from wall or fence. Hesitate to demonstratethe completion of the PatternsPATTERN2 NRHA patterns 9 Horses may walk or jog to the center of arena. Horsesmust walk or stop prior to starting pattern. Beginning atthe center of the arena facing the left wall or on the right lead, complete three circles tothe right: the first circle small and slow; the next twocircles large and fast. Change leads at the center of three circles to the left: the first circle smalland slow; the next two circles large and fast.

6 Changeleads at the center of the around previous circle to the right. At the topof the circle, run down the middle to the far end of thearena past the end marker and do a right rollback up the middle to the opposite end of the arenapast the end marker and do a left rollback no past the center marker and do a sliding stop. Backup to the center of the arena or at least ten feet (threemeters). four spins to the right. four spins to the left. Hesitate to demonstratethe completion of the PatternsPATTERN3 NRHA patterns , lope straight up the left side of the arena,circle the top end of the arena, and staying at leasttwenty feet (six meters) from the walls or fence, runstraight down the opposite or right side of the arena pastthe center marker and do a left rollback no straight up the right side of the arena circleback around the top of the arena, and staying at leasttwenty feet (six meters) from the walls or fence, runstraight down the left side of the arena past the centermarker and do a right rollback no up the left side of the arena to the centermarker.

7 At the center marker, the horse should be on theright lead. Guide the horse to the center of the arena onthe right lead and complete three circles to the right: thefirst two circles large and fast; the third circle small andslow. Change leads at the center of the three circles to the left: the first two circleslarge and fast; the third circle small and slow. Changeleads in the center of the a large circle to the right but do not close thiscircle. Continue up the left side of the arena, circle thetop of the arena, and staying at least twenty feet (sixmeters) from the walls or fence, run straight down theopposite or right side of the arena past the center markerand do a sliding stop.

8 Back up at least ten feet (threemeters). four spins to the right. four spins to the left. Hesitate to demonstratecompletion of the PatternsPATTERN4 NRHA patterns 13 Horses may walk or jog to the center of the arena. Horsesmust walk or stop prior to starting pattern. Beginning atthe center of the arena facing the left wall or on the right lead, complete three circles tothe right: the first two large and fast; the third circlesmall and slow. Stop at the center of the arena. four spins to the right. Beginning on the left lead, complete three circles tothe left: the first two circles large and fast; the third circlesmall and slow. Stop at the center of the arena. four spins to the left.

9 On the right lead, run a large fast circle tothe right, change leads at the center of the arena, run alarge fast circle to the left, and change leads at thecenter of the arena. (Figure 8) around previous circle to the right. At the topof the circle, run down the middle to the far end of thearena past the end marker and do a right rollback up the middle to the opposite end of the arenapast the end marker and do a left rollback no past the center marker and do a sliding stop. Backup to the center of the arena or at least ten feet (threemeters). Hesitate to demonstrate completion of the PatternsPATTERN5 NRHA patterns 15 Horses may walk or jog to the center of arena.

10 Horsesmust walk or stop prior to starting pattern. Beginning atthe center of the arena facing the left wall or on the left lead, complete three circles tothe left: the first two circles large and fast; the third circlesmall and slow. Stop at the center of the arena. four spins to the left. Beginning on the right lead, complete three circles tothe right: the first two circles large and fast; the thirdcircle small and slow. Stop at the center of the four spins to the right. on the left lead, run a large fast circle tothe left, change leads at the center of the arena, run alarge fast circle to the right, and change leads at thecenter of the arena. (Figure 8) around previous circle to the left but do notclose this circle.