18 - Freestyle Reining

18.1 General Rules

Reining manoeuvres originated from moves that a cow horse must use in performing its duties and have been refined to the high level of competition existing today. Freestyle Reining not only provides an opportunity to use these manoeuvres creatively, but also to expand them to music by means of choreography. Riders are encouraged to use musical scores which permit them to show the athletic ability of the horse in a crowd appealing way.
WES rules will apply except where the following rules pre-empt same.
Required Manoeuvres will be defined as follows:

Exhibitors will only be judged astride.
Exhibitors are allowed to use two hands (as well as one or no hands) and any bit approved by the WES rulebook, including snaffle bits and bosals.
Failure to perform all the required manoeuvres or failure to complete the performance within the time limit will result in a score of 0.
Additional manoeuvres such as rollbacks, backups, speed variations, and non-classical reining manoeuvres such as half pass and side pass are appropriate in Freestyle and shall be given appropriate credit. Additional repetitions of required manoeuvres are appropriate but will only add or subtract from the existing scores already given for the required manoeuvres, not as additional scores.
Equipment used in Freestyle must adhere to the following standards: all equipment must be non-abusive and humane based on WES Rules and Guidelines; any equipment not specifically covered by or in conflict with standard equipment guidelines must be non-abusive to the horse.
Time Limit. A maximum of 4 minutes including any introductions. The time limit will be from the beginning of the music or from the beginning of the introduction (whichever is first) and will end with the music.
Costumes. Permitted but not required. Emphasis is placed on performing the reining manoeuvres to music.
Props. Permitted but at no time may hinder the judges' view of the horse. The use of props will not add to the score.

18.1 General Rules

Reining manoeuvres originated from moves that a cow horse must use in performing its duties and have been refined to the high level of competition existing today. Freestyle Reining not only provides an opportunity to use these manoeuvres creatively, but also to expand them to music by means of choreography. Riders are encouraged to use musical scores which permit them to show the athletic ability of the horse in a crowd appealing way.
WES rules will apply except where the following rules pre-empt same.
Required Manoeuvres will be defined as follows:

Exhibitors will only be judged astride.
Exhibitors are allowed to use two hands (as well as one or no hands) and any bit approved by the WES rulebook, including snaffle bits and bosals.
Failure to perform all the required manoeuvres or failure to complete the performance within the time limit will result in a score of 0.
Additional manoeuvres such as rollbacks, backups, speed variations, and non-classical reining manoeuvres such as half pass and side pass are appropriate in Freestyle and shall be given appropriate credit. Additional repetitions of required manoeuvres are appropriate but will only add or subtract from the existing scores already given for the required manoeuvres, not as additional scores.
Equipment used in Freestyle must adhere to the following standards: all equipment must be non-abusive and humane based on WES Rules and Guidelines; any equipment not specifically covered by or in conflict with standard equipment guidelines must be non-abusive to the horse.
Time Limit. A maximum of 4 minutes including any introductions. The time limit will be from the beginning of the music or from the beginning of the introduction (whichever is first) and will end with the music.
Costumes. Permitted but not required. Emphasis is placed on performing the reining manoeuvres to music.
Props. Permitted but at no time may hinder the judges' view of the horse. The use of props will not add to the score.