Anyone else been watching the Snaffle Bit Futurity?
I watched a bit of the reining, kind of painful to watch at times.
My friends the cutters say the same of their cutting classes.
That has sure improved since Boyd Rice started showing.
I expect working cowhorse people would say the same if a mere cutter or reiner tried to work a cow on the fence.
I have to say, it is much, much better than it used to be.
As is most every other we do with horses today.
True! I’d still consider myself very new to the western stuff, but seeing any old runs by comparison to those you see now the difference is dramatic.
You can certainly tell some of the riders excel more so in one or two of the three legs. There have been some tough goes to watch.
Those are still young horses too, even today, they don’t have the polish of a seasoned campaigner. And, face it, there’s a lot of them in there and not every horse and rider are superstars. That’s why I enjoy watching live streams that show all competitors, not just highlights.
Also true. I’m sure neither Bluey nor I intended our posts to sound critical of the experience of the horses. We are, after all, primarily looking at 3 year olds. There’s also the Hackamore Classic and HS classes.
My reference to tough goes was intended to be general. Tough cattle, tough luck, etc. I felt terribly for that one rider, Dell, I believe, who was having a great run until he fell. Good to see both horse and rider appeared to be okay.
There’s also some fantastic riding and horses to see. A couple of my personal favorites have made it to finals in the futurity.
Not so easy to be good at so much so early.
One reason working cowhorse worked when it first started in the West is the kinds of horses many had with the Doc Bars crossed on the Kings.
As one renown trainer there said, “I thought I was a great rider, until I realized I was sitting on great horses”.
Justin Wright’s fence score on Shiners Diamond Cat was Uh-mazing. https://vimeo.com/237612635
These are only 3 year olds, so they shouldn’t be “seasoned.”
Also - it isn’t reining, it’s rein work or dry work. It isn’t cutting, its herd work. It isn’t supposed to look like pure reining or cutting.
Dell Hendricks is a Million Dollar NRHA rider trying his hand - quite well - with his first cow horses. My heart broke when his horse fell. But he will be back.
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I am told by those competing that the cutting is judged as cutting, the reining as reining.
Any of it is very difficult, they make it look easy, but it is not.
Just getting a horse trained for all that takes long time and not all horses will be talented at all of it to be competitive.
We are seeing the better and better trained, if still young and not seasoned yet as an older horse would be.
It is judged just like reining and cutting are. But RCH rein work is hardly just like reining, same with herd work and cutting. A horse that reins like a reiner is more likely to slide by the cow in the cow work.
I’ve learned there are some minor differences between how NRCHA’s herd work and NCHA’s cutting work are scored. It is also permissible, as far as I know, to step to your own cow in RCH herd work to create movement whereas you’re intended to wait for turn back in a cutting work. I could be wrong.
Justin’s fence work was awesome. I imagine that’s as close to text book as one can get!
It is tough to gain an understanding of all three. Tougher yet to do it on such a young horse and make it look easy. Some of these riders exhibit such nice riding and showmanship. I know I’ve found it very challenging to learn, but I think that’s half the fun. Perhaps one day I’ll look as calm and cool and ride as quietly as some of these BNRs. :lol:
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You can also help your horse in the herd work versus in the cutting. Steering your horse while on a cow in cutting is a no no.
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Finals today for anyone watching!
Myles Brown’s run on his filly was pretty wicked.
