From the Pasture to the Show Pen
October 31, 2012
I’ve done a lot of horse showing, but now I decided to try ranch pleasure.
Sara and Colonels Miss Chic find out what ranch pleasure is all about. Photo courtesy of Sara Gugelmeyer.
By Sara Gugelmeyer in The American Quarter Horse Journal
What is a good ranch pleasure horse? That’s a question people have been asking around the American Quarter Horse community since the addition of the new AQHA class. Right now, nobody knows for sure. The fun part, though, is there are also a lot of people entering to see whether they’ve got one, including me.
As a youth, I showed in all-around events and then transitioned to working cow horse. I showed in horsemanship and reining on the varsity level in college, and then recently returned to the horse show world with a Versatility Ranch/working cow horse as a young amateur. Since my husband and I ranch for a living, that’s the kind of horse that most appealed to me.
Honestly, I hadn’t been going much to AQHA shows, outside of Versatility Ranch Horse events. But the new ranch pleasure class got my attention. I knew this was something I wanted to try.
When it was first announced, there was not a lot of information available. There were some comments about it being sort of like the ranch riding class in Versatility Ranch Horse classes, but isn’t it just a big horsemanship pattern?
If you’re looking for ways to get ready for your next ranch pleasure class, check out the Journal’s FREE Horse Clipping Tips report. Learn how to make your horse beautiful in the show ring!
I scoured the Journal looking for shows that offered ranch pleasure. I heard about one in March in Wichita, Kansas, that was offering cow horse also, which was an added bonus for me and my husband, who shows in the cow horse, as well.
I read with fervor “A New Pleasure” in the February 2012 Journal, which gave some more information, and I was intrigued when AQHA Senior Director of Judges Alex Ross described the ideal winner of the class as a working horse that’s also a pleasure to ride. I thought that would likely appeal to a lot of new types of exhibitors.
Once my new AQHA rulebook arrived, I headed out to give the patterns a try. My horse, Colonels Miss Chic, and I have competed in ranch riding as part of versatility ranch horse competitions, but this wasn’t quite as easy as I had originally envisioned.
“Chic” was not accustomed to doing a single spin each way, and after a couple times of asking for speed, she was getting anxious. Too much practicing fast-to-slow-to-fast lopes and she was feeling a little on the muscle. The sidepass in the middle of the pen was throwing us for a loop as well: She was expecting spins there.
OK, I told myself, maybe this wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought. I started breaking the patterns into pieces – an old horsemanship tip – and just practicing each maneuver individually with a lot more success. I worried about putting them together once I had mastered each part.
Next, I needed to determine how to best show my horse. After all, they’re looking for a good mover, too, right? I checked out the scorecard and saw penalties for being too slow, overbridled, out of frame and draped rein. Alex also stressed that forward movement was going to be very important. I tried some different bridles to see which one my horse responded to best and might help me stay away from those penalties.
As we loaded the trailer for our trip to Wichita, I was feeling ready.
Ten entries in the class impressed me. Clearly, I was right about this class interesting others as well. Most of the other players were reiners or cow horses that were already at the show, but a few hauled in just for this class.
As I warmed up Chic, I started practicing the maneuvers and, of course, she wasn’t responding exactly as she did at home. The bridle I had planned to show her in now seemed to be a bit much. Good thing I brought another.
The pattern included trot-over logs. She had been practicing them well at home, and I felt confident she wouldn’t tick any. But ticking didn’t seem like the issue when I saw the poles the show management had placed in the pen. Yikes! They were freshly painted bright-white logs. They appeared to be glowing.
Add that to the fact that they already had cattle penned on the end for the cow horse class to follow, and I knew there was no convincing Chic that this was just a horsemanship class. Sure enough, she thought the poles might get her, and she couldn’t resist sizing up the cattle as we passed, but we got through it and ended up second under both judges.
Before you head back into the ranch pleasure ring, download the Journal’s FREE Horse Clipping Tips report. AQHA Professional Horseman Randy Jacobs offers his advice for clipping success.
The next day, I was relieved that the judges chose the pattern with the sidepass instead of the logs. This should be easy, right? However, this pattern had the spins and sidepass in the middle of the pen, much like a reining or cow horse pattern. She didn’t miss the correlation. When I asked her to spin, she anticipated doing more than one, and they weren’t as smooth and pretty as I had hoped. Second and fifth were my placings that day, but I still managed to win the circuit.
In retrospect, while it was a lot of fun and different from any other class offered at an AQHA show, it was a challenge. For me, the class proved to be an excellent test of how solid my horse is, or in some parts, isn’t.
Since it’s brand new, it’s hard to know exactly what the judges will be looking for. Time will tell exactly what sort of horse this new pleasure class will honor. I think ranch pleasure is going to be a fun challenge for a lot of different types of people with a lot of different types of horses. And that’s exciting.
Comments
21 Comments on “From the Pasture to the Show Pen”
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October 31st, 2012 at 9:37 am
Is the ranch pleasure class going to be offered in the amateur division next year?
October 31st, 2012 at 10:05 am
Is this class going to be offered in regular shows in the SE as well? or will it be a separate division offered separatelly….
October 31st, 2012 at 10:08 am
FINALLY,a class that appeals to me after being away from showing for many years. Thanks!
October 31st, 2012 at 11:59 am
Will there be any of these classes in California? And when does the AQHA show season start, I’ve never shown before an I would love to start.
Thank you
October 31st, 2012 at 12:03 pm
This class has yet to be offered here in the Northeast. I’m concerned that the judges still won’t pin a horse that is truly going forward in a natural frame. And while this class appeals to me, the AQHA shows in my area are a 3 hour haul 1 way. Not sure I’m financially up for that to compete in only 1 class. Might be nice to add something like a Ranch TRAIL class (not with all those poles!) to attract those of us not interested in some of the “standard” show classes.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:14 pm
For those wondering about the classes, here’s a link to AQHA’s online show calendar: http://www.aqhamembers.org/FS/showing/calendar/index.cfm
For a complete list of approved classes at each show, subscribe to The American Quarter Horse Journal and you’ll also have complete online access to the detailed show calendar!
http://www.aqha.com/journal
October 31st, 2012 at 2:19 pm
is this class just for people in the ranching business or can people not associated with a ranch participate
October 31st, 2012 at 3:27 pm
This class was held at all of our Area 1 shows in Ilderton Ontario this year and was very well received. We had Reiners, Working Cow Horse, Horsemanship and Barrel Racers all trying it out.
October 31st, 2012 at 5:09 pm
I was delighted that the PQHA added the RHP Class to all of its shows in Centre Hall, PA in 2012! Also, the RHP class was added to all the Centre Hall Open shows as well. We had very good interest and it increased as the year progressed. This class is a good fit for my horses which are not well suited for Western Pleasure gaits. Also, I found the no silver, no clipping, no polish, etc. gave me more time Friday evenings to hang with my friends! looking forward to 2013.
October 31st, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Sounds like funand the kind of class I like to watch. I don’t have a horse anymore but I do like to watch classes that have something to them besides a slow trip around the ring.
November 1st, 2012 at 6:56 am
I believe that Ranch Horse Pleasure has not received its direction yet. It is listed as a Category V event along with Western Pleasure and such, but at many shows it is scheduled with or after Reining, a category II, just to get some entries. It takes most of a day to run a reining and Ranch Horse Pleasure takes almost as long. I think leave the logs to trail, the spins to reining and run it along the rail, judging for the criteria that makes a horse a pleasure to ride in open country.
November 1st, 2012 at 9:57 am
Larry,
We already have what you are describing. It’s called Western Pleasure.
November 2nd, 2012 at 2:38 am
This class has been a huge hit in the United Kingdom, attracting up to 15 entries at some shows (which is a big class for the UK!)We don’t have cattle classes at all in the UK, but it has appealed to reiners, horsemanship riders, those who will often come to a show to only do trail and performance halter and quite a few who have defected from western pleasure! Everyone has had a lot of fun and there is lots of spectator interest and even audience participation. I also had a go at the Western Equestrian Society show on a junior horse who had had a bit of a meltdown at the beginning of the show and the opportunity to show him on his own was useful – he loved it and placed in the class!
November 2nd, 2012 at 8:11 pm
Joe, Larry is right. The horses being pinned in Western Pleasure would be no pleasure to ride outside of the arena.
November 5th, 2012 at 9:22 am
Hi Sue,
Ranch pleasure will be offered in AQHA youth, amateur and open divisions, starting January 1, 2013. You can learn more about this rule change at http://aqha.com/Showing/News-Articles/11022012-Ranch-Pleasure-Divisions-Added.aspx.
Good luck!
AQHA Internet Editor Tara Christiansen.
November 7th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
I show ranch horse pleasure classes in several area ranch horse associtions. I feel that a good ranch horse pleasure prospect can be judged on the rail with extensions of gaits, stops etc without having to make your horse do reining spins. I bought a new horse that does have some RHP points and was looking forward to going back to AQHA classes again. However, I feel that we have classes for reiners and cowhorses so let’s thinhk about a true RHP class.
November 8th, 2012 at 6:24 am
I think the Ranch Horse Pleasure class is great. My horse loves it, he is 13 and was bored silly by pleasure classes on the rail, anticipated each change of gate etc, so Please dont make RHP another rail class. The patterns give horse from all backgrounds a chance, as there is bound to be something they can do. Here in the UK, as Jane Carley said its been very popular. Now how about Ranch Horse Trail, love dancing over knitting needles, but trail using the whole arena and extended lope? That would be fun!
November 8th, 2012 at 9:08 am
Personally, I think spins, poles, flying changes, etc belong in a class for trail, reining, etc. NOT in a pleasure class. Pleasure indicates a horse that is a “pleasure” to ride not to include spins, etc. The way the class is descibed above does not allow for entry level riders to participate nor for the green pleasure horse, either. I thought this class was to be “fun”. With the spins, poles, etc it does not sound like fun but more like a combination trail/reining class.
November 9th, 2012 at 8:46 am
I showed the ranch pleasure all year. One suggestion I remember that Alex made was “to get your horse really broke.” My trail/western riding, pleasure-bred mare had many skills, but I quickly realized that she needed to do all the maneuvers with speed, accuracy, and in good form. The good form with forward movement was particularly hard for her but it completely changed her way of going which spilled over into her other events including halter (new butt muscles!). She is a much better mover and a more responsive horse than she was a year ago. In my opinion the ranch pleasure is not for green horses. To be competitive you need a lead change, a pivot foot, yes, pole skills, and awesome transitions. If you work at the skills this class requires, your horse will change for the better. After reading Sara’s article, I did not realize that temperament is also crucial. Starting with a good-minded horse (the ideal quarter horse) makes all these maneuvers easier to perform. It is a fun class!
November 13th, 2012 at 9:24 am
SHOT (Stock HOrse of Texas) which offers a training clinic at each show (about 10-11 per year) often adds AQHA Ranch Pleasure after our clinic on Friday evenings. It is a great addition because it is intended to be about the all around broke using horse with a natural way of going. We have everything from youth to Open riders, green to finished horses in it and usually around 25 entries. A Youth actually won a show competing against open riders with over 25 entries. Amateurs, Open & Youth all qualified for the World show this year from attending SHOT shows that had RP. A SHOT competitor won the world, another got 3rd. This is not designed to be another Western Pleasure rail class. It’s designed for ranch type horses, hence the occasional obstacle or maneuver, and moving at a natural gait that makes it fun for the horse and rider. I agree with Vicki; it makes a better horse. And amazingly you don’t have to hire a trainer to get a horse to do a gait that it not natural – you can have fun improving your horse & your skills yourself!!! Check the SHOT schedule regularly if you live in the southwest to find out which SHOT shows offer AQHA RP http://www.stockhorsetexas.org
November 13th, 2012 at 9:27 am
Great article, Sara!!