Judging Horse Events – Western Riding

The western riding class is one of flying lead changes. It is a combination of control and skills, mixing techniques from trail, reining, and equitation. This is a judged event and is not timed.

The horse is judged on these criteria:

Quality of gaits
Lead changes at the lope
Response to the rider
Manners and disposition

Lead Changes

Must be done in a collected and controlled manner.
Change precisely and simultaneously front/hind at the center point between markers.
Lead change locations must be consistent in their location and centered in between each cone.
View the Penalties section for more information on lead change locations.

Patterns

Different associations provide multiple patterns. Pattern II of AQHA is displayed below.

Scoring

Before scoring a western riding, the judge should be familiar with each association’s rules and regulations as they may differ from one another. The scoring system for this class ranges from 0 to 100, with 70 being an average performance.

Maneuver Score

Each maneuver indicated in the pattern receives a maneuver score of +1 1/2 to -1 1/2 with half point increments and 0 indicating an average maneuver. The following are the general guidelines used to determine appropriate maneuver scores:
+1 1/2 Excellent
+1 Very Good
+1/2 Good
0 Average
-1/2 Poor
-1 Very Poor
-1 1/2 Extremely Poor

Penalties

Common penalty points are ½, 1, 3, and 5
Maneuvers are scored independently of penalty points.
A diagram for lead change penalties is included below.
Exhibitors may also received a 0 score or disqualification. These are generally reserved for instances such as breaking the pattern, breaking the rules or abuse of the animal.
Judges and exhibitors should refer to the desired association specific guidelines, rules, patterns, and score sheets for the most accurate information.