6/ JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2018 THE RIDER


By Susan Dahl. “Saugeen Bluffs is located in


MY SPIN: AQHA/OQHA Ranch Horse Clinic by Greg Crispin, July 22, 2017 events.


the heart of Bruce County along the Saugeen River. It includes a horse campground with large, spacious sites tucked in amongst towering hardwoods. The park is quaint and charming located approximately 4 km north of the Village of Paisley and only a 15 minute drive from the Lake Huron Soreline and sandy beaches. There is over 15km of trails in


mature woodlands for both campers and day rides. The park also features a shower building, laundromat, store and an activity centre, which is avail- able to campers to rent (for special occasions), or utilize during your stay, free of charge with an internet cafe. There is a large picnic shelter and Event Ring available to horse campers, as well as scheduled work- shops and clinics throughout the sea- son.”


I decided to check out the


Event Ring at the campground and see what Greg was doing with a ranch horse clinic. I wanted to find out some of the rules to this new sport of the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). Formally known as the Ranch Horse Pleasure class, it was debuted at the 2012 and then 2013 AQHA World Champi- onship Show. It joined the Versatility Ranch Horse competition list of classes which have been around since 2002. The ranch riding class is to ide-


A student working on a spin.


alize the working ranch horse and rider. Exhibitors are encouraged not to wear bling, no hoof black or braiding, no fancy clothes and to use tack similar to a ranch horse (ie. rear cinch and breast collar). Exhibitors may stand while doing the posting trot and can certainly hold the saddle horn like other working cow horse


According to AQHA’s website


(www.aqha.com): “The Versatility Ranch Horse competition promotes the athletic ability and versatility of the horse and is demonstrated in six classes – ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch cutting, ranch reining, ranch cow work and ranch conformation. In the AQHA ranch riding class, the horse is shown individually in pat- tern work and is judged on the pre- cision of the pattern maneuvers and the horse’s movements.” According to the AQHA Rule-


book, what exhibitors need to know in ranch riding: • The horse should simulate a horse riding and working outside the con- fines of an arena. • The horse should execute the ma- neuvers at a forward ground-cover- ing pace. • As for rein length, the rider should have light rein contact. The instruc- tors specifically noted that the horse should not be shown on a draped rein. • Additionally, a horse may not be entered in a western pleasure and ranch riding class at the same horse show. This rule applies to all AQHA divisions (youth, amateur, Select and open).


Greg’s clinic comprised of a


general description of ranch riding, what the judge’s are looking for and the AQHA rules. Rules particular to ranch riding for which the exhibitor will be penalized for over bridling, draped reins and being too slow per gait. Transitions are a big part of ranch riding, so Greg had his stu- dents worked on extending their trot and downward transitions. They also practiced their extended lope. Fol- lowed by working on circling, steer- ing, spins, stops, body control (side passing, 2 tracking), lead changes


in ranch riding classes with the OQHA (Ontario Quarter Horse Association) since it started in 2014. He also offers training and lessons in ranch riding since 2014/2015. You can check out his face- book


www.facebook.com/greg.crispin. They here -


and backups. Note: The lead changes can be simple (but must be within 3 strides or less). Greg Crispin has been competing


also have the class now in Orangeville, Ancaster and Carp. Greg recalls to me a memorable


moment during the clinic where one girl was trying to get her horse to lope which she hadn’t managed to do up to that day. With Greg’s encouragement, she suc- ceeded and we all applauded and cheered.


Continued on Page 8


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