JUDGING Western Pleasure
Taken from NSBA & AQHA Rules
NSBA
A) All entries must be shown with both hands on the reins, maintaining light contact with the horse's mouth. The rider's hands should be carried near the pommel and no further than 4" out on either side of the saddle horn. Rider's hands must be steady with very limited movement. Rider's hands should be visible to the judge(s) at all times.
Reins must be crossed with the tails of the reins on the opposite side of the neck. Reins may be held singularly or together, as long as tails are crossed and on opposite sides of horses neck.
B) All horses will be judged as a pleasure horse at the walk, jog, lope and back as well as on all transitions. Horses must work both ways of the ring at three gaits to demonstrate their ability with different leads. At the option of the judge, horses may be asked to extend the walk, jog or lope, one or both ways of the ring. The judge may ask all or just the top 12 horses to extend at the jog; however, never more than the top 12 horses may be asked to extend at the lope. Riders should sit at the extended jog. Horses are required to back easily and stand quietly. The judge may, at his/her discretion, require the back of only the finalists in the class. Horses must reverse to the inside (away from the rail). They may be required to reverse at the walk or jog, at the discretion of the judge, but shall not be asked to reverse at the lope.
C) Horses are not to be called into the center of the arena from a jog or a lope.
D) A tight rein or excessive slack is at no time acceptable. Head carriage should be quiet and comfortable.
E) A pleasure horse should be happy horse and a natural horse. Emphasis shall be placed on good movers, manners, and attitude, as reflected in the horse's ears, mouth, tail and way of going. Judges shall be instructed to pay particular attention to the above mentioned and any attempt to alter the above shall be severely penalized.
F) When entering a warm-up, class or cut, if a horse's mouth, nose or jaw or any other area touched by the bit or bosal shows signs of broken skin, rawness or bleeding, at the discretion of the show steward or judge, the exhibitor MAY BE permitted to change from bosal to a snaffle bit or snaffle bit to a bosal. Prior to the Judge's final placing, he/she must inspect the noses, mouths, jaws, and bodies of the horse for raw or abused areas. If a horse's mouth, nose or jaw or any other area shows signs of broken skin, rawness or bleeding, the horse will be eliminated from the class.
FAULTS
FAULTS
1) To be scored according to severity:
a) Missed lead or break of gait shall be penalized according to severity at judges discretion..
b) Pertaining to transitions or the reverse, any loss of forward motion may be penalized up to three places on judges card or be placed last in a small class.
c) Refusal to back shall result in a penalty ordisqualification at the judges’ discretion.
d) When a transition is called for, the exhibitor should take the requested gait within 5 seconds. Failure to do so, may, at the judge's discretion, result in a penalty.
e) Excessive Speed (any gait)
f) Being on the wrong lead
g) Excessive slowness in any gait, loss of forward momentum
h)Touching horse or saddle with free hand
i) Head carried too high
j) Head carried too low
k) Overflexing or straining neck in head carriage so the nose is carried behind the vertical for five or less strides.
l) Excessive nosing out
m) Opening mouth excessively
n)Stumbling
o) Use of spurs forward of the cinch
p) A horse which appears sullen, dull lethargic, emaciated, drawn or overly tired
q) Quick, choppy or pony-strided
r) If reins are draped to the point that light contact is not maintained.
2) Faults which shall be cause for disqualification, except in novice non-pro or youth classes which will be faults, scored according to severity:
a) Changing hands or two hands on reins, except when showing with a hackamore or snaffle bit.
b) More than one finger between the reins.
c) Overflexing or straining neck in head carriage so the nose is carried behind the vertical consistently for more than five strides.
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AQHA
LAMENESS
(a) The judge shall examine and check for lameness all
horses brought into any class. This is essential regardless of
whether or not the competition indicates it is necessary.
(b) Obvious lameness shall be cause for disqualification.
Obvious lameness is:
(1 ) Consistently observable at a trot under all
circumstances;
(2) Marked nodding, hitching or shorted stride;
(3) Minimal weight-bearing in motion and/or at rest
and inability to move.
(a) The following terminology shall apply
in all western classes:
(1) The walk is a natural, flat-footed, four-beat gait.
The horse must move straight and true at the walk. The walk
must be alert, with a stride of reasonable length in keeping with
the size of the horse.
(2) The jog is a smooth, ground-covering two-beat
diagonal gait. The horse works from one pair of diagonals to the
other pair. The jog should be square, balanced and with straight,
forward movement of the feet. Horses walking with their back
feet and trotting in the front are not considered performing the
required gait. When asked to extend the jog, it moves out with
the same smooth way of going.
(3) The lope is an easy, rhythmical three-beat gait.
Horses moving to the left should lope on the left lead. Horses
moving to the right should lope on the right lead. Horses travel-ing
at a four-beat gait are not considered to be performing at a proper lope. The horse should lope with a natural stride and
appear relaxed and smooth. It should be ridden at a speed which
is a natural way of going. The head should be carried at an angle
which is natural and suitable to the horse’s conformation at all
gaits.
WESTERN PLEASURE
(a) A good pleasure horse has a free-flowing stride of rea-sonable
length in keeping with his conformation. He should
cover a reasonable amount of ground with little effort. Ideally, he
should have a balanced, flowing motion, while exhibiting correct
gaits that are of the proper cadence. The quality of the movement
and the consistency of the gaits is a major consideration. He should
carry his head and neck in a relaxed, natural position, with his
poll level with or slightly above the level of the withers. He
should not carry his head behind the vertical, giving the appear-ance
of intimidation, or be excessively nosed out, giving a resis-tant
appearance. His head should be level with his nose slightly
in front of the vertical, having a bright expression with his ears
alert. He should be shown on a reasonably loose rein, but with
light contact and control. He should be responsive, yet smooth,
in transitions when called for. When asked to extend, he should
move out with the same flowing motion. Maximum credit should
be given to the flowing, balanced and willing horse which gives
the appearance of being fit and a pleasure to ride.
(b) A show may have up to three western pleasure classes.
(1) If three western pleasure classes are to be held, they
shall be the following:
(A) Senior western pleasure shown with a bit.
(B) Junior western pleasure shown with either a
bit, hackamore or snaffle bit.
(C) Two-year-old western pleasure shown with
hackamore or snaffle. This class will not be approved prior to July
1 of the year for which approval is requested.
(2) If two western pleasure classes are to be held, they
shall be the following:
(A) Senior western pleasure shown with a bit.
(B) Junior western pleasure shown with either bit,
hackamore or snaffle bit.
(3) If only one western pleasure class is to be held, it is
to be for all ages.
(A) Horses six-years-old and older must be shown
on a bit.
(B) Horses five-years-old and younger may be
shown in either bit, hackamore or snaffle bit.
(c) No horse may be entered in both junior western pleasure
and two-year-old western pleasure at the same show.
(d) Entries in the two-year-old class may be shown with one
or both hands on reins. If riding with two hands reins must be
crossed with the tails of the reins on the opposite side of the neck.
The rider’s hands should be carried near the pommel and not fur-ther
than four inches (10 cm) out on either side of the saddle
horn. Rider’s hands must be steady with very limited movement.
(e) This class will be judged on the performance, condition
and conformation of the horse.
(f ) Horses must work both ways of the ring at all three gaits
to demonstrate their ability with different leads. At the option of
the judge, horses may be asked to extend the walk, jog or lope,
one or both ways of the ring. The judge may ask all or just the top
12 horses to extend at the jog; however, never more than the top
12 horses may be asked to extend at the lope. Riders should sit at
the extended jog. Horses are required to back easily and stand
quietly. Passing is permissible and should not be penalized as
long as the horse maintains a proper and even cadence and
rhythm.
(g) Horses are to be reversed to the inside (away from the
rail). They may be required to reverse at the walk or jog at the dis-cretion
of the judge, but shall not be asked to reverse at the lope.
(h) Judge may ask for additional work of the same nature
from any horse. He/she is not to ask for work other than that list-ed
above.
(i ) Rider shall not be required to dismount except in the
event judge wishes to check equipment.
(j ) Horses to be shown at a walk, jog and lope on a reason-ably
loose rein or light contact without undue restraint.
(k) Faults to be scored according to severity:
(1) Excessive speed (any gait)
(2) Being on the wrong lead
(3) Breaking gait (Including not walking when called
for.)
(4 ) Excessive slowness in any gait, loss of forward
momentum (Resulting in an animated and/or artificial gait at the
lope.)
(5) Failure to take the appropriate gait when called for
(During transitions, excessive delay will be penalized.)
(6) Touching horse or saddle with free hand
(7) Head carried too high
(8) Head carried too low (tip of ear below the withers)
(9) Overflexing or straining neck in head carriage so
the nose is carried behind the vertical
(10) Excessive nosing out
(11) Opening mouth excessively
(12) Stumbling
(13) Use of spurs forward of the cinch
(14) A horse which appears sullen, dull, lethargic, ema-ciated, drawn or overly tired
(15) Quick, choppy or pony-strided
(16) If reins are draped to the point that light contact
is not maintained.
(l ) Faults which will be cause for disqualification, except in
novice amateur or novice youth classes which shall be faults,
scored according to severity:
(1) Head carried too low (tip of ear below the withers
consistently)
(2) Overflexing or straining neck in head carriage so
the nose is carried behind the vertical consistently.
JUDGING NSBA rules