About the ORHA ...
2010 marks the Ontario Reining Horse Association's 23rd Anniversary.
We are a non-profit organization and use all monies raised to promote and encourage the showing of reining horses in Ontario by offering a full slate of National Reining Horse Association / Reining Canada and Ontario Reining Horse Association classes - including three youth classes - at sanctioned shows throughout the year.
Reining is the western version of the English dressage and is based on the refined and exaggerated moves of working cow horses used by vaqueros on the range. Moves include fast spins on a pivotal hind foot and spectacular sliding stops.
Competitors and spectators attend our shows from Ottawa, Toronto,
Kitchener, London, Sudbury, Barrie, Quebec, New York State, Michigan,
and Pennsylvania. In addition, members of the association travel to
Ohio, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, and North Carolina to compete, and
to Germany and Italy to coach. Educational seminars are offered on
a regular basis for both the novice and professional.
To rein a horse is not only to guide him, but also to control his every movement.
The best reined horse should be willingly guided or controlled with little or no apparent resistance and dictated to completely. Any movement on his own must be considered a lack of control. All deviations from the exact written pattern must be considered a lack of or temporary loss of control; and therefore, a fault that must be marked down according to severity of deviation. After deducting all faults set here within, against execution of the pattern and the horse's overall performance, credit should be given for smoothness, finesse, attitude, quickness and authority of performing various manoeuvres, while using controlled speed which raises the difficulty level and makes him more exciting and pleasing to watch to an audience."