Intro to Working Cattle

The difference between reining, cutting and reined cow horse work

by Allison Trimble

There are some basic concepts that are important to understand before you begin working cattle. One of the most important things to keep in mind is that you are working toward your horse controlling the movement of a cow mostly of his own volition. No matter what level you are working at, your horse’s understanding of his job is paramount to your success. Dragging your horse around, or working faster than your horse or you are ready for, will never help you reach your goals. As competent as you may become at reading cattle, your horse will always have the ability to read another animal better than you will, if given the chance. Keeping that in mind will help guide your training.

Whether your goal is cutting, reined cow horse, team penning, or roping at its most base definition, you are attempting to control the movement of a cow. There are varied skills needed for these different disciplines, but they all originate from tasks performed on a working cattle ranch and showcase the ability of a horse and rider to perform a necessary task. I find that this is a great motivator for me in my training; I like having a purpose for both myself and my horse. It is also very important to remember that it is not just getting the job done, but accomplishing it with control and finesse.

Body Shape

At its simplest, you need to expect your horse to turn right and left with the cow, at the same speed as the cow is moving, and stop with the cow. But as simple as it sounds, it can get quite complicated when you start beginning to step up your horse’s performance. When working cattle, it is important that your horse travels parallel to the cow with a rounded body; his nose should be tipped toward the cow and his ribcage and inside shoulder picked up and rounded away from the cow. As the direction of the cow changes, so does the positioning of your horse.

Positioning on a Cow

Positioning and an understanding of how to move cattle is vital. Often a less broke horse can better control a cow because of the rider’s understanding of cattle behavior. Stepping to a cow’s tail end will drive the cow forward, while stepping past the cow’s shoulder will stop it, and stepping past its head will turn it. There are, of course, variations in cattle and you are able to affect a cow’s natural response, but most cattle will adhere to those rules. When you are moving parallel across the arena with the cow, you are hunting to teach your horse to go with the cow, to rate across the pen with the cow’s head approximately even with your horse’s shoulder, and to stop, draw back, and turn with the cow.

Turning – Reining vs. Cow Horse

There is a major difference between the turn that a cowhorse or cutter makes and the spin or turnaround that a reining horse makes. A spin is forward motion in which the outside leg steps in front of the inside leg and the horse stands and pivots on a hind inside leg.

A turn on a cowhorse/cutter is a stop, then a draw-back and turn in which the horse steps behind the inside front leg and drives off of the outside hind leg. Though it may not seem like it, this is a significant difference.

Cutter vs. Cow Horse

Cutting horses need to be able to drive out and separate one cow from a herd of cattle, and then keep that cow separated on a slack rein. The motion of a cutting horse is to move back and forth on an invisible line between the separated cow and the herd, both mirroring and controlling the cow at the same time. The rider can use her legs behind the shoulder to aid the horse, but may not rein. The cow is constantly coming toward or being pushed at the horse, trying to get back to the herd. This often can help keep the horse drawn back. The catlike movement and athleticism of a cutting horse is a marvelous thing. The ability of a horse to control a cow entirely on its own is simply amazing.

Reined cow horses must first complete a reining pattern. Most cow horses have been worked out of the herd, similar to cutting, but in the herdwork portion of a cow horse competition, you are able to assist your horse with your reins if needed. In the cow work, you have the advantage of being able to subtly guide your horse with your reins throughout the run, hence the term reined cow horse. The horse is also required to have the ability to both draw back like a cutter (in the boxing competition) and to line out next to a cow, drive it straight down the pen, turn it at speed, and circle it in the center of the pen. This obviously requires very fast forward motion and changes in direction. Steering at speed is very important in a cow horse. Whether a participant or spectator, the rush and excitement of a fence run is an experience that is hard to rival.

Each of the above disciplines requires a different skill set for both the rider and the horse, but the basic principle remains the same: you are building a team in which your horse’s ability is just as important as your own, and proper training can lead to years of fun with cows.