Ranch Pleasure

Judges evaluate the horse’s overall way of going, including cadence, balance, responsiveness, and attitude. Horses should move forward freely with a relaxed expression and consistent rhythm at all gaits.

Judges penalize horses that appear dull, overly slow, excessively quick, or mechanically forced. Resistance, excessive head carriage manipulation, and lack of forward intent will lower scores.

How the Horse Should Move

The ideal ranch pleasure horse travels with a level topline, soft poll, and forward-reaching stride. Movement should show ground cover appropriate for ranch work while remaining controlled and cadenced.

Transitions between gaits should be smooth and prompt, without abrupt changes in speed or loss of balance.

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Scoring for High Points

Ranch Pleasure is scored using AQHA-based guidelines, beginning with a base score of 70. Judges reward horses that consistently demonstrate correct movement, cadence, and attitude throughout the class.

Higher scores are earned by maintaining consistency across all gaits, showing a willing expression, and requiring minimal visible cueing from the rider.

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Gait-Specific Expectations

• Walk:

  • The walk should be relaxed, forward, and true four-beat. Overly slow or sluggish walks are penalized, as they do not reflect practical ranch work.

• Trot:

  • The trot should be rhythmic, forward, and balanced with good reach. Excessive speed or lack of cadence will reduce scores.

• Lope:

  • The lope should be smooth, cadenced, and forward with a natural stride length. Horses should not appear over-collected, artificial, or excessively slow.

EV-221 STOCK HORSE PLEASURE CLASS

The purpose of the stock horse pleasure class is to measure the ability of the horse to be a pleasure to ride while being used as a means of conveyance from per forming one ranch task to another. The horse should reflect the versatility, attitude and movement of a work ing ranch horse riding outside the confines of an arena. The horse should be well-trained, relaxed, quiet, soft and cadenced at all gaits. The ideal ranch horse will travel with forward movement and demonstrate an obvious lengthening of stride at extended gaits. The horse can be ridden with light contact or on a relatively loose rein without requiring undue restraint, but not shown on a full drape of reins. The overall manners and responsiveness of the ranch riding horse to make timely transitions in a smooth and correct manner, as well as the quality of the movement are of primary considerations. The ideal stock horse pleasure horse should have a natural head carriage at each gait.

EV-221.1 Gaits

• Ordinary Walk – The stock horse ordinary walk is straight, square, flat-footed, relaxed. The horse moves freely with no anticipation to move to the next gait.

• Extended Walk – The stock horse extended walk is straight, square, and flat-footed, relaxed, and moves out freely with the horse looking ahead. The extended walk shows more length of stride than the ordinary walk.

• Trot – The stock horse trot is a square two-beat diag onal trot and is steady, soft, and slow enough for riding long distances. The rider is seated at this gait.

• Extended Trot – The stock horse extended trot shows lengthening of stride from the regular trot with the same cadence that will cause an increase in speed. This gait is level, flat, and steady with the appearance that the horse would hold this gait for long distances. The rider may be seated, posting, or standing.

• Lope – The stock horse lope is a 3-beat gait that is cadenced, straight and steady and is comfortable to ride over long distances. When loping, the horse must be in the same lead as the direction the rider is traveling.

• Extended Lope – The stock horse extended lope shows lengthening of stride from the regular lope with the same cadence that will cause an increase in speed. The horse holds the steady gait and increased speed while being under control. 

• Stop – From both the lope and the trot, the horse should be in the correct stopping position (i.e., both hocks engaged and stopping on the hindquarters). All four feet stop moving before the next maneuver is attempted.

• Reverse – The horse turns briskly and flat with front feet on the ground and holding an inside rear pivot foot. The reverse may be performed in either direction.

 

EV-221.3 Credits and Penalties

Part of the evaluation of this Class is on smoothness of transitions. A horse may be collected a bit from the extended trot or walk as the horse moves into the lope. During the transition from the extended lope down to the trot, walk or extended walk an extra cue to achieve this gait is expected. Horses that complete this total transi tion within three strides calmly and obediently should be rewarded. Horses that attempt to stop or do stop prior the specified gait will be penalized. Judges expect to see horses that have been trained to respond to cues. To see these cues applied discreetly and the horse responding correctly could be a credit-earning situation. All runs begin upon entering the pen; any infractions (such as two hands on the reins, using either hand to instill fear, etc.) are subject to penalty at that time. Penalties will be assessed as follows:

1 Point Penalties:

- Over-bridled (per maneuver)

- Out of frame

-Too slow

- Break of gait at walk or trot for two (2) strides or less

- Wrong lead or out of lead for 2 strides or less

3 Point Penalties:

- Wrong lead or out of lead more for than 2 strides

- Draped reins-Break of gait at lope except when correcting an incorrect lead

- Break of gait at walk or trot for more than two (2) strides

5 Point Penalties: Cannot place above others who complete pattern correctly:

- Spurring in front of cinch

- Blatant disobedience

- Use of either hand to instill fear Off-Pattern (OP):-Breaking pattern (Eliminates or adds maneuver)

- Repeated disobedience-Use of two hands (except in snaffle bit or hackamore)

- More than one finger between split reins or any fin gers between romal reins (except two rein)

Disqualification (DQ): Disqualified entries are counted as an entry in the class but can not receive points or credits for that class toward the all around.

- Lameness-Abuse-Illegal equipment

- Lack of 2 correct back numbers-Disrespect or misconduct-Leaving working area before pattern is complete

- Fall of horse/rider (run ends; scores will be given for work done but the horse/rider team will be disqualified and will not be placed)-Improper western attire

- Obvious schooling for multiple maneuvers