What is Trick Riding?
Trick riding is a family of riding techniques which evolved in the American West. These techniques were originally developed to meet the needs of working cowboys, and they have since evolved into stunts designed more for performance than practicality. In the United States, the Wild West Arts Club works to preserve and celebrate the history of trick riding and other Western stunts, and trick riding is offered at several riding schools in North America. Most trick riding stunts involve performing tricky maneuvers on a moving horse. For example, riders may vault onto or off of a horse while it is in motion, or stand on the horse’s back. Accomplished trick riders can play jump rope with a lasso on the back of a moving horse, trade mounts with other riders while in motion, and keep their seats while horses perform controlled rears and other showy moves.
