What is Ranch Horse Versatility?
Long before horse shows as we know them began, ranch cowboys got together to show their stuff, just for fun. The versatility aspect is what gives ranch horse riding its flavor today. Versatile ranch horses are expected to be competent in a range of situations. And while not every organization recognizes the exact same events in the ranch horse tradition, for the most part, there are five dimensions to the competition: 1. Ranch Conformation. These horses aren’t built like the halter horses at the Quarter Horse Congress. Well-built ranch horses are balanced and designed to do the jobs that life on a ranch requires. “It’s form to function. Conformation does not necessarily mean pretty. Conformation is correct. Pretty can be correct, but I’ve been on some plain-Jane horses that have been put together well,” says trainer and ARHA judge Bill Black. 2. Ranch Riding. This division is the ranch horse equivalent to western pleasure. “When you spend 10 to 12 hours in the saddle, you’re looking fo
