Experience Required To Select Top Cutting Horses For Sale

By Essie Osborn


A rider and his horse move as if they are one being. The Western Show Cutting Event features a heifer, an unbred female cow, or a steer, a castrated bull, being cut out from the rest of a small herd in the arena. The high value of the Cutting Horses For Sale is based on their breeding and training.

This intelligent horse has both the innate instinct and the training that, when combined, ingrains the ability to perform in this event. The successful horse must respond to signals quickly. It must also be able to, as the saying goes, turn on a dime.

An American Quarter Horse has a short body which enables it to turn on a dime. Thus, it is well-suited to follow close on the heels of its target bovine. The heifer always tries to get back into the herd and the horse prevents that. The rider loosens the reins, allowing the horse to take over.

This horse will work the heifer skillfully, turning it away from the herd at every turn. Typically, the event requires two and a half minutes of maintaining its isolation. Two or three cows are cut during each run. Point systems are set up to judge each entrant.

Obviously, good conformation and extended training time go into the making of a cutting horse. No specific breed is mandatory for entering the competition. However, the quarter horse is more suited to the task.

It takes both the proclivity and the specialized training to prepare such a horse for successful competition. The cash prizes awarded can be for thousands of dollars per event. Since the cutting horse, unlike a racing thoroughbred, is not physically drained at the end of an event, it may compete more frequently.

No running is involved. The horse follows the cow, draws back over its hocks and follows the direction taken by the cow. The rider gives the horse its head and focuses on the cows neck. The rider may use leg aids or shifting of weight in the saddle to steady the horse, but the reins are not used as they are in most other riding competitions.

These special equines are advertised for sale from Australia to America. The classified ads list some of their most important features. Included are color, breed, registration status, date of birth and the height of the animal.

Buckskins, duns, sorrels and bays are some of the represented colors. Most are registered with the American Quarter Horse Association. Some of the competitions admit only registered horses and others admit non-registered as well.

The height of a horse is measured in hands, from ground level to the top of the withers. The withers are located at the uppermost point of what might be referred to as the shoulders. That is, the spot right in front of the saddle.

Registered quarter horses and quarter horse types are especially suited to be trained as cutting horses. The competitions are not limited to this body type. However, their conformation equips them to make those sharp turns that keep the target heifer or steer from rejoining the herd prior to the allotted time.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment