Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ - From Rawhide to Reining via Medieval Spain and John Wayne

Recognised as a sport in 1949 by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), the world’s largest equestrian organisation currently counting more than 350,000 members and nearly five million horses, Reining is the product of a fascinating history and enchanting cultural phenomenon. Indeed the likes of the Rollback, the Spin or even the Sliding Stop find their roots not just in the cattle herding traditions of the Americas but as far back as the hacienda system of medieval Spain where what we now consider the cowboy lifestyle was born. In many ways, John Wayne or Clint Eastwood owe their fame to the dry climate and sparse grass which led to the necessity of the horseback-mounted vaquero to cover the vast distances with his herd in order to obtain sufficient forage…

From that point onwards, it was just a question of time. The “cowboy” style of cattle herding first spread throughout much of the Iberian peninsula before it arrived on the shores of the Americas and literally took off. But it was not just the tradition which travelled with the Conquistadors, but a genuine revolution in transportation, as it was also effectively a reintroduction of equines onto this large landmass, from which they had disappeared since the end of the prehistoric ice age. Naturally, the horses quickly multiplied and became crucial to the success of the Spanish and later settlers from other nations. The earliest horses were originally of Andalusian, Barb and Arabian ancestry, but a number of uniquely American horse breeds developed in North and South America through selective breeding and by natural selection of animals that escaped to the wild.

And as sport often has a way of imitating real life, Reining takes its inspiration from cattle herding and all the moves used by the cowboys. Epitomized by the song Rawhide (lyrics by Ned Washington; composed by Dimitri Tiomkin) first heard through the voice of famous pop singer Frankie Laine, and later covered by greats such as The Meteors, The Blues Brothers, Dead Kennedys, The Jackson 5 or even Donkey from Shrek among others:

Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin,
Keep movin', movin', movin'…
(…)
Move em on (head em up)
Head em up (move em up)
Move em on (head em up)
Rawhide
Cut em out (ride em in)
Ride em in (cut em out)
Cut em out (ride em in)
Rawhide

And to accomplish this feat successfully, a good cowboy needs a quick and nimble horse, one that can change directions quickly, stop "on a dime," and sprint after an errant cow. The horse needs to be controlled mostly by legs and weight, ridden with only one hand and a light touch on the reins, so that the cowboy's attention can also be on tasks that could include handling a lariat (to rope cattle), opening a gate, or simply waving a hand, hat or rope to move along a reluctant herd animal… And here you have it, the principles of Reining – a sport entrenched in culture and circumstance, which has seen its popularity grow immensely around the world.

And while the cowboy may have come from Medieval Spain, the American Quarter Horse, that happens to excel in all the above and is most solicited in the Reining arena is the product of American breeding, developed primarily in Texas from a combination of Thoroughbred bloodstock crossed on horses of Mustang and other Iberian horse ancestry, with influences from the Arabian horse and horses developed on the east coast, such as the Morgan horse and now-extinct breeds such as the Chickasaw and Virginia Quarter-Miler. The name is actually derived from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horse in races of a quarter mile or less, where some individuals have been clocked at speeds up to 55 mph.

Just one big melting pot really…

The best of Reining will be on show at the end of this week with the FEI World Reining Masters set to take place on Thursday 30 November in Oklahoma (USA) where 15 Nations, 20 Top Riders and 20 Quality Reining Horses will be battling it out for the coveted title and prize money. Be a part of history and watch as it unfolds, lest we forget the origins of a sport entrenched in climate, medieval Spain, Conquistadors, the Americas, breeding, tradition, culture and much, much more…