The Working Ranch Horse (sometimes known as Versatility Ranch Horse) competition can be thought of as a Western pentathlon, demonstrating a stock horse's athletic ability in five categories:
working ranch horse, ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch cutting, and ranch conformation.
Working Ranch Horse combines reining ability and "cow sense" as the horse is judged first in a reining pattern and then as it handles a cow. Ranch Riding shows the horse's ability to move at
the walk, trot and lope. Ranch Trail shows a horse's ability and willingness to perform over a course of obstacles that simulate what might be found during the course of a normal day's ranch
work. Ranch Cutting judges the horse's ability first to cut a cow from the herd, then work the animal, and finally to pen the cow at the far end of the arena. Ranch Conformation assesses the
horse's balance, structural correctness, and breed standard. Overall placings are awarded based on total credits earned in the five classes.
Although preparing and showing in for so many diverse activities may seem an impossible task for the novice rider or trainer, help is readily at hand in the form of Training and Showing
the Working Ranch Horse. Using the expertise of well-known trainers and exhibitors and examples from her own and others' competitive experiences, Laren Sellers shares advice on how to
select the Working Ranch Horse prospect, develop and enhance the animal's potential, and then show the horse to best advantage in the arena.
Along with a good cow horse, this book is the best first step you can have to winning big-time in the Working Ranch Horse division.
