Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Trained Cutting Horses For Sale Are Prized For Their Skills

By Essie Osborn


One event in Western Horse Shows and some rodeos is the cutting horse competition. A horse and rider work to separate a steer, castrated bull, or a heifer, unbred cow, move it out of the herd brought into the arena for the event. The separation is maintained for a short time. Those who consider the Cutting Horses For Sale realize their inborn talent and training command a premium price.

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.

The American Quarter Horse, with its shorter body and ability to make those sharp turns, is especially suited to perform in this event. When the horse and rider separate the bovine, the cow will try to rejoin its herd. Then the cowboy loosens his grip on the reins allowing the horse to take control.

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.

This horse focuses on the heifer, drawing back over its hocks and turning to follow the target. The rider sits, possibly shifting his weight in the saddle, but not giving directions via the reins as in most other events. This is a skill event, not one requiring speed as so many other events in a Western Show Competition require.

Sales are advertised for these specialized steeds from America to Australia. Some features are standard in the classified ads. For example the color, the registration, the birth date, the height and the breed.

The color can range from buckskin to sorrel and from bay to black. The most frequent registration is by the American Quarter Horse Association. Depending on the rules of each event, registration may or may not be required.

A horse is measured in a certain way. Its height is measured in hands. Each hand is approximately four inches. This system began centuries ago when the width of a hand was the standard of measurement. Height is measured at the withers, the spot in front of the saddle.

The conformation of the cutting horse tends to be shorter in the body. This makes those sharp turns when cutting out the heifer possible. Thus, the quarter horse type is well-suited to follow the bovine, regardless of its twists and turns as it attempts to rejoin the herd.




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