The American Quarter Horse

The American Quarter Horse

Although the discipline of reining is open to any breed of horse at the NRHA level, it is the American Quarter Horses that have reliably established themselves at the top level of reining.

Why is that?

Reining is a high-performance sport that has developed to a high level over the last few years. On the one hand, this requires an athlete, but on the other hand, it also requires a horse with strong nerves and a certain composure. Quarter Horses quite simply combine all these qualities.

Originally bred in the USA for ranch work, these horses took on a different meaning with industrialisation. In addition to daily work, they were used for horse races over a ¼-mile (Quarter Mile Races). This is where the name Quarter Horse comes from. From ranch work, various disciplines gradually developed, including reining.

The worldwide breeding of Quarter Horses has been in a state of flux for some years now. Twenty years ago it was still marketed as the most versatile horse breed in the world. In the meantime, breeding has specialised and different types of one and the same breed are bred today, depending on the intended use. For disciplines such as cutting, working cowhorse or reining, the old Quarter Horse type has proven itself to this day.

A noble, wedge-shaped head, with a small mouth, small ears and alert eyes, sits lightly on a medium-length neck. The build is rectangular: A medium long back, strong loin with plenty of girth, well muscled hindquarters and a powerful chest make him the athlete he is.

The whole stands on a solid foundation with short tube legs, pronounced joints and hard, medium sized hooves. The stallion measures between 148 and 160 cm. His usually calm, balanced but sensitive temperament, coupled with strong nerves, makes the Quarter Horse easy to train and an ideal partner for equestrian sports up to the highest level, but also an ideal leisure and reliable family horse.
With over 4.6 million registered horses worldwide, the American Quarter Horse is the most widespread horse breed in the world today.