Reining In Your Circles

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262 – May/June, 2026

By Alessandra Megan Baca

It starts at the center. Reining patterns circle around a single center point in the arena, which must also be the center of your pattern. Each of the circles in the pattern must always come back to the center of the arena. The fundamental principle of reining circles is to demonstrate a horse’s ability to transition from running to loping slowly. All patterns have the same circles – two large fast circles and one small slow circle in each direction. Completing these maneuvers demonstrates to the judges the willingness of the horse to be guided with ease in changing directions and between different speeds, the control the rider has over the horse, and the precision of the horse and rider team in their ability to complete the pattern as described.

The circles should be completed with light guidance from the rider while maintaining a consistent speed and lead. The rider’s body position may be used to control speed and shape while their hand lightly guides the horse without constant correction. Each circle must have a round appearance while using the center of the arena as the start and completion point of each consecutive circle. It is very important for the exhibitor to know their horse while planning the execution of circles, since every horse is different. The horse should feel comfortable at the chosen speed. If a horse is more forward and spicy, the rider may choose to have a medium speed for their fast circles in order to maintain control, and ensure the horse is comfortable.

Click here to read the complete article
262 – May/June, 2026