Superior Saddlery — Andy Maschke
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Certified Used Saddles — David Solum
Competition Guide
No other western discipline asks horse and rider to compete across three fundamentally different athletic events in a single show. Understanding what reining, fence work, boxing, and cow work actually require — from the horse, from the rider, and from the saddle — is the starting point for making an informed equipment decision.
NRCHA competition is built around the premise that a finished cow horse must be equally accomplished in reining and in cattle work. Most major NRCHA events — including the Snaffle Bit Futurity, the Hackamore Classic, and the Celebration of Champions — score horses across a reining pattern, a cattle phase that includes fence work and boxing, and in some formats a third phase of open cow work. The combined score determines placings and purse earnings.
This structure is why the cow horse saddle exists as a distinct category. A reining saddle handles the pattern beautifully but leaves a rider without support during hard fence runs. A cutting saddle provides security during lateral cattle moves but works against the close-contact feel needed for reining. The cow horse saddle is the only design that accounts for all three phases without disabling performance in any of them.
The reining pattern in NRCHA competition follows the same fundamental structure as NRHA reining — a prescribed sequence of circles, lead changes, rundowns, sliding stops, and spins executed from a specific pattern sheet. Judges score each maneuver on a scale from -1.5 to +1.5, with 0 representing the baseline of a correct maneuver with no degree of difficulty.
What separates NRCHA reining from a standalone reining event is that the horse must still perform the cattle phases afterward. Trainers cannot afford to leave everything on the pattern — pace management and energy conservation influence how a horse approaches the fence work that follows. This reality shapes how riders use their saddles during the pattern: they need close-contact feel for quiet, accurate cueing, but they also need a saddle that will hold them through the physical demands still ahead.
A close-contact seat that allows independent leg position and quiet weight shifts. A slick fork that does not interfere with thigh movement during spins. A cantle low enough to allow freedom through lead changes and stops, but present enough to catch the rider during the slide.
Fence work is the most physically demanding phase of NRCHA competition for both horse and rider, and it is the phase that most directly distinguishes the cow horse from every other western discipline. A fresh cow is released into the arena and the horse must drive it down the fence at speed, rate it — meaning slow to stay in position without overrunning — and stop it before it reaches the end of the fence. The sequence is then reversed, and the horse must work the cow back down the opposite fence.
The athleticism required is explosive. A good fence run involves a horse accelerating from a standstill to a full gallop, reading the cow's body language at speed, driving hard into a rate position that may require a hard stop within feet of the fence end, and immediately reversing direction. The forces on both horse and rider during those stops and reverses are extreme — this is the phase where an inadequate saddle announces itself immediately.
Judges evaluate the horse's rate, position relative to the cow, and the quality of the stops. A horse that overruns the cow, fails to stop cleanly, or shows resistance during the reversal will lose significant ground in the cattle score.
A cantle with enough dish to brace the rider through sudden stops and hard reverses. A double-rigged back cinch that prevents the saddle from tipping forward during deceleration. A seat deep enough to hold position through lateral moves without requiring the rider to grip with the knee. A forward-hung fender that allows the leg to stay under the hip through the entire run.
After the fence runs are completed, the horse must box the cow — hold it stationary against the fence and prevent it from escaping left or right. The horse must demonstrate lateral quickness, reading the cow's head position and shoulder angle to anticipate direction changes before they happen. A good boxing horse moves with the cow in short, explosive bursts, staying between the cow and the arena.
This is the phase most similar to cutting in its demands — the horse is essentially reading and responding to cow movement using its own judgment. Unlike cutting, however, the rider's hands remain active, the horse is in a bridle rather than a free-rein scenario, and the goal is control and containment rather than pure cow-reading ability.
Boxing scores are heavily influenced by the horse's willingness and rate of response. A horse that gets behind a cow — allowing it to escape past the shoulder — or that overreacts and creates excessive movement will lose ground. The best boxing horses appear calm while moving with precise efficiency.
The same lateral support as fence work, but in shorter, quicker bursts. The rider needs freedom to weight one stirrup quickly and shift position without the saddle fighting those adjustments. A seat that holds the rider neutrally between moves is more valuable here than one that locks the rider into a single position.
In NRCHA's Snaffle Bit Futurity and select other events, a third phase of open cow work follows the fence and boxing phases. The horse is given a fresh cow and must demonstrate controlled cow work that goes beyond the fence — circling the cow, driving it, and showing a complete range of cattle athleticism in open arena space.
Open cow work is scored on the horse's athleticism, control, and the quality and degree of difficulty of the work shown. Riders who choose easy cows and conservative moves will score lower than those who take on aggressive cattle and execute difficult maneuvers with control and style. The phase rewards boldness — but only when paired with precision.
This is the phase where the bridle horse tradition of the California vaquero is most visible in modern competition. The best open cow work looks effortless — horse and rider moving as a single unit, the cow seemingly unable to escape — while in reality it represents years of training and an athlete performing at maximum capacity.
Everything the fence and boxing phases require, plus the freedom of movement associated with reining pattern work. By the time a horse reaches the open cow work phase, it has already been through a reining pattern and a complete fence/boxing run. The saddle must have performed across all of them without creating fatigue, pressure points, or restriction.
Understanding the competitive landscape helps contextualize what saddle performance requirements look like at the highest levels of the sport.
Held in Reno, Nevada each fall, the Snaffle Bit Futurity is NRCHA's premier event for three-year-old horses shown in a snaffle bit. The event attracts the country's top cow horse trainers and consistently produces some of the largest purses in the sport. The three-event format — reining, herd work, and cow work — places maximum demands on every piece of tack the horse wears.
The Hackamore Classic showcases four-year-old horses shown in a bosal hackamore — no bit contact. The hackamore format demands even more refined communication between horse and rider, since cues are delivered through pressure and release rather than direct rein contact. The saddle must not compensate for what the headgear cannot provide.
Open to five-year-old and older horses shown in a bridle, the Celebration of Champions represents the finished cow horse at its most complete. These horses have progressed through snaffle and hackamore development and are now performing with full bridle refinement. The standard of performance — and the equipment demands — are at their highest.
NRCHA competition is not limited to professional trainers. Amateur and Non Pro divisions allow owner-riders to compete against others at similar experience levels, and these divisions have grown significantly as the sport has expanded beyond traditional ranch backgrounds into recreational and competitive horse owners who want to develop a complete horse.
For amateur and non pro competitors, saddle fit becomes even more critical. A professional trainer rides multiple horses daily and can compensate for minor equipment issues through skill and repetition. An amateur rider competing on a horse they may show only a handful of times per year needs a saddle that performs correctly without requiring constant adjustment or compensation.
Certified Used Inventory
Competition-Ready Cow Horse Saddles
David Solum's certified used inventory includes saddles that have been used at the highest levels of NRCHA competition — Bob's Custom Lady Cowhorse builds, Superior JK Cowhorse/Reiner models, and other competition-proven designs. Each saddle is personally inspected by David before listing. If you have questions about NRCHA saddle requirements or fit for your horse, contact David directly.
View Competition-Ready Inventory →