CEF Rules

Entry shall reflect suitability of TWH as a western working horse exhibiting qualities suitable for ranch work. The TWH Western horse works quietly, exhibiting an exceptionally smooth comfortable ride. The horse should be semi-collected and ridden with loose rein. Stride is of reasonable length in keeping with his conformation. Ha has a natural head set, neither high, and overflexed at the poll or low with nose out. The horse should be relaxed, but alert and ready to respond to the riders’ commands without excessive cueing.

TO BE JUDGED: 60%. manners and way of going, 30% conformation and suitability, 10% appointments unless otherwise stated in the class description.

a. APPOINTMENTS
1. Bridles — any western type headstall without cavesson with a western bit. A Western bit is a curb bit that has a solid or broken mouthpiece, has shanks and acts with curb action. Curb chains (leather or chain) may be used, but must be at least 1/2 inch in width and lie flat against the jaws of the horse. Split reins or closed reins with romal are allowed. No martingale or tiedown. Hackamore or snaffle bit allowed on junior horses (Hackamore is a rawhide braided, leather braided, or rope bosal with NO metal under the jaw) unless disallowed in the prize list. Both hands may be used on the reins of a junior horse. Judge may prohibit any equipment ha may consider severe or cruel.
2. Saddle: any standard stock saddle is permissible. No Australian Saddles.
3. Western attire consists of western hat, western style long sleeved shirt (a jacket or vest may be worn) western trousers or chaps, and belt. No jeans unless covered by chaps. Western boots are required. Western spurs and gloves are optional. Ladies may ride with Western sidesaddle and appropriate attire.
b. CLASS PROCEDURE
Horses to be shown at the flatfoot walk, the running walk, and the lope both ways of the ring on a reasonably loose rein without undue restraint. See PART IV, Section l, Rule d, but substitute lope for canter. Horses are required to back easily and stand quietly. They may be required to halt on the rail to test for quietness.
c. CLASS SPECIFICATIONS
TWH WESTERN PLEASURE. OPEN or MARES or STALLIONS or GELDINGS or MAIDEN HORSE and/or RIDER, or NOVICE HORSE and/or RIDER, or YOUTH or AGE OF HORSE — to be shown at a flatfoot walk, running walk, and lope. TO BE JUDGED. as described in the introduction to SECTION 5 above.

TWH WESTERN PLEASURE JUNIOR HORSE: OPEN or MARES or STALLIONS or GELDINGS — to be shown at a flatfoot walk, and running walk. A junior horse who enters a two gait class is not eligible to enter a three gait class, but the rider may. TO BE JUDGED: as described in the introduction to Section 5 above.

TWH WESTERN PLEASURE TWO GAIT: OPEN TO ALL HORSES OF ANY AGE WHO HAVE NOT MASTERED THE CANTER. This class may be further divided as to age of competitors, horses, sax of riders, etc. To be shown at the flatfoot walk and running walk both ways of the ring.
TO BE JUDGED: as described in the introduction to Section 5 above. This horse may NOT enter a three gait class at the same show, although the rider is still eligible for entry into a three gait class.

TWH WESTERN PLEASURE SADDLE HORSE: OPEN or MARES or STALLIONS or GELDINGS or MAIDEN HORSE and/or RIDER, or NOVICE HORSE and/or RIDER, or YOUTH — A Pleasure Saddle Horse must show obedience to all commands, stand quietly, back readily, and stop as required. To be shown at the flatfoot walk, running walk, and lope. The gaits may be called in any order as long as the flatfoot walk is the transition gait. In the lineup rider must and mount and dismount, and back.
TO BE JUDGED: 45% performance, 40% manners, 15%. conformation. Pulling on bit, head tossing, breaking stride, travailing in a sideways motion, and wringing tail shall be penalized.

TWH WESTERN PLEASURE SADDLE HORSE TWO GAIT: OPEN TO HORSES OF ANY AGE WHO HAVE NOT MASTERED THE LOPE- This class may be further divided as to age of horse or competitor. The horse may not enter a three gait class, but the rider may. To be shown and judged as described above with the exception that there will be no lope.

TWH WESTERN PLEASURE HORSE CHAMPIONSHIPS. To be eligible, horses must be entered, shown, and judged in any other TWH Western Pleasure Class requiring the same gaits. To be shown at a flatfoot walk, running, walk, lope OR flatfoot walk and running walk. TO BE JUDGED: in the same manner as the qualifying class. Stripping of horses is mandatory.

TWH WESTERN RIDING: OPEN or LADIES or GENTLEMEN or YOUTH — A Western riding horse is a sensible, free, and easy moving, wall mannered animal which can provide quiet, comfortable, pleasant rides at flatfoot walk, running walk and lope over trails and in open country, through and over obstacles and with handiness and athletic ability to do a variety of jobs on the farm or ranch. Western riding is neither a stunt nor a race. Each rider is to perform the following pattern individually.
TO BE JUDGED: on riding qualities of gaits, change of leads, back, response to rider, and disposition. Disqualification if off pattern, or a fall of horse or rider.

WESTERN RIDING PATTERN

TWH REINING HORSE:
Course should be posted prior to class. Approved equipment includes skid boots, splint boots and polo wraps.
TO BE JUDGED: Scoring will be on the basis of 60 to 80 with 70 denoting an average performance. Each horse will be judged on the neatness, dispatch, ease, calmness, and speed with which it performs the pattern. It a horse goes off course or breaks pattern it will be disqualified. Only gait used is the canter or hand gallop.

FAULTS AGAINST THE HORSE:
1. Opening mouth excessively when wearing bit.
2. Excessive jawing, open mouth, or head raising on stop.
3. Breaking gaits.
4. Lack of smooth, straight, stop on haunches.
5. Refusing to change leads.
6. Anticipating signals.
7. Stumbling or falling.
8. Ringing tail.
9. Backing sideways.
10.Knocking over markers.
FAULTS AGAINST THE RIDER:
1. Changed hands on reins.
2 . Two hands on reins (except in straight hackamore classes).
3. Losing stirrup or holding on.
4. Any unnecessary talking, petting, spurring, quirting, jerking of reins etc.

Horses shall enter the ring one at a time in working order from the class sheet. Individual horse and rider shall proceed to Judge. After the completion of the pattern walk to the judge and remain for inspection until dismissed. The bridle may be dropped at the Judge’s discretion. Any of the patterns in the CEF rule Book under Reining may be used.

TWH SPEED EVENTS: BARREL RACING, FLAG RACING, POLE BENDING, KEY HOLE RACE, RESCUE or PICKUP — These events are to be run and judged as described in CEF WESTERN rules Section 8.

SECTION 6: TWH AUTHENTIC GAITS

a. Designed to demonstrate the true ability of the Tennessee Walking Horse. This class may be designated as barefoot only, Light Shod only, barefoot or Light Shod, or Heavy Shod. There may NOT be a combination of Light Shod and Heavy Shod in the same class.
b. Horses enter the ring individually at the running walk, and make one complete circuit of the ring. The competitor then lines up in the Centre of the ring and waits until all other competitors have completed their individual circuit. The judge will dismiss those horses who have NOT performed the Running Walk. The remaining horse’s then continue the class which will consist of the flatfoot walk, and canter or lope both ways of the ring. The running walk may be called again at the discretion of the judge.
c. TO BE JUDGED: 40% Running Walk, 20% Flat walk, 20% Canter, 20% manners and presentation.

d. CLASS SPECIFICATIONS
OPEN or MARES or STALLIONS or GELDINGS, or YOUTH or ADULT: This may be designated as either English or Western and shown and judged as described above.