The NRHA Futurity: Slides, Spins & a Calm Care Plan | Draw It Out®
The NRHA Futurity: Slides, Spins & a Calm Care Plan
By Jon Conklin • Updated • 7–9 min read
Where three-year-olds meet pressure and polish. The Futurity is reining’s spotlight—precision patterns, crowds that know a stop, and schedules that test your program. Here’s how it works and how to keep horses steady from first ride to finals.
What Is the NRHA Futurity?
A premier reining event for three-year-olds, built around qualifiers, levels, and a high-energy finals. It rewards precision, willingness, and a program that holds up across multiple trips.
“Big lights, young minds—routine is your edge.”
Patterns & Scoring—The Short Version
Core maneuvers: Circles with speed control, spins, sliding stops with rollbacks, and lead changes.
Score basics: Judges start from a base and add/subtract maneuver and penalty points; clean, correct riding beats drama.
Consistency: Multiple runs demand repeatable warm-ups and quiet recoveries.
Footing, Slides & Warm-Up Tactics
Read the ground: Moisture and depth change through the day—adjust approach, not just speed.
Throttle control: Find your +tempo in warm-up, then protect it—don’t “win” the practice pen.
Schooling fences: Keep it focused; a few quality reps on spins/stops beat long, sweaty sets.
Pro tip: Track how far you slide at different moisture levels; aim for repeatable marks, not max distance every trip.
Reiner’s Care Plan (Pre/Post-Run)
Before the run
Short, specific warm-up. Open the shoulders, check the stop, confirm one clean set of spins—then save juice for the pattern.
Right after
Hand-walk, hose large muscles, scrape immediately, repeat until breathing eases. Quiet stall time beats fussing.
Between rounds
Light hack, stretch, and sensation-free support on high-motion zones. Keep feed/water times steady to settle the mind.
Haul days
Stop every few hours to let horses stretch and drink; log legs/feet on arrival before schooling hard.
Legs, Feet & Skin Care
Clean cannons/pasterns after dusty pens; dust + sweat = crud that bothers horses and cameras.
Check sliders and clinches daily; confirm balance after big practice nights.
Protect pink skin and rub-prone zones; avoid harsh detergents that strip oils and raise reactivity.
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