DressageArena.org

You can show any horse in western, age or breed doesn’t matter. (I placed in western pleasure on a trakehner!)

At some shows around here we have something called Open Reining Horsemanship. It’s like beginner reining/western pleasure. Reining is the western equivalent of dressage. They don’t have ORH at most shows, but…yeah. It’s lead changes, spins, collected/extended gaits, stops, rollbacks, etc.

If you can’t find a beginner reining show (even the beginner classes usually take an experienced horse) try western pleasure and horsemanship. Horsemanship has patterns that are kind of like reining or dressage. Turning on haunches, loping from the walk, etc.

Find a trainer/riding instructor and have them help you look. They will be more familiar with shows and clubs in your area.

Most horse shows have a western class. Look them up. You want one that judges YOU for horsemanship and not the horse.

You can do anything you want with a 20 year old horse. Don’t limit yourself by your horses’ age.

the glue factory preakness.

What about Western Riding – lead changes and patterns? Or Trail classes, sedate but very competitive.

The closest thing to dressage in western would be western equitation classes (also sometimes called Western Riding or horsemanship, stock seat equitation, and in some disciplines reining seat equitation). Here, the horse and rider will need to perform a pre-written test like you would in dressage, but here it’s called a pattern. Your horse would need to be ridden in a curb bit with single hand rein hold and the specifications are rules are quite specific for each class like dressage. Actually, wikipedia has a brief overview on it if you want to know more. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_riding

First, Western Riding is not the same as Equitation…back when it was a test of suppling and being on contact, and not a memory test, it was the equivalent of dressage. Equitation is judged on the rider’s ability, suitability of horse to rider, and conformation.
I would avoid reining and working cowhorse for a 20 year old if the horse is not already doing it. But I was still showing my horse in Western Riding when he was nearly 20…he only needed one more point for his Superior Championship. A trailer accident cut short his career, and we didn’t get it. I had won the AQHA Youth Honor Roll on him, in my last year as a Jr., and after I quit showing him, but before he was unable to do what he loved best, I rode him in a clinic given by Hilda Gurney, who won the Bronze in Dressage at Montreal. The exercise was to ride down the center line and make as many lead changes on a straight line as possible. I went last. The best so far had been six….on my 19 year old horse, I got 20…every other stride. He loved it…and all those thoroughbred and warm blood types had to give a Quarter Horse his due on that day.
One time, while I stripped his stall, I turned him out into the ring, where I had left the course set up. When I went to get him, he was going through it on his own…just because it felt good.
The age doesn’t matter…my sister’s first horse was still being used in lessons at 30. It’s more a matter of what they can do without strain on old legs and tendons.

yeah, its called REINING. i think all discs can be competed by an old horse. gaming, barrels, wp, 4h stuff,… i know 2 horses so far that are pretty fast gaming horses, too!