By Shanna Smith-Snyder
Looking for a real western experience? Stop by the
Taylor County Expo Center this week to see the best cutting horses compete in an
Abilene tradition — the 18th Annual Spectacular Winter Cutting.
Cutting is a western style of riding, where a horse and rider are judged strictly on their ability to separate a calf away from a herd of cattle for a certain period of time. Cutting has also become quite the popular equine sport these days and its special because once the calf is separated from the herd, the cowboy or cowgirl loosens up on the reigns and then the horse takes over in order to keep the calf separated. These horses are quite the star athletes! I had the opportunity to get an up-close look at these galloping beauties and learn a little bit more about them and the sport while talking to their owners.
One rider said that one of the most common myths of cutting horses is the amount of time it takes to train them for competition. I learned that in order to have a colt competition ready it takes at least 18 months of daily training — and depending on the individual horse it can take even longer. Who knew? I also found out that just because a horse has been foundation-bred, won’t automatically make them a great competition cutting horse! This particular rider said that it’s best to stick with a horse that has been specifically bred to be a cutting horse in order to do best in competition … I’ll remember that next time I am in the market for a horse (smile).
So, if you are looking to experience a truly wild, west experience in
Abilene, or just looking for a teachable moment, the Abilene Spectacular Winter Cutting is a great event to check out. The jingling of spurs will be heard through January 13 in the Horse Barn and Covered Outdoor Arena at the Taylor County Expo Center. The event is free to the public and produced by Gully Ranch.