Welcome to the Equestrian Outreach Cutting Page

Cutting Then and Now

Cutting is an equestrian event whose origin is in the 19th century west. Cowboys relied heavily on horses who had the ability to track and stay with a cow who was being removed or cut. In this western riding style where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to separate a single animal away from a cattle herd and keep it away for a short period of time. The horses involved are typically Quarter horses, although many other stock horse breeds may be used. A cutting horse is an athletic and willing animal that is trained to instinctively keep a cow from returning to the herd.

In the event, the horse and rider select and separate (cut) a cow (typically a steer or heifer) out of a small group. The cow then tries to return to its herd; the rider loosens the reins ("puts his hand down" in the parlance) and the horse must; on its own, keep the cow separated. Cutting is a job the best horses do with relish, savvy, and style. A contestant has 2 ½ minutes to show the horse; typically three cows are cut during a run, although working only two cows is acceptable. A judge awards points to the cutter based on a scale that ranges from 60 to 80, with 70 being considered average