Editing Reining (section)

==Bit and Hackamore rules==
Horses in most types of reining competition are required to perform in a [[curb bit]]. In most cases, riders with a horse in a curb must give all rein commands with only one hand.<ref name="2007 AQHA handbook, rule 443">[http://services2.aqha.com/iphonedev/www/index.html#/iphonedev/www/sections/sectionIV/rules/443.html 2011 AQHA handbook, rule 443].</ref><ref>[http://www.nrha.com/handbook.php 2007 NRHA handbook, p. 68]</ref><ref name=USEFrules>[http://www.usef.org/contentpage2.aspx?id=rulebook 2007 USEF Rulebook, Western division].</ref>

Riders may use both hands when a horse is ridden with a [[snaffle bit]] or a [[bosal]] [[hackamore]]. However, snaffles and hackamores ridden with both hands are usually limited only to special classes for horses between the ages of three and five years old. Most of the time, with the exception of "freestyle" classes, snaffle bit and hackamore horses do not compete directly against curb bit horses, though specific details vary depending on the particular sanctioning organization.<ref name="2007 AQHA handbook, rule 443"/><ref>[http://www.nrha.com/handbook.php 2007 NRHA handbook, p. 33].</ref><ref>[http://www.usef.org/contentpage2.aspx?id=rulebook 2007 USEF Rulebook, Western division]. Allows very small classes to be combined, with some restrictions.</ref> In the last thirty years, the snaffle bit is the more common headgear used on younger horses, but in the past, the hackamore was more common. Some local or regional competitions offer a non-sanctioned "novice horse" division where horses of any age who have limited experience as reining horses can be ridden two-handed in a snaffle. <!--hey! what's the rule on use of a [[martingale|running martingale]]? Illegal or not?-->

Sometimes reining classes at breed [[horse show|shows]] are split into "junior horse" and "senior horse" divisions. Depending on the breed, Junior horses are either 3, 4 or 5 years old, and allowed to show in a snaffle or bosal. Senior horses who age out of the junior horse divisions at age six must be shown in a curb.<ref name="2007 AQHA handbook, rule 443"/><ref name=USEFrules /> The rules have changed over the years to reduce the stress on young horses. Junior horse divisions at one time were limited to horses that were only 3 and, sometimes, 4 years old. Expansion to age five parallels the standards set by the [[International Federation for Equestrian Sports|FEI]] and in [[endurance riding|endurance]] competitions, recognizing that the physical and mental development of most young horses is not considered complete until that time. Further, though many western [[stock horse]] breeds are started under saddle at the age of two, they generally are not physically or mentally ready to be entered into any type of reining competition at that age and in some cases are prohibited from entering any performance class until at least {{frac|2|1|2}} years old.<ref>[http://services2.aqha.com/iphonedev/www/index.html#/iphonedev/www/sections/sectionIV/rules/450.html 2011 AQHA handbook, rule 450].</ref>
Both the NRHA and many breed associations offer ''snaffle bit [[Futurity (horse competition)|futurities]],'' usually for three-year-old horses, which pay very large purses.