Reining...hard on joints?

I was thinking about trying reining. I'm sort of gathering info right now, nothing serious. Probably won't ever compete, but I'd like to try it! My concern is what it does to the horse.

With the sliding stops and spins, is it common for reining horses to have bad joints later on? I know everything can be bad for a horse if you do it wrong, but is reining especially tough?

I'm also curious with the sliding stops...how is a horse trained to do that? And spinning?

Two words. A Trainer. Yes it is very hard on there joints. I have had two finished reiners. One of them I got when she was 7 and now has mild arthritis when ridden alot, like when she was at a western pleasure trainer for 6 months with no turnout and daily hard work outs she was always stiff and sour. She is on pasture board to due stocking up and getting stiff. My other horse who I ride daily, was pushed hard as a youngster is now is stiff and is always stocked up. He is a little better than her since he is ridden daily and is in shape. I really need to put him on something for his joints. But anyway, yes reining is VERY hard on the joints. I really suggest getting a trainer.

Maintence is something you want to start with any horse that is going to work hard, like a jumper or reiner. I would put your horse on cosequin, that's what I do with my horses who are in hard work.

I have been reining for almost 2 decades. While reining can be hard on a horses joints it does not have to be. A well bred well conformed horse bred to rein and trained and condition properly and well maintained will have little problems. However a horse is used hard and not worked properly and may not have the best conformation for reining can and probably will have problems.

I have had and have quite a few reiners and I have yet to have one that has had serious joint issues even will into their 20's. However they where all well cared for and worked properly all their lives.

And there are many reining trainers who just give the adequate injections monthly. Yes, it is hard on them, as is ANY discipline when started too early, trained too hard on certain things-whether it is jumping, stopping or even cutting. Some trainers start them too young, which can contribute....I would never purchase an aged reiner, lets put it that way, unless, like a close friend who just bought one, you have the best leg vet in the country who is a friend, doing your PPE.

My Draft cross who was started jumping too early has arthritis too......no different, really.

Like any discipline... It comes down to how early and how hard a horse was started and trained. This goes for western pleasure, reining, dressage, jumping or whatever. I've seen plenty of aged reiners that do not need injections and are perfectly sound. Something to avoid is pushing a horse past the point where it is conditioned for the work. Keep what you do realistic to the horse's capabilities (both physical level of exertion and skill) and you'll avoid potential injuries.