Cutting (sport)

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Cutting is a equestrian event in the western riding style where a horse and rider are judged on their ability to "cut" a calf away from a cattle herd.

The three principal judging criteria are:

Challenges made by the calves cut
Instinctive reactions of the horse
Errors in judgment made by horse or rider

The horses involved are typically Quarter horses. A horse that instinctively knows how to keep a calf from returning to the herd is considered a cutting horse.

In the event the horse and rider select and separate a calf out of a small group. The calf then tries to return to its herdmates; the rider loosens the reins and leaves it entirely to the horse to keep the calf separated, a job the best horses do with relish, savvy, and style. A judge awards points to the cutter.