Competitions of the NRHA are capped by the prestigious Futurity. Reining is possibly the most demanding discipline. Champion reiners perform brilliantly at speed on a loose rein. The horse is under complete control, responding to minimal cues from the rider. These athletes perform in the rundown, galloping on a straight line, then halt in a rollback or the spectacular sliding stop.
Patterns also require backing up fast and straight.
Horses lope small, slow circles and gallop large, fast circles, with flying lead changes at the centers of figure eights. The horse plants a hind foot and sweeps the forehand in a series of circles. The best performers crouch to pivot flat. The maneuvers demand a balanced horse which propels himself from the hindquarters. He changes leads without moving his topline, and he collects and extends through the pattern.