What are the major penalties in cutting competition?

Major penalties in NCHA cutting competition are significant score deductions applied for specific rule violations that fundamentally undermine the integrity of the performance or the welfare of the cattle, and their magnitude is large enough to make most penalized runs non-competitive regardless of the quality of the work in non-penalized portions of the run. Losing a cow — allowing the worked cow to return to the herd past the horse — is a three-point penalty, reflecting the view that failing to hold the cow is a fundamental failure of the cutting horse's primary task. A horse that quits working the cow without the rider picking up the rein incurs a significant penalty that reflects the judging community's view that quitting cattle is one of the most serious failures a cutting horse can demonstrate. Spurring forward of the cinch, using either hand on the saddle horn for anything other than balance, or otherwise using the reins or body in a way that constitutes illegal assistance to the horse during the dropped-rein phase are penalized as violations of the dropped-rein standard that is fundamental to cutting's identity. Equipment violations — using prohibited equipment, having equipment fail during the run — can result in penalties or disqualification depending on the specific circumstance and applicable rules. Herd violations, including entering the herd from the wrong direction, working a cow that has already been worked to exhaustion, or other specific herd management violations, are penalized as deductions from the run score. Understanding the specific penalty amounts and the exact situations that trigger each penalty requires study of the current NCHA rulebook, as specific amounts and qualifying conditions are subject to revision and differ between NCHA-sanctioned events and those held under other governing body rules.