What disciplines fall under working cow horse competition?

Working cow horse competition encompasses several related disciplines that each evaluate different aspects of the horse's training and cattle-working ability. Reined cow horse is the primary competition format, combining a reining pattern with a fence work run on a single cow, and it is the format that most people refer to when they use the term working cow horse. Herd work, also called cutting-style work, is included in some competition formats — particularly the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity — where the horse and rider enter a herd of cattle, select a single animal, and allow the horse to work it independently with a dropped rein in a style similar to cutting competition. Bridle horse or hackamore horse classes evaluate horses at specific stages of the traditional vaquero training progression, where the horse is shown in the hackamore, the two-rein, or the straight-up bridle at developmental milestones that mark its progress through the classical training sequence. Ranch horse classes at some shows include cattle-working components that draw on working cow horse skills in a format designed to reflect practical ranch utility rather than specialized competition preparation. Each of these disciplines rewards somewhat different qualities and requires somewhat different preparation, though all share the foundational requirement of a horse that is both correctly trained in the western performance fundamentals and athletically capable of working cattle with instinct and confidence.