What is Cow Work?
Cow Work is a Western riding discipline centred on cattle-handling competitions that test horse and rider for precision and responsiveness with live stock. Subtypes range from Cutting and Working Cowhorse to Team Penning, Ranch Sorting, and Campdrafting. Working Cowhorse pairs a reined-work phase of circles, spins, and stops with fence work where the rider chases a cow down the fence and blocks it to turn. Unlike Reining or Rodeo timed events, Cow Work demands direct cattle handling rather than pattern-only or clock-based performance.
