Leslie Lange has trained horses for decades, riding everything from “city trail” horses to hunter under saddle, and now mixing ranch events into her Greeley, Colorado-based business.
As a trainer, showman, and judge, she’s garnered honors including the AQHA Professional of the Year in 2003, when the all-around classes were her primary focus. In 2015, she received the AQHA Most Valuable Professional of the Year, which looks at an individual’s contributions to the association as a whole.
Lange is currently campaigning Xtra Magic Doctor, a 2014 stallion, in the slate of ranch classes. She also owns arguably the winningest ranch horse of all time, two-time AQHA Superhorse SUMAC Gunnabeflashy, who’s shown by friend and peer Bud Lyon.
“The ranch classes have gotten a little crazy in their popularity,” Lange said. “I believe a lot of these affiliate and local groups that put on shows have been sustained by the ranch classes. It’s been a saving grace for AQHA at a national level as well, giving them more exposure.”
Lange notes the ranch classes’ appeal comes from the lower barrier of entry. No need to buy a blinged-out jacket and fancy silver show saddle to show a ranch horse. A well-trained horse can do most of what’s required in a ranch riding pattern without much additional training, and the maneuvers aren’t intimidating to a capable rider.
All of these elements have seen the competition grow quickly.
“When the ranch divisions first started, it kind of was a dumping ground for horses that couldn’t do anything else,” Lange said. “People would say, ‘Oh, we’ll make it a ranch horse.’ Now you need to have a pretty horse, and they need to be a good mover. Our ranch horse consumer has become very savvy; they’re not just buying a reiner because he can spin and stop a little bit.”
Lange’s wise eye has seen her pick two of the hottest senior ranch horses going and ensure her name is listed under “owner.”
Editor’s note: Lange and Lyon partnered on SUMAC Gunnabeflashy when “Romeo” was 3 years old, and had no idea what was in store for the gelding. Lyon picked him out as a ranch events prospect when he was in reining training with Garth Brown.
So when Lange lists out what she’s looking for in a ranch horse, it’s worth writing down.
3. Movement
“Movement is primary,” Lange said. “Whether a horse is green or finished.”
Lange has made this point with her own horses. The Immortal was a 2005 stallion sired by Invitation Only and out of Zippo Pine Bar mare Zippo By Moonlight. He competed in Western pleasure, Western riding, trail, and performance halter stallions before adding the ranch events, including ranch riding and ranch trail, to his repertoire. In 2022, he and Lange were the Senior Ranch Riding Reserve World Champion.
“I wasn’t trying to buck the trend,” Lange said of entering the all-around stallion in the ranch events, “But I was trying to make a point that a good mover is a good mover no matter how they’re bred.”
2. Manners
Movement gets a horse noticed. Manners make it marketable and pleasant to be around.
“Even if they’re young, you can tell if they are respectful, good on the ground, even as a 2-year-old,” Lange said.
Manners matter even more if a horse is a stallion.
“As a professional, you’ve got a lot of people coming and going through your business, and we don’t have a [younger] generation that is super educated with horses,” Lange said. “So stallions have got to be good-minded.”
1. Trainability
The last box, Lange says, is the one that makes or breaks the other two.
“Trainability is key with any discipline,” Lange said. “If they’re not trainable, it doesn’t make any difference how good of a mover they are, because you can’t get them to do it.”
If a horse has all three of these qualities—the more of each, the better—then they have the stuff to try the ranch horse events and find their place.
Are you interested in the ranch horse events? Check out the Ranch Riding 101 Masterclass on Ride TV.