Ranch Riding Ready with Cody Crow
Get ranch riding ready with Cody Crow of No Where But UP Performance Horses. In this 30-video series, Cody takes you inside his training program, working with horses at every stage—from green prospects and new horses to seasoned show horses preparing for competition. Along the way, he shares the techniques, philosophy, and everyday decisions that build successful ranch riding horses.
Learn what judges are looking for in the show pen, how to improve self-carriage, movement, and responsiveness, and why fundamentals matter long before you enter the arena. Cody also breaks down AQHA Ranch Riding Pattern 3 on multiple horses, demonstrating how each horse requires a unique approach while still meeting the standard for a winning run.
Beyond the pattern, Cody shares insights on selecting the right trainer, developing young horses, coaching non-pro riders, keeping performance horses sound, and the horsemanship principles that have shaped his career. Whether you're preparing for your first ranch riding class or looking to improve your next score, this series offers practical training you can apply every time you ride.
-
Cody Crow: What He Looks for in Breeding a Versatility Ranch Horse
Cody Crow shares what goes into his approach to breeding performance horses. At the top of his list is modern breeding paired with size, athleticism, and soundness. The horse has to be able to work, stay sound over a long period of time, and have the mind to match. Pretty matters too. As Cody put...
-
Cody Crow: Leg Placement, Foot Cues & the Back Cinch
Cody Crow breaks down a detail that doesn't get talked about enough: how the back cinch can interfere with a rider's ability to cue their horse effectively. On younger or duller horses, Cody explains that he has to exaggerate his foot cue to get the response he's looking for. A finished horse, on...
-
Cody Crow: Introducing a New Horse to Poles
Cody Crow introduces a new horse to poles, starting at the walk to see how she handles the obstacle before adding any speed. She approaches, stops, takes a moment to process, and then steps over. That cautious, thoughtful response is exactly what Cody wants to see. In his experience, the horses t...
-
Cody Crow: AQHA Ranch Riding Pattern 3 on a Green 3-Year-Old
Same AQHA ranch riding pattern 3, very different horse. Cody Crow of No Where But UP Performance Horses rides a green three-year-old in a snaffle and shows how he adjusts: carrying his hand a little lower and to the side so he can steady a wobbly horse without telling on him to the judges, stayin...
-
Cody Crow Evaluates a New Mare
Cody Crow of No Where But UP Performance Horses bought this mare off a video while he was in Fort Worth, and he's never sat on her. In her first real ride since shipping to Colorado, he works through the warm-up and narrates his evaluation live: the natural forward step he likes, the hollow back ...
-
Cody Crow: Backing Circles, Backing L's & Maintaining Motion
Cody Crow breaks down the backing circle and backing L, two maneuvers where maintaining fluid, continuous motion is the difference between a good score and a great one. Stopping and restarting mid-maneuver costs points. Judges want to see a horse that backs with softness and body control from sta...
-
Cody Crow Rides AQHA Ranch Riding Pattern 3
Cody Crow of No Where But UP Performance Horses rides AQHA ranch riding pattern 3 from the opening walk to the final back, narrating his thinking as he goes: where to use the space and where to stay off the fence, how to show guide through square turns, holding the horse up with inside leg to set...
