Buckaroo Texan Blog

This past Saturday and Sunday, I attended a Ranch Roping Clinic at the ranch of Jeff and Liz Spooner in Gatesville, Texas.   We had a good group of eight.  Most of the group already knew each other and had some roping skills, and we had a few new friends  trying out this style of roping.   We got started Saturday morning with practicing throwing loops at the dummies and helped each other with our form and techniques for the various throws.   We moved on to throwing loops horseback.  Several of the participants were riding young horses or restarted horses, so everyone looked out for each other to give the youngsters plenty of challenge but in way to let them learn at their own pace.  

In the afternoon , we  mounted up and headed to the pasture to bring in the cattle.  We worked as a team, with the cow boss giving directions on how to bring the cattle in.  Every time we headed to the pasture, we changed who the cow boss was.  This was a bit of  a challenge for a few of the group.  It was good mental practice.  Not only were you responsible for you and your horse and your job, everyone else’s too. 

We brought in the cattle to a round pen, two of the participants would sort out 2 or three head and then turn the rest back out.   We then spent time with one or two riders throwing break away shots.   After a few participants practiced throwing breakaway loops with discussion on strategy, a team would come into the pen with either metal or rawhide Hondas and  work to head and heal and take the calf down.  Then a ground crew would come in the finish getting the topes on the legs of the calf, clear the area and then the two ropers would let the cow up.  Then we headed to the pasture to gather again and sort out  fresh cattle to rope.

The following day we worked on our horsemanship, handling the rope, did some drills to work on our dallying smoothness, and stretched some ropes.   The day was getting really hot, so we emphasized watching the expression of ourselves and the horses to move the cattle gently and slowly to not over heat them.  We discussed positioning of the horse to work the cattle by watching there eyes and feeling for the flight zone of the cattle.  Staying just out side of the flight zone allowed us to move the cattle very softly and quietly to most anyplace  we needed them.  This roping part was done just with our breakaways to lessen the stress on the cattle on the hot day.  We all learned a lot from each other, our horses really enjoyed their jobs, and  everyone came away with heighten skills and a real feel of working cattle slowly really gets the job done fast.

 This year at the Belton, Texas,  Buck Brannaman Clinic,  I rode Button in the Horsemanship 2 Class.   It is always fun to work on the advanced manuvers and learn new skills in getting these better.  The roping and cow work are just more ways to advance your skill level and give your horse real jobs to do.  It’s a real test on how well you and your horse are working together.   We spent a lot of time over the four days working on the soft feel at all gaits.  I was working in a hackamore.  I felt I had advanced to a ½ inch hackamore  with the idea of getting ready to more on to the two rein.  As the work in the class advanced with more loping, Buck pointed out to me that Button was really pushing back on me, so I changed back into our 5/8ths hackamore.   I had a better communication with him then and we were able to get some better feel between us.   I realized from the discussions in the morning,foundation class, on the flexions and soft feel, that these were not as good as they needed to be at the level Button was at in the advanced class.   The flexions and soft feel are ways of working to get the horses to engage his hind end and to be more balanced on all four corners.   These last few weeks after the class, Button and I have really gotten more balance between us,  I am being more assertive in asking for him to move in balance at all gaits, forward and backwards,  two tracking, side passing and during haunches in.  I am constantly thinking about my position in relation to where all four feet are of my horse.  Its getting to be a true feel between us so that when I ask for a change we change together, most every time, as it should be.   Photo by:  Jenny Hasz

Phot by

Photos by:  Kathy Greer

The afternoon class at the Texas  BUCK BRANNAMAN CLINIC in March  2010 was Beginning Ranch Roping.

The ranch ropers gathered on the first day with their ropes in hand and watched Buck Brannaman demonstrate 3 different hip shots.  He recommended a soft rope 45 to 60 feet in length for this style of roping.     He had us work on our swing before we started throwing loops at the roping dummy.   He told us to imagine swinging a milk pail over and around your head and back down by your side.    With a proper swing you will not spill your milk!!

1. The first shot we worked on was the “ride by flank shot”.  We would approach the calf or roping dummy that was headed left to right.  This entailed swinging our loop forward and over our heads and with an angle, like the shoulder of the calf.   As we rode by perpendicular to the calf, the time to deliver the loop was when our leg was even with the tail of the calf.  We would look at the flank of the calf and follow through with our loop and deliver our swing as if wiping the table across the back of the calf.   One third of the loop would go all the way under the calf and out the other side and wrap around the hind legs, one third would be standing up against the calf’s legs under his flank and one third of the loop would be on the right side of the calf’s rear legs angled back toward the person who just threw the loop.  The power is in the swing as you come from behind you forward.  It does not need to be swung hard to have a lot of power and effectiveness.

2. The second shot we practiced is called the “hip shot”.  This is a standing shot. You position your horse at about a forty-five degree angle to the calf ’s hip (right side of calf) and swing your rope on the right side of your horse, forward swing and over your head.  Again, the power in the throw is when you bring your arm forward from behind you.  In this shot you focus on the hip and as you pull your rope forward in your swing you quickly open you fingers and point them at the hip.  This allows the loop to travel faster and hit the calf over the hip and then the tip follows under the flank and stands up nicely around the hind legs until the header can draw the calf into the loop.

3.  The third shot is the “trap shot”.  This is delivered from behind the calf, in his blind spot. Your horse is positioned off to the left of the calf.  Your swing is a forward swing but angled over the left side of the calf and your horse.
When you deliver the loop, your drop your arm down as you bring if forward down the right side of your horse and wipe the table across the back of the calf for the throw.   This shot is usually done with you and your horse being closer to the calf and your tip is over the back of the calf in your swing to help you judge when you have the loop ready to be delivered.

After working on our swings and roping the three shots on the roping dummy, we were ready to rope live corriente cattle.   You have to practice adjusting your swing in relation to your horse and the moving calf.   If you ever thought that riding was like doing 8 things at once, well we just added about 4 to 5 more things going on a once.   You need to be able to pat your head and rub your tummy type of coordination to do ranch roping, but you need to do that to have good rider and horse communication. 

The work was fun, you needed to feel of your horse with a lot of concentration. Horsemanship skills at the highest level were being developed.  Buck always stressed our horsemanship first and the roping second.   The roping is just a job for the horse to do.   Classic dressage in western saddles!   “All dressage is, is good riding.” said Buck Brannaman.

Jeannie
J Bar B Ranch
Honoring the horse and horsemanship 

My training is in the Buckaroo Way and I offer consultation services to those who believe in partnership of horse and rider.   My approach includes everything from evaluating the compatibility of horse and rider, developing programs of fitness for horse and rider to compete in various events, to offering experienced feedback on horse management, diets, and supplements.