Best methods of pasture ropin'

[Bootheel]

I have had to doctor a few cases of pinkeye and foot rot past couple of days, usually I am by myself, well their is a horse underneath me and a dog or two following along, but usually no one that will talk back.

It doesn't bother me too bad to do the yearlings by myself, but cows are a different story. Most of the time it is uneventful, every now and then have to get a little creative.

Yesterday, perfect as I am I came up with a heel instead of a head, just grabbed a spare, tossed it on the head, had it down and doctored pretty quick.

Not much in the way of real cowboys in this part of the world, most is just cowfarmers.

Anyhow, thoughts, advice, pictures and such much appreciated,

Life is good
Bootheel

 

[Chimenea]

I have had to doctor a few cases of pinkeye and foot rot past couple of days, usually I am by myself, well their is a horse underneath me and a dog or two following along, but usually no one that will talk back.

It doesn't bother me too bad to do the yearlings by myself, but cows are a different story. Most of the time it is uneventful, every now and then have to get a little creative.

Yesterday, perfect as I am I came up with a heel instead of a head, just grabbed a spare, tossed it on the head, had it down and doctored pretty quick.

Not much in the way of real cowboys in this part of the world, most is just cowfarmers.

Anyhow, thoughts, advice, pictures and such much appreciated,

Life is good
Bootheel

Neatest catch I've seen the old hands use to doctor a cow when there's nobody else to rope the other end, is throwing an eight. They'll throw a loop for a head catch, with a flick of the wrist and enough speed on the throw to put the honda right behind the head, then the loop will cross over itself below the head to form a figure eight, with the head caught in the top half of the eight, and the cow's front feet walking into the bottom half of the eight. Pull it up snug, the cow goes down, and she'll stay held with her front feet tucked neatly up to her chin.

I don't know the mechanics of the wrist and arm motion to make it work; I've seen those mechanics described in some books about vaquero style roping, but have never been able to throw it consistently. Have seen a couple of guys that can, and it's a pretty handy catch if you're out by yourself and need to put a big critter on the ground.

 

[cure]

I am no roper by any means but something I have found to work on big cows is I rope their head and then after they are done fighting take the rope and go arournd the feet of the animal a couple times then have your horse start to pull buckels the cow right to the ground. I will say this though it is hell on a rope but it does work. Next time I doctor a cow I remember my camera and take some pictures for you all to make fun of.

 

[Bootheel]

Thank you for the replies, cure I hope you post some really bad pictures to take a little heat off me ,

Chimenea, whats the origin of that name?

I have accidentally done what you are refering to, nowhere near good enough to do it consistently. Was that with a rawhide rig or nylon?
I have a 90 foot rawhide, I traded for, but I feel plumb incompetent to pack that thing around

Had one this morning, never would settle down enough to get her wrapped up, so I stepped off grabbed the spare, got a heel and tied it to a sprout, whatever works I reckon.

Father in law called this evening, got some town farmers running stockers on his 30 acres, had a calf they had tried to get caught for two days, all others already gone. .... talk about a rung out train wreck waiting to happen.... anyhow worked with her for about 45 minutes to where she would not plow through a fence, pitched a loop or two and caught her. :wink:

Like I said, have not got to observe much done the old way, correctly, just trying to learn it right, alot of trial, mostly error on my part, but I am too stubborn to quit.

Thanks again for the insight.

 

[Chimenea]

Thank you for the replies, cure I hope you post some really bad pictures to take a little heat off me ,

Chimenea, whats the origin of that name?

If you're asking about my screen name, it's the name of one of the ranches we run; since it's the ranch name through which we set up our website and the one we use primarily for the horse sales (with horses being the focus of the website), it's the screen name I tend to use most often, since it is the brand name of our horses. The ranch is named after the lone remnant of what was once a sprawling house on the ranch: the big brick chimney. The rest of the house was destroyed by treasure hunters looking for the former owner's hidden stash of gold; when the treasure hunters went to try to knock down the chimney (with a bulldozer...) to check underneath or inside it for hidden caches of gold, the operator of the dozer got nervous thinking the chimney might come down on top of the tractor and crush him. So they left the chimney upright (and never did find any gold), giving it a rather odd appearance -- a brick chimney sticking up out of the ground in the middle of the ranch. You can see a picture of it at http://www.chimeneaqh.com/images/ChimeneaSmall.jpg

Now, if you were asking about the name of the loop... Throwing eights is just always what I've heard it called; the loop looks like a figure eight when it's thrown properly (which I am completely incompetent at doing...)

I have accidentally done what you are refering to, nowhere near good enough to do it consistently. Was that with a rawhide rig or nylon?
I have a 90 foot rawhide, I traded for, but I feel plumb incompetent to pack that thing around

Actually, you should be able to do it with a twisted nylon rope if the lay is soft enough (like something soft enough to use for roping horses out of a remuda); I've seen it done with both a rawhide and a soft-lay, twisted nylon rope. You can also try it with a braided poly rope (just be careful with it while you get used to it... it will run when dallying, and will burn your hand when it runs); the braided poly has a lot of life and a nice, soft lay like a rawhide reata. And you shouldn't need anywhere near 90 ft of it; 50 or 60 should be plenty. I wouldn't know what to do with a 90 ft reata (other than hang it on my wall or on the side of my saddle where it will do nothing but look pretty.... 90 ft would be a really big handful, even with big coils...).

From what I understand, it takes some practice to learn to throw an eight but, once you figure out and learn the mechanics in your throwing arm, apparently not that difficult to throw consistently (big talk coming from someone that never practiced enough to be able to throw it consistently... )

 

[Faster horses]

For those who enjoy roping and those 'specialty loops'...I recommend
this video: "Will Rogers, The Roping Fool." It is a classic.
I think it costs about $15 and provides hours of entertainment.

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

Actually I can pretty consistently throw a figure 8 loop.

Not that i ever intend to. :lol:

 

[leanin' H]

My prettiest figure 8 loop caught a 11 year old range bull by both front feet and his head. And my mount's left rear foot. And my cousin's saddle horn. Not to mention several dead cedar trees. I gave up trick roping right after I returned home from the hospital. \

In the right set of skilled hands, a figure 8 is a work of art. Mine usually turn out like a painting by a dislesctsic kid with too much sugar in his system. But it is fun to try! When roping alone, a guy can sure enough get in a bind if everything doesnt go as planned. I try and take a buddy to stretch them out and doctor any ill bovines. It's safer on everybody.

 

[Bootheel]

Chimenea, Yes, I was asking about your screen name, good story, usually the real thing is better than fiction.

I traded for the rawhide for a conversation piece, it is one piece of twisted rawhide, I thought about making two out of it but couldn't make myself do that. Are they all like that or are some of them braided?

Thanks again.
Bootheel

 

[Will G]

A single hot wire will hold a cow/calf in 99% of the time....Except when chasing them on horse back swinging a rope over your head :wink:

 

[cowboyup]

I usually start by practicing coiling my rope a few times and by then the cow is aired out a little! then hold them till the they will stand and ride around them twice laying the trap. After pulling them down I tie the back legs together and with another piggin string tie the front legs together and then put my rope on the front legs and have my horse back up and hold tension on the rope.

 

[Bootheel]

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A single hot wire will hold a cow/calf in 99% of the time....Except when chasing them on horse back swinging a rope over your head


Hey Will,
Your right, when you get these cows tightened up in temporary paddocks or marginal fences, you got to be extra quiet, that being said its pretty easy to tear up a good fence if you do not handle them right.

I usually just ease through them till the one I want works his way out, seldom is the horse or cow moving when I pitch a loop, they do tend to liven up a little after they are hung though

Bootheel[/quote]

 

[Bootheel]

I usually start by practicing coiling my rope a few times and by then the cow is aired out a little! then hold them till the they will stand and ride around them twice laying the trap. After pulling them down I tie the back legs together and with another piggin string tie the front legs together and then put my rope on the front legs and have my horse back up and hold tension on the rope.

Thanks Cowboy,

How long of rope, what kind do you use?

Not sure what you are getting at about practicing coiling, is that after you caught him, waiting for him to settle down?

About all we got around here is calf ropes or team ropin' stuff, not much in the choice of "ranch ropes"

Bootheel

 

[Chimenea]

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Hey Will,
Your right, when you get these cows tightened up in temporary paddocks or marginal fences, you got to be extra quiet, that being said its pretty easy to tear up a good fence if you do not handle them right.

I usually just ease through them till the one I want works his way out, seldom is the horse or cow moving when I pitch a loop, they do tend to liven up a little after they are hung though

Bootheel

Now THAT is the way I prefer to do my roping: slow and without running any dollars off my cows and calves

Bootheel, I'm glad you didn't cut up the 90' reata; even though me and a 90' reata are a Baxter Black story waiting to happen, they're still works of art and it would have been a shame to cut one up. I've heard of twisted rawhide reatas, but have never seen -- let alone used -- one. All the ones I've seen and used are braided, and I've switched to a braided poly rope which gives a similar feel and life, but without having to run the rope when dallying (which I was always horrible at doing), and without the maintenance requirements. Have you tried using yours at all?

If you're looking to get your hands on a good ranch rope, talk to Tim or Barbara Jackson at Animal Health Express / Vaquero Feed and Tack in Tucson, AZ. They have a substantial mail order/catalog business (which led to their traditional feed and tack store), their prices on ranch supplies (including fertility tests for bulls) are excellent, and they really take customer service to heart; they own and operate the shop, and you will almost always find one or both of them in the store on any given day. Tim is the one that turned me on to the braided poly ropes, and he carries quite a few of them. You probably want something in a 50' to 60' length, and in a diameter that is comfortable for the size of your hands (5/16" or 3/8"). You can get Tim at 520-888-8489, or via their website, http://www.animalhealthexpress.com/catalog/

 

[Bootheel]

Chim, thanks for the rope info, That reata has seen only limited use, mainly on unruly kids that need to burn off some energy, I have never packed it on a horse and probably never will. The honda on it leaves a little to be desired, probably would perform better with an aluminum one.

I have a hard enough time with a 35 footer, holdin three of them at once puts me at an unfair disadvantage. I think I would like a good 50 or 60 footer though.

It has a rather unique feel to it though, can't feed it as you go, shake out the loop, whatever size you start with is what you got, I don't know if its because of the honda or just the nature of the beast.

Bootheel


Looked at the websight, which rope do you like best

 

[N.AZRancher]

Great topic...this is something that has always been interesting to me. You don't often see how others do things like doctor cattle alone because if you are riding with someone, there are now two people to doctor. It would be great to hear any other methods people use. Please post any pictures and/or videos if you have any...even doctoring with multiple people.

 

[Chimenea]

Chim, thanks for the rope info, That reata has seen only limited use, mainly on unruly kids that need to burn off some energy, I have never packed it on a horse and probably never will. The honda on it leaves a little to be desired, probably would perform better with an aluminum one.

I have a hard enough time with a 35 footer, holdin three of them at once puts me at an unfair disadvantage. I think I would like a good 50 or 60 footer though.

It has a rather unique feel to it though, can't feed it as you go, shake out the loop, whatever size you start with is what you got, I don't know if its because of the honda or just the nature of the beast.

Bootheel


Looked at the websight, which rope do you like best

Yeah, the rawhide really has a very different feel (and life) than the twisted nylon, doesn't it? Actually, that lack of being able to feed it might be a product of the honda, might be a result of the fact that it's twisted, or it might be that the rope wasn't cured or maintained properly; I'm not sure which, since I've never used a twisted rawhide reata. But I'd be inclined to think that it's either because of the honda, or because the rope might not be cured or greased properly. The braided reatas I've used all feed great, and they have heavy rawhide hondas that swivel. Keeps the kinks out, adds weight that is in correct balance with the feel and life of the rope, and looks pretty cool, too .

For the ropes at AHE/VF, I'd actually suggest you call them rather than just use the website; I think they have an 800 number, so the call shouldn't cost you anything. Tim can certainly shed some light on the issue for you if you'd like to try one out. Even the picture on the website for the braided rope is goofy; it shows a twisted rope rather than a braided one. But I'm sure they can email you a picture of the actual rope if you want to see one.

Personally, I use a 3/8" diameter, 50' rope. I tried the 5/16" diameter rope for a few months, then tried the 3/8", and have stuck with the bigger diameter since then. The extra weight of the 3/8" rope feels and flies more to my liking (especially if there's any wind) than the 5/16" diameter rope, though you could probably add a metal honda to the 5/16" rope to increase the weight and fly of the loop if you prefer the feel and life of the smaller, lighter rope. I don't have enough of an arm to really use much more than a 50' rope, so I stick with that length to save an extra couple of coils and improve my chances of me coming out of the roping activities with 10 fingers attached to my body; plus, even the 50 footer is a pretty good handful at a 3/8" diameter if you don't keep your coils pretty big.

 

[cowboyup]

I usually start by practicing coiling my rope a few times and by then the cow is aired out a little! then hold them till the they will stand and ride around them twice laying the trap. After pulling them down I tie the back legs together and with another piggin string tie the front legs together and then put my rope on the front legs and have my horse back up and hold tension on the rope.

Thanks Cowboy,

How long of rope, what kind do you use?

Not sure what you are getting at about practicing coiling, is that after you caught him, waiting for him to settle down





About all we got around here is calf ropes or team ropin' stuff, not much in the choice of "ranch ropes"

Bootheel

:



Coiling is rebuilding my rope after missing several times. I use 45' of 5/16ths medium nylon with a metal hondo. Brand doesn't matter much if it feels good in my hands, I will use it... except for King ropes. The last one I bought got a terrible kink in it so I finally used it to hang a tire swing for the kids and it never would quit stretching. I use soft cotton ropes for piggin strings.

 

[Will G]

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A single hot wire will hold a cow/calf in 99% of the time....Except when chasing them on horse back swinging a rope over your head


Hey Will,
Your right, when you get these cows tightened up in temporary paddocks or marginal fences, you got to be extra quiet, that being said its pretty easy to tear up a good fence if you do not handle them right.

I usually just ease through them till the one I want works his way out, seldom is the horse or cow moving when I pitch a loop, they do tend to liven up a little after they are hung though
Yep bootheel thats the right way...Got some good friends that team rope always want to help me work cattle. Finally had to say guys this is not workin.
Bootheel

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[HAY MAKER]

I guess I learnt my lesson the hard way ropin cow/steers and yearling bulls in patures by myself,accident waiting to happen...........sometime I will tell the story about me and 2 meskins tryin to get a onery brangus bull out of a bottom for an old woman,my damn hand still hurts come cold weather.....................good luck