Tumbleweed
Well-known member
Paul from your pm on this I believe you're wanting to try this and I thought I should add a few words of caution for you or anyone else who works alone and wants or needs to doctor cattle this way.
You need to be able to keep your horse under control while your tying off and thats not so easy with a young or inexperianced horse. You need to keep your rope and the reins from tangleing while your doing it.
After the first clove hitch the tail of your rope is under the rope going down to the heels, you just keep pulling it under until you have a large enough loop to drop it down over your horses head and under his nose. Then the end of the rope is dropped down over your horses head and under his nose again and pulled up around the saddlehorn and tied off with another clove hitch. You need to know those hitches and do a good clean job of tying them so they don't slip or come off. If you're not clear on the knots or exactly how to do it you could choke your horse. When you step off you could also tie your reins to the rope going to the heels to help keep him facing the critter.
The first time you do it I think it's best if your horse is tired and will be more likely to stand quietly for you.
You need to cinch very tight before you rope them and the back cinch needs to be cinched up tight to. You don't want the saddle tipping forward and digging in to their shoulders.
It's also best if you chase what ever you're going to work on far enough that they slow down then rope them. That way they are more likely to lay there and rest without struggling while you tie off. Usually that's not to far.
I only do this with yearlings, cows or bulls because they need to be heavy enough to keep your horse facing them and not being able to run off. I've had inexperianced horses try to drag them backwards quite aways or buck but they soon give that up.
If I'm close to a corral with a chute thats what I use, if there's some one around to help I will head and heal them but if I'm alone and no one is handy to help this is what I do.
Probably the best way to try this the first time would be with someone else to help and in a corral. I only do this when necessary because you could get in trouble in a hurry. I've been doctoring cattle this way for about twenty years but I'm always cautious and try to have my horeses well prepared and under control. Good luck and always be careful.
You need to be able to keep your horse under control while your tying off and thats not so easy with a young or inexperianced horse. You need to keep your rope and the reins from tangleing while your doing it.
After the first clove hitch the tail of your rope is under the rope going down to the heels, you just keep pulling it under until you have a large enough loop to drop it down over your horses head and under his nose. Then the end of the rope is dropped down over your horses head and under his nose again and pulled up around the saddlehorn and tied off with another clove hitch. You need to know those hitches and do a good clean job of tying them so they don't slip or come off. If you're not clear on the knots or exactly how to do it you could choke your horse. When you step off you could also tie your reins to the rope going to the heels to help keep him facing the critter.
The first time you do it I think it's best if your horse is tired and will be more likely to stand quietly for you.
You need to cinch very tight before you rope them and the back cinch needs to be cinched up tight to. You don't want the saddle tipping forward and digging in to their shoulders.
It's also best if you chase what ever you're going to work on far enough that they slow down then rope them. That way they are more likely to lay there and rest without struggling while you tie off. Usually that's not to far.
I only do this with yearlings, cows or bulls because they need to be heavy enough to keep your horse facing them and not being able to run off. I've had inexperianced horses try to drag them backwards quite aways or buck but they soon give that up.
If I'm close to a corral with a chute thats what I use, if there's some one around to help I will head and heal them but if I'm alone and no one is handy to help this is what I do.
Probably the best way to try this the first time would be with someone else to help and in a corral. I only do this when necessary because you could get in trouble in a hurry. I've been doctoring cattle this way for about twenty years but I'm always cautious and try to have my horeses well prepared and under control. Good luck and always be careful.
