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Ropes

R

ropesanddogs

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 12, 2005
Messages
123
Location
South Texas
I guess that this also could fit in the ranch talk,but i decided to put it here.Lets hear it,whats your favorite lay (soft,med,hard,or any variance),Fabric (rawhide,cotton,nylon,poly,ect.),Length,honda style,and company or maker.Im sure by now im getting anoying with all these quizzes,but if you know it all,then you probobly dont know anything :lol:
I still havent found any rope that has consitently made me just really impressed.I like the xxx soft nylon made by lost buckarro ( http://www.lostbuckaroo.com/xxxsoft_nylon_lariat_rope_3451014.htm )
But when i order,i get them to tie a honda in the rope,and i add a plastic burner,because metal hondas are frowned upon in this area,because they could "put a cows eye out" I understand that that statement may be from an uneducated person,but instead of trying to fight it,i just take the easy way out,because i feel its better to pick your battles.The only thing i dislike about this rope is its light weight,and the fact that its pretty hard to pick up heels ( i know im not the best heeler,but it sure didnt help ;) ).What i do like is the fact that ive had one for 5 months now,and have roped on average 5 to 7 head of cattle a week,ranging from calves to grown bulls,and its still in decent shape,try that with your average arena rope...I also like Allies ranch ropes ( http://www.ranchropes.com/ ),but the medium is quite stiff,at least i think so.And the wear out a little faster than some,but theyre still pretty good ropes.I have recently purchased two double honda,medium soft lay ropes,from BJ's tack and livestock,and have only got to rope with them today doctoring yearlings,and i heeled once,and it made an excellent heel trap,and headed once,and it also performed nicely.The double rope honda adds more weight,and also allows you to give a little slack on a neck roped animal,so as to not risk choking...If i could devise my own rope,it would be a medium lay,nylon poly blend,35 footer,so i can still tie off and not have to run a mile to reach whats on the other end,double rope honda.I like to have some give for the small calves,but just the right amount of bounce to stand up for the heel catch.
 
r&d
Sounds like you've found what you like. I like a smaller diameter (sp) rope, scant 3/8 or 5/16. Nylon is nice to heel with, but the wind effects it and as you say it is lighter. I've had pretty good luck with the 4 strands tho' they do slid more on my mule hide wrapped horn. I used to really like 3 or 4 strand poly's untill I broke two in a row and that kind'a made me mad. Guess you've got to treat them more as a reata! They sure aren't effected by the wind as much. And some get pretty raggy, which I like unless I am just heeling.

I like swivel hondo's as then they are always straight. I buy or make my own out of rawhide. I don't much care for the metal ones.

I have used and enjoyed a rawhide reata, but lets face it, they take more care and they cost more, so unless a feller just wants to fool around with one, they probably aren't worth the time/cost. Tho' I sure admire those who are masters of them. They seem to have a life of their own. You have to swing and throw them a little different, in my opinion. The one I used was great in the dragging pen, until it started to really rain!

Have you done any of the old Californio style roping of long throws and big loops? As in the newer "ranch roping" style. I have gotten to really enjoy them. More emphisis on grace and cattle/horse handling ability instead of speed. Tho laying a trip and/or dropping the hammer on some ol' wild hussy is sure fun! :lol:

Shoot try 'em all and then you are well informed.

Oh, and I like a 45 to 50 footer. You can always shorten them up. You get a critter way out on the end of a 50 footer and they can't pull on your horse as much.Of course you can't pull on it as much either! :lol:
 
Yeah,ive seen a few straight polys pop when trying to pull bigger cattle into a trailer or what have you.I too would enjoy a reata if they didnt require so much upkeep,they feel wonderfull in your hands...I guess you can say we've played around with the californio style,especially because we have nice dogs,thatll hold a cow bayed (im sure thats cheatin but oh well ;) ) so we can play around with the fancy loops,but its always satisfying to just make an ole "horse hunter" turn a flip with a rope :D.Ive been trying to find someone that can teach me to throw the blocker,or at least show me how its done,because ive never seen it.
 
Ya, them horse hunters ain't a lot of fun when a feller is ridin' a colt! Unless he's young, wild and brash!

The blocker loop as it's thrown in ranch roping, is not what I expected or as I seen it described in a book. Or maybe it just doesn't look like what I thought it was. As I understood it from the book, it was thrown at the withers of a cow critter and hit there and the force of the throw made half of the lood drop down in front of the front legs, and then you jerked the slack and turned of to forefoot an ol' sooky! I've worked at it that way and made it work a little , but most times just come up with one leg. But then I'm sure mnot the best hand with a rope. Got to be a little careful or the critter might break a leg. Unless a feller was mad enough and just didn't care!

As it's thrown in the ranch roping, it is swung forehand with a side arm swing with the loop going high in front and then down in back towards the horses tail or lower. When it is thrown you put a twist in the wrist like a hoolihan and it kind'a flip flops out and above and drops down to catche the critter by the neck. Slightly less hieght in the swing and the same release and it catches the back feet.

This is thrown at a critter who is standing still or moving very slowly. But the fellers I've see throw it at the head may not quite have it perfected or I'm missing something. There is a young feller from this area who can throw it at the heels and make it roll along the ground and underneath the critter and he will do it at some team ropings, while the critter is moving, as I understand it. I sure can't!

As far as cheating by using dogs, when your out to win against a cow critter, I ain't too sure that you can cheat! :lol:

There are some video's about the different loops and how to throw them. If you are interested let me know and I'll try and find a place where you can order them.

Joe Wolters has a good one with the rudiments of a lot of those loops and he made it with Bill Dorrance and it sure is interesting. Buck Branamin has several also and what I got to see of one of them is sure good. Probably both can be ordered from King's ropes in Sheridan, Wyo. and I've seen ads in Western Horseman and Cowboy Magazine that Darrel Arnold publishes out of La Veta, CO.

There was one floating around of a Mexican with all of the Mexican names of the loops, but the copy I got was so scratchy that I couldn't see it very well and I probably could find out where to order it, but I think it cost $250 for it. It did show a lot of loops and from what I could make out sure would have been good if I could have just seen it better. I don't think it was the fault of the video, but just the fact that I had a copy of a copy. Feller loaned it to me and I always wanted to buy one, but hated to spend the bucks.

Never hurts to learn some new lthrows. Never know when one might come in handy! :D
 
Down here most everything fights,but there are a few thatl just leave you speechless,most cows are bluff,but theres alot thatll look at you,and youll think nothing of it,then all of the sudden shes all over you.Thad be the one id like to forefoot,because cattle that are really fighting,its hard to throw a trip on,cuz they wont keep a rope tight...Id love to get some video's if you dont mind looking for them.Thanks :)
 
Don't let that Jingle fool ya none. He's sure enough forked with a twine. I've seen him in action just enough to throw with him any day.

Ropes are almost like horses. Every one likes something alittle bit different. I like a softer rope around 45 or 50 feet long. I prefer nylon as they allow a little more stretch then pollys and aren't quite the jerk on critters. I've got ropes I've had for several seasons and just get better. The other day heeling calves I broke a brand new polly I didn't have 50 head of cattle on. I like a smaller rope and Soapweed like a bigger and stiffer gutline around 30 or 35 foot long.He's really deadly with those kind and I don't even like to make a loop with those. So it's what each person likes. And by the way, Mrs.Soapweed just uses our cast offs and she can out rope the both of us.
 
r&d
I'll see if I can find some ads or phone numbers for you. Saddletramp gave good advice about the personal feel of ropes.

And Saddletramp, if Mrs. Soap can out rope you too, remind me never to to have a match ropin' with her! :lol:
 
Lol,if ive learned anythin,its to never underestimate a girl,or woman,theyll make you look like a fool every time ;) Thanks for the input,and thanks for the help Jinglebob :)
 
R&D
Check out Northern Rannge Ranch Roping's site. They would know where to get all of the different video's. There might even be someone in your neck of the woods that you aren't aware of who has some. Or is interested in the same things that you are. Just post a message on their web site. Keep yur cinch tight!
 
i really like king ropes here in oklahoma you cant really find any good ranch ropes that are werth a darn... i really like the bigger heavier rope for dragging calves... only like a plain soft rope for heading and heeling
 
I used classic ropes for a long time outside and they worked fine just bought them and tied a horn knot in them and went to work i really liked them but now they are pretty shitty ropes , so i buy mine of the spool they are a poly nylon blend i dont even know who makes them but they are pretty good . I have 3 saddle ropes and 2 horse ropes , my saddle ropes are 30 footers , my horse ropes are 40 footers . I have worked with some guys that pack 60 foot ropes and could reach out there and catch somthin with them , but then again i have worked with guys that cant even hang on to a 60 foot rope , some of them buckaroos will come down here to Az with a 60 footer and they get tangled up in the brush or get a cow out on the end of that thing and has about 20 ceder trees and who knows how much oak brush and maybe wrapped around a boulder or two before its all over with and someone shows up to heel the cow ha ha , its not long and they are in town buyin a 30 foot rope ha ha. I know some guys that rope with a 25 foot rope but thats a little to short for me .

That blocker loop i have never seen that but i know of somthin just like it they call fore footing and you will get hung ropin a mans cows like that here . I have seen them take a grown mans rope away from him and cut it into pieces at the yolo ranch one time for fore footin a cow , he thought he was tough until the jigger and the wagon boss jumped his ash . You get the same treatment for tying a calf to a tree by one front leg , there is alot of boys out there that like that trick but it wont fly here thats for sure .
 
for catching cattle i like a real soft lay poly 10.25 30' long but i keep a few xx soft nylons on the truck just for pulling cattle in the trailor or for roping big bulls because it sure is easier on them big cattle with a little give in your twine
 
azcowpuncher said:
I used classic ropes for a long time outside and they worked fine just bought them and tied a horn knot in them and went to work i really liked them but now they are pretty shitty ropes , so i buy mine of the spool they are a poly nylon blend i dont even know who makes them but they are pretty good . I have 3 saddle ropes and 2 horse ropes , my saddle ropes are 30 footers , my horse ropes are 40 footers . I have worked with some guys that pack 60 foot ropes and could reach out there and catch somthin with them , but then again i have worked with guys that cant even hang on to a 60 foot rope , some of them buckaroos will come down here to Az with a 60 footer and they get tangled up in the brush or get a cow out on the end of that thing and has about 20 ceder trees and who knows how much oak brush and maybe wrapped around a boulder or two before its all over with and someone shows up to heel the cow ha ha , its not long and they are in town buyin a 30 foot rope ha ha. I know some guys that rope with a 25 foot rope but thats a little to short for me .

That blocker loop i have never seen that but i know of somthin just like it they call fore footing and you will get hung ropin a mans cows like that here . I have seen them take a grown mans rope away from him and cut it into pieces at the yolo ranch one time for fore footin a cow , he thought he was tough until the jigger and the wagon boss jumped his ash . You get the same treatment for tying a calf to a tree by one front leg , there is alot of boys out there that like that trick but it wont fly here thats for sure .
Click to expand...

Tie to a tree? You got trees to tie too? :shock:

Only tree I get to tie to is the one all the leather is on that is cinched to my horses back. :-)
 
Ha ha yeah i hear ya jinglebob , yeah we gots us lots of trees thats for sure . Its dang sure a cool sight to have 3 or 4 mavericks tied to trees , i have a bunch of pictures that i am gonna have to find and scan of us catchin mavericks .
 
Went to catch a big brangus bull sunday, he was in a big brush thicket just outside the Austin city limits. We found some track and fresh cow pies and turned four cur dogs out. Dogs winded him about 100 yards into the tree line, bayed him up in a creek in about five minutes, it took us two hours to drag him to a road to load him.My buddy had a bag of brand new 4 strand crappy little ropes given to him by a local dealer, so we used those instead of our good ropes to load him.We broke two of them before we got our bull loaded.These team roper ropes at the feed store are not made for real cow work.Willard rope company in Rockdale Texas makes good ranch ropes for the same price you can call them, and they will ship you want you ask for.
 
My vote is a 35 foot King. 3/8 for regular days. 7/16 for windy days. Both soft lays. Heading or heeling. Once you get through the first 50-100 head, the rope feels and handles really well and will last for the summer. Before it gets broke in though you have to curse it a few times and threaten to throw it in the bush and then it starts to work the way it should.
 
rainie said:
My vote is a 35 foot King. 3/8 for regular days. 7/16 for windy days. Both soft lays. Heading or heeling. Once you get through the first 50-100 head, the rope feels and handles really well and will last for the summer. Before it gets broke in though you have to curse it a few times and threaten to throw it in the bush and then it starts to work the way it should.
Click to expand...

Most of the ones I buy seem to be defective as they have way too many misses in them.
 

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