Q & A:
Q: Do you ever practice tying a dummy and if so which one do
you recommend for young girls?
A: There isn't a dummy that builds GOOD technique for goat
tyers on the market right now. SSRoping & I are currently working on
designing one that will fill this void. Hopefully by March it'll be available to
the public.
For right now to work on tying, you can ty your left
foot. Make sure the foot rests completely over the right thigh and that
you hold the arch of the left foot as you would hold the goat's legs.
You'll have to rotate a little at the waist to keep both shoulders square over
the ty. Work on getting your head low at the start of the ty and then keeping it
still throughout the ty. A low head will help place the 1st wrap correctly and
add speed and tightness to the ty. I like to practice in a stocking
covered foot so I can feel how tight the ties are actually getting.
Q: What advice can you give for girls tying in the cold winter
months? Staying warm, strings, goats, etc?
A: You should do everything pretty much the same. Don't
practice with gloves on. It's NOT realistic! And baby I know it's
cold out there!! The only change I make is that I ty with a slightly
softer string. In summer I usually ty with a hard string and in winter I'll
switch to the medium. It doesn't sting as much when it hits your cold left
hand while it's holding the legs.
This is a great time to work on breaking things down and
working on this separately and getting FAST at one or two things at a
time.
Q: I don't have any goats to practice on in between rodeos so
I ty a dummy. My get offs are really smooth and my tie is quick. I'm running
9's right now, but it seems that I am loosing time from getting to the goat,
flanking, and gathering. I can get to it fast, but my transition from that to
flanking and gathering isn't smooth. What can I do and is there anything I can
do to practice?
A: Most dummies aren't realistic. To get the task done
on a dummy, you sacrifice the proper technique because of how the dummy is made.
SSroping & I currently are in the process of developing a realistic dummy for
goat tying.
But for now, I'd practice with an imaginary goat and work on
getting your body control in the flank. Get into flanking position on your
imaginary goat. Then pop with your hips to flank and then slowly squat down to
the floor. Make sure your toes are turned out so you can be keeping your weight
in your hips. Don't let your knees touch the floor. Your knees
should be parallel to the floor about 8 inches to a foot off the floor, your
toes turned out so all your weight back into your hips. This is very
difficult to squat like this, especially at first. You've got to train
your body control before adding a goat, so this is a great opportunity to do
that.
To start out, you may find it's slightly easier to start from
the floor and go up. Kneel on the floor, feet together, toes in the floor,
butt sitting on your heels. Now turn your toes out, which will transfer
your weigh into your hips (very uncomfortable at first!) Now hold your
ankles and rock back to get your knees off the floor. Hold yourself there
for a second or so to work on muscle memory. Then rise up into the flanking
position keeping your knees bent. Do this several times for starters and
then work on going back down to the floor with control. It's leg work
out!!
Remember the goat is in-between your knees and the floor and
you don't want to put a lot of weight on him, so that's why working on
controlling your body is important. It gets way easier with practice!!!
To work on your gather, get a three round objects- like wooden
dowels. If they are between 12 - 18 inches that's perfect. Assume
the position on the floor, but let your knees touch at first. Put two
dowels for the back legs on the floor in front of your right knee and hold the
other in your left hand. Bend down at the waist. Make your right hand
sweep the two dowels into your left hand, so start behind the dowels and make a
sweeping motion with your right hand, fingers touching the floor. Your left hand
should be pushing your dowel down so that the back dowels can get into it
easier. Sweep them together and hold in your left hand.
As controlling the dowels get easier, then keep your knees off
the floor. After your right hand moves the dowels past your right knee
then drop into your knees on the floor, as that's how you would on a real live
goat.
Q: What advice can you give to teens about
resisting the use of alcohol?
A: Alcohol a poor choice that losers make,
trying to find a way to feel better about themselves. Losers don't like to
be lonely, so they will encourage others to join them. Don't look at it as
a favor- it's not for your benefit, it's for theirs to have the extra company.
I believe teens know right from wrong.
The first time you save "NO" is the hardest, but stick to your guns & your
beliefs and it becomes easier; as they party crowd will know where you stand.
It is definitely an IN or OUT deal. You can't ride the line and do it sometimes.
Becoming a champion/winner is sometimes very
lonely. You will have to overcome obstacles that are based on jealously
because "they" don't want to sacrifice what you do to become a winner. Instead
it's easier for them to bitch and complain or think you are lucky or have an
unfair advantage. You will give yourself an advantage if you practice, are
in best physical shape you can be, think positive and do the right things.
There is absolutely no benefit to drinking,
drugs or smoking. When we try to so hard to win though practice, expense
of equipment, horses, fuel, entry fees; why would anyone jeopardize their
chances of competiting up to their abilities by making a poor choice with
substance abuse. Saying NO will give you MORE CONFIDENCE and help you BELIEVE
that you deserve to win. Believing that you can win and hoping that you
can win are two very different things.
I also believe that teens do look up to their
parents for guidance and to be examples. They may NOT understand the
difference between a 40 year old making the choice to have a drink and them
making the choice to have a drink. As a coach, I see that the kids that
have grown up with their parents drinking in moderation, have a more difficult
time making the choice not to.
Q: How can I make my tie tighter?
A: To get tighter ties, get your head low. It'll help
speed up your ty, place your ty correctly and keep your ty tighter. The
shorter the legs on the goat the more important being low with your head is.
Once you spin your first wrap on, then make sure you are pulling it tight with
your right hand by pulling a little bit to your hip pocket. Keep that same
tension with your wrist as you finish your ty. Make sure your head doesn't
move down into your ty as you are reach for your mouth with your left hand, as
that will really loosen a ty. Staying still in the body & letting your
wrist and hands do the work will also keep tys tighter. Practice on your
foot, as you should be able to feel your ty be tight on your stocking foot.
Q: How and when do you decide that its time to
take a break? What do you do when you get burned out? Do you get burned out?
A: Rodeo can be very demanding depending on your commitment so
taking a break is very important. A good time for a break is after a rodeo
season is complete. (like the fall rodeos). Rest is good for you AND your
horse, that way you come back rejuvenated and with a passion. If you play
another sport, it's good to take a break from rodeo during the other sport
season. The length of your break depends on the individual.
It's important to be practicing for the upcoming rodeo season at least 6 weeks
prior to the first one, so you'll be at your peak when the rodeo season starts.
However long your break is, make sure you completely take a rest from rodeo-
don't mess around with roping the dummy or tying your foot, because if you are
not trying to get better, than you can be building poor habits. Sometimes
a break can be doing something else with your horses other than your rodeo
events.
Know yourself and if you need to take a break to prevent
feeling burned out during the rodeo season, schedule a 'rest' in on our calendar
year. Figure out when works best for you and how long the break should be
(anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months) and then do it :)
Q: Is smoother faster? And what is your
fastest time?
A: Trick question!! Sometimes smoother is faster....
depending on your level. At beginner level, yes smoother is faster.
At the more advanced level, it's important to remember that 1st goes to the
fastest time, not the smoothest run. Sometimes you can make a smooth run &
not be fast enough. Sometimes you can make a run with a mistake in it &
keep hustling & win or place. Fastest time for me: 5.6 seconds. It was a
nice smooth run. My Fastest run though was 8.8 on a 200 + foot score line, my
horse was hauling!
Q: When i practice at home im really smooth
and it feels really fast.. but when i get to rodoe something goes wrong.. and im
never as fast as i feel... what i do at practice never transfers to my rodeo
runs... so what am i doing???
A: Time yourself if possible in practice. It'll put a
little more pressure on you that is there at the rodeos, also you'll KNOW how
fast you are going rather than just feeling fast. Then start pushing for a
certain time in the practice pen, to be faster so you get comfortable making
runs under more pressure. Make sure at the rodeo, you stay focused on you,
rather than the stuff going on around you. In practice it's easy to think
about ourselves, because there are no distractions, so work on getting into the
same frame of mind at the rodeos that you are in practice. Also with
running on the clock at home, it'll give you more confidence in knowing that you
can make fast runs.
Q: LEFT or RIGHT side dismount? I have noticed
some goat tyers running by on the left side of the goat and getting off on the
right side of the horse. (similar to a tie down calf roper.) Which side do you
recommend and why?
A: Left. It's easier to learn (for horse & girl) to step
off fast on the left side, since that's the side we normally get off and on.
The only girls I've ever seen step off the right due that to injury on their
right leg; that way their left leg has to step down first taking more of the
'impact' during the dismount. Correct technique dismounting also helps
reduce 'impact' and injury.
Q: It used to be that whenever I made a bad
run I would get really mad, cry, or even throw things if it was really awful.
This year I've gotten a lot better at controlling myself and letting it slide
off my back. However, at state, I fell in the second go run and lost,
undoubtedly, a state title. I felt nothing after my run because I knew it would
mess up my barrel run and roping run later that day. I'm wondering if I'm now
taking my runs too lightly and kind of went from one extreme to the other? I
could be unsure of myself because I'm still adjusting to a calm, cool, and
collected personality after a run, but I don't know. What do you think is a
happy medium?
A: Not throwing a fit is maturity. Confidence in
ourselves will allow us to shrug off a poor performance. We still may be
mad, but don't act out in a childish way. To prevent the snowball effect
for the rest of the rodeo, we have to 'let go' of mistakes so we can get ready
for the next event and do our best. Often later, we'll realize the
"importance" of the mistake which may have cost us a "big" prize that day.
Maturity helps with realizing that nobody is perfect and that we can learn from
our runs (good or bad) so we can become better for the next run, the next rodeo
and the next 'big' prize. If it still burns your butt a little bit about
not doing well, you're not taking it too lightly. It should become a
motivator to practice and become better so you are more prepared for the next
chance.
Q: Lynn when I go to flank my goat it feels as
if the goat takes a step away from me what am I doing wrong. Also when I swing
my rope does it matter if my elbow is up or down?
A: 1st make sure you are running all the way into the goat
with your lower body. Sometimes we cheat a little bit & don't get our left
knee in the chest & our RIGHT KNEE in the belly. So we are actually about
6-12 inches from the goat. Then we end up reaching, bending at the waist
which drops our shoulders down & makes our butts come up & then loose our
balance. It can be a bad habit when trying to be fast. But it is a
REALLY bad habit. So make sure you are running into position to flank with
your lower body. Once you are close with your lower body & you have your
hands on the goat, make sure you keep your elbows bent & close to YOUR body so
that you are more powerful & can hold the goat close to you before & throughout
your flank. Some goats learn to lean or roll there body away without even
moving their feet- kind of bracing for the flank. But if you are close
with your lower body & your hips are underneath of you, you should be able to
control him pretty easy :)
Swing my rope, I want my elbow to be about even with my
shoulder. It may come down a little bit in the back part of your swing, but for
the most part even with your shoulder height.
Q: In
practice, all of my goats have horns. Sometimes they pull the rope tight and the
collar/rope is stuck in between their horns so my left leg cannot get into
position. In other words, it's impossible to get my leg under the neck of the
goat because the rope can't come out from in between the horns while the goat is
pulling tight. What can I do about this?
A: As you are running into your goat & see his head is stuck
under the rope, try to use your right hand to adjust his head. Your hand
will contact the goat on his left eye, try to push down and left to 'unlock' his
horns from the rope, then with your fingers under his jaw, pick his head up so
your left knee can get into position, just like you would for a goat with his
head down. You'll have to be LOW running into your goat & really reaching for
his head with your right hand. Put your goat into that predicament & do it
slowly a few times so you get the hang of it when actually running to the goat.
Q: My horse has always ran straight but he has
recently started cutting me off /ducking in front of me. What should I do to
keep him straight? He never does it in practice only at the rodeos.
A: If at all possible ride in the arena before hand.
Show him where you want him to go by riding him down (where the goat would be
staked) and directly into the fence behind the goat. Have a grain bucket there &
reward him with a little grain when he gets there. You can do this by
trotting & slow loping down the arena & stepping off where the goat would be &
LEADING him into the fence. Make sure you run to keep up with him by his
neck/head DEFINITELY no farther back than his shoulders. Then he can
see you, then he has to respect you. Don't under any circumstances,
ride/lead him in or out a gate that would be to the left of the stake.
On horses that push left while dismounting, keep the horse's
focus on you & what you are doing. Don't let them 'drift off" with their
attention. Especially nickering or pricking their ears at something outside of
the arena. Keep their focus on what you're doing. Usually horses that cut
in front of you are looking for a way out (literally). So every time you ride
him, don't allow him to wonder with his attention, especially nicker at another
horse. When they do, I get my horses in a soft feel (Collected in the
bridle) to remind them to listen to me.
The other big thing is space respect. I never let my
horse get into my space. If he does, I shove him with my arm to get him
out of my space (imaginary circle around you), Shove, or slap; whatever it
takes, but when he moves, I quit. I don't want to make him scared of me,
but I don't want him walking on me either. He needs to respect my space
when I catch him, grain him, lead him, load him in the trailer, ty goats on him-
whenever I handle him! Once they gain respect, the cutting in front problem
usually stops.
Q: My daughter wants to start goat tying and
has never done it. Would your clinic in Florida be a good place for a first time
starter? I want her to learn the right way she had started late as she is 15
years old. She can ride very well just never goat tied
A: You bet that would be a great place to start. She'll
learn quickly with no bad habits to break; you'll be amazed!
Q: When I gather I sometimes end up losing one
or two back legs out of my left hand.
A: Usually you are not gathering all the way into your left
hand, just tapping the legs instead of actually getting them over & down
into your left hand. You'll think you have them, but one (usually bottom
one) drops out when you are tying. This is common in girls that are trying
to get fast- but make sure you finish 1 before doing 2 (finish your gather
before starting your ty)
Q: When I first gather, the front leg of the
goat is going between the two back ones. What do you think I'm doing wrong and
how do I fix it?
A: Push the front leg DOWN & UNDER more on your gather & it'll
be where it's supposed to be. You're just not using it enough to help your
gather.
Q: I'm a couple states away, and have been
raised on none other than 4-H. I'm so tired of having to do all the slower
pleasure classed-and my horse hates it too. I've been teaching my self and
picking up on others for about 4 or 5 years now in gymkana, but it's definitley
not enough. I want more than anything to do high school rodeo, or junior rodeo,
but i don't now how to start into either, or what i need to learn before start.
I run barrels, poles, and goat ty, but I'm not going to lie-I am an amatuer. I
have have a good starting horse, but I know that if I really get into gymkana,
I'll have to get a younger, faster horse. What do you think? What do I need to
do? How do I start?
A: You need to go to clinics so you get the right technique
from the start & don't have bad habits to break, whatever event(s) you choose to
do. Get a seasoned horse in the events that you want to compete. It may
not be one that will win you first, but an honest horse will teach you a lot &
be less frustrating! Even if you have to get a horse with some age and
needs some maintenance (injections), it's cheaper in the long run than buying a
green/young horse and trying to make it yourself, especially at the beginner
level in rodeo. Let the experience horse teach you & then you can move on to a
younger/faster horse. The seasoned horse will teach you how things should
'feel' which is really important when training your own horse later on. Seek
QUALITY help- so go to clinics of people that are QUALIFIED to be doing clinics.
There is a lot of 'advice' out there, but not all of it is good.....So get good
help, so you can get good!
Q: My daughter's horse is kicking out when she
dismounts, it is not all the time but it seems to happen after she makes 2-3
practice runs on him. What can we do to stop this!!!!!?
A: This is a very serious matter, as it is VERY Dangerous to
have a horse kick after you dismount. Horses kick for several
reasons;
1- is being 'fresh', so warming up a goat horse is very
important & keeping them rode other than practice really helps. When
warming up, I see a lot of girls that slow lope around, barely at a lope
(especially when getting ready to rope) and then think their horse is warmed
up. Slow loping around for a few circles in ok, but get your horse
moving before you complete your warm up. It fully stretches their
muscles out and gets them more ready mentally. Your horse should have
be breathing harder after you're warmed up. (I have my college girls
sprint/race before we ty in practice, as it gets them fully warm up
physically and mentally to make good runs at the start of practice, so they
don't 'waste' their first five practice runs getting warmed up)
2- they hurt. Some horses are getting pinched by the
saddle, so check equipment, check for soreness or lameness. Try
changing equipment or Bute them if necessary to make them more comfortable.
3- It's their way at 'getting even". I see a lot of
horses that are getting pulled on a lot prior to the dismount (on the way to
the goat), kick up after the dismount is like they're way of
getting back. This can become a habit or turn into an "attitude".
4- They have an 'attitude". Which then needs
adjusted. Most horses that kick up believe that they are "free" and
their is no way of getting in trouble because the rider is already off & a
little bit away from them, so they can get away with kicking up.
To fix the attitude problem, attached a rope/ extra rein to
the left side of the bridle where the reins clip. Have the rope long
enough that the rider can hold it while riding down to the goat in their right
hand (and the horn) or I like to tuck the end of the rope into my right butt
pocket, so as I step off I grab my right hip & catch the lead rope.
Make sure the rope/rein is on the LEFT side of the saddle horn, so you don't
get a jerk line affect after you step off. You want a lead rope affect.
Make sure the goat tyer RUNS to try to get up to the head/neck area of the
horse, don't hang back by the saddle or the hindquarters where you can get
kicked (LIFE OR DEATH SO RUN) When the horse kicks up, jerk them with the
rope/rein that is in your right hand. Get after them. They'll be surprised
at first that you still have control over them even when you are on the ground.
You may have to do this several times for them to understand. You can
practice with this extra rope/rein in your hip pocket; I've even competed in
competition with it for a different reason, but it shouldn't get in the way of
your goat string. Most horses won't kick unless you are going fast, so
practice half speed at first along a fence to get the timing of grabbing the
rope/rein from your hip a few times before making a run in practice, in
hopes that they kick up so you can fix the problem. Timing is everything!!! So
you don't want to miss grabbing that rope when you need to be correcting a
problem.
Q: Say you're at Nationals, you need to put
together three good runs. The first one was pretty good. It didn't win the round
but it sat pretty high. You know you've got to make two more runs just like that
and you'd have a good chance to win. What do you think in between runs at any
rodeo that takes averages?
A: I only think about my very next run- I don't think about
the average or the outcome or the first run.
Q: My daughter is starting a new horse, and
I'd like to know how you get the horse to "fade" off to the right after the
dismount. He stays running right beside her and she has to push him out of the
way. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
A: You don't want a horse to fade off to the right! It's
makes the dismount so much more difficult & dangerous! Horses need to
respect your space, so they don't push into you, but that is something
that should be worked on with everyday handling; keeping them out of your space,
then it will be no different when goat tying. But to help him have a
"target" to run to, I like to use a grain bucket (with grain in it) and/or a
buddy horse at the end of the arena; That way in practice your horse will
run to that "target" to be caught. It gives him a better understanding
where to be. I put the 'target' straight behind the stake/goat.
Q: Every time I pull up to a high school rodeo
I get really nervous to tie but i can pull into a junior rodeo and win it every
time with an 8 or 9 but at a high school rodeo im a second off the leader every
time, how can i get over this nerve?
A: Always find the root of your nerves. There are good
nerves & bad nerves. The bad nerves are the what ifs and are along the lines of
negative thoughts or things you can't control (your competition for example).
Good nerves are just being excited to compete, the feeling of being alive &
wanting to do well. So find the root of your nerves at the high school
rodeo. If they are bad, control your thoughts so you aren't allowing
yourself to focus on the negative energy that's getting into your way of doing
your best.
Always remember:
1)almost EVERYONE gets nervous.
2) NO ONE is automatically going to win.
3) DON'T beat yourself before it even starts!
4) Keep positive thoughts- (The Little Engine That Could-
simple little phrases like "I can do this, I can do this" "Go Fast,
Go Fast" can help you refocus when you start to feel to nervous- You can
talk yourself into anything & you can talk yourself out of anything!!
Everyone makes mistakes- it's how you handle your mistakes
that will determine how much you'll win. (You can still place with
mistakes in a run, if you keep hustling through it) & Replay your runs in
your mind to figure out what you need to work on and then make it better (at
home in the practice pen & in your next run!)
If you aren't beating yourself mentally & you make your very
best run & still don't do as well as you would like, figure out your weaknesses
& go work on them in the practice pen. Practice is for the things you
don't do as well, so you can get better. If it's your flank, then work on
flanking. If it's your dismount, then work more on dismounting. If it's
just not being fast enough- then work on hustling in practice :)
Q: I remember one time you mentioned that 90%
of the time you make it easy for your horse in practice and sometimes you
challenge him by running diagonally. I'm not really sure what this means. If
there are any other ways to challenge your horse in practice sometimes, please
let me know
A: Sometimes I'll go from corner to corner of the arena
instead of just straight down it. It's a little different set up and can
add length if you have a short arena.
Q: My horse has recently been ducking off to
the right when I step off to tie the goat. I am trying to figure out what to use
as a blinder for her right eye. What would you suggest I use?
A: A couple of things work good, but you want to cover the
whole eye & then practice very little with it so your horse doesn't become too
comfortable with the blinder. A bra works well- cut out the left cup
so your horse can see & the right cup will cover the right eye. An
underwire works well, as it helps hold the material away from the eye some.
Also a fly mask with the left side cut out & some material glued to the right
half also works well. They both can be put on & taken off quickly.
Q: Lynn, I have been having some trouble with
my horse wanting to duck to the left, when i throw my rope. What are your tips?
A; Ride square - equal pressure right & left stirrup, DON'T
LEAN, and use your left hand (reins) to help hold him in. They learn from
habits (repeating something) so you'll have to work at it for a while before
he'll correct the bad habit, but if you ride correctly, it'll help him stay
straight. I'd start off trailing first, so you don't have to think about
coming out of the box & you'll feel like you have more time to think about
riding correctly.
Q: We have been watching your video and trying
to learn to change some things. When you run down the rope how to do flank
without the rope pulling on your left leg. This is only when the goat is
straight not when you flank from the rope. This seems to make the rope tight
on the goat and then harder to seat right on the goat. Any suggestions.
A: Being really low is really helpful with a tight lead rope.
But once you are in position to flank your goat, with your left knee in front
and your right knee in his belly, look at where his hips & shoulders are & where
your hips & shoulders are. I like to draw lines in the dirt where
the goat's shoulder is & where his hips are. Then I draw two lines where
my hips are (your shoulders will be in the same spot). It's usually only a
couple inches different. Now you'll have to bump the goat with your
legs to get him up out of the ground in the start of your flank. When he's
legs are clear of the ground, use your arms to bring him into where your hips
are shoulder's are so he's square to you. You won't have to move your
feet. Then when you go down in your flank to the pin, you can sit
correctly without the lead rope being extremely tight on your left leg.
Q: Is there any way that you change up the
routine a little bit with your college girls to make practice fun like games or
different drills?
A: We do a lot of different drills, especially early on in the
seasons so we don't put a lot of runs all the way together. At the
end of the season or even post rodeo season, we do a lot of games in practice to
keep the competitiveness up.
Q:
Going to the Jr. Nationals in
Gallup, I was amazed at the girls that were stuffers, they had less trouble with
the kicking goats and tied much quicker. I have your video that teaches
scooping. Do you teach stuffing? Do you prefer scooping and why?
A: I didn't see Gallop this
year, but I do know the gal the won the goat tying was a scooper- Jessica Gray
from Florida. She's been to several clinics over the past couple of years.
I know at the high school finals, the stuffers seemed to have a little more
trouble (same goats), as the gals that won 1st, 2nd and 3rd are all scoopers
( gotta brag- that have been to my clinics)
I've worked with stuffers
over my 10 years of doing clinics & coaching a college rodeo team, so I am very
familiar with the style and understand how it needs to be done to be successful
at it. I wouldn't stay that I "teach" it though. I'll work with the
gals that have a good start on it, as I don't want to change all their muscle
memory that they've work hard to attain.
Scooping is way easier to
learn, it's just as fast and the consistency with scooping is way greater & it
comes way sooner on the learning curve. The body type of goat doesn't effect
scooping as much; if you learn the basics of scooping, it's the same on every
goat.
With contracting the CNFR
goats for 10 years, I've seen a lot of talented goat tyers that stuff, but
many of them didn't win as much as they should have because being consistent at
it when it really matters is tricky. I can name 5 that were great at
stuffing in my 15 years of goat tying experience, but they would have been good
in any style because of the work ethic they had/have.
Q; What do you do when the goat is standing
there and pulled the rope tight? I usually find that after I flank I'm not in
the right position--too close to the stake because my leg is in the tight rope.
A: Being low really helps. Also learn to pull the goat
IN to you (to the left) WHILE he's in the air of your flank. So you'll pop
with your hips and then bring that goat a little to the left to square up to
your body, his shoulders & hips should be in line with your shoulders & hips
before he goes down to the ground. But being low is a major part of this
to stay strong with your lower body & get into good position to flank.
Q: My state finals is approaching and I know
that I'm capable of doing well, but how do I stay focused to perform at my best
before my runs? I tend to be focused on the prize I might get.
A: Coach yourself- I talk about the two voices in my head at
clinics- the devil (who wants to focus on the outcome) and the angel (who wants
to focus on the process). When you catch yourself daydreaming about how it
turns out, change your train of thought to what you need to do during your run.
Some people find a way to relax by not thinking about the run at all- think
about totally unrelated things to rodeo, so it's more of a reaction when they
compete. (I know one gal that thought about how to decorate/organize her
college apartment :) )
Q: How can I speed up the gather? Also-I don't
have trouble gathering (one skill drill) but I usually miss both legs off the
bounce on the flank and gather (two skill drill).
A: Getting more bent at the waist (get low with upper body) &
learning how to stay back in your lower body (for the pin) will help you gather
off the bounce.
Q: Lately I've been roping and missed at the
past couple of rodeos. Now, I'm afraid to throw the rope at all. How can I train
myself mentally to get over this?
A: First realize missing IS part of roping, but it's not the
end of the world. Don't ever be afraid to miss, or you'll miss! Next
keep in mind Michael Jordan's quote- You'll miss 100% of the shots you never
take. Third- if you are roping good when taking the 1st shot at home, you've got
to toughen up mentally & not doubt yourself in competition. If you're not roping
good at home, get back on the bale practicing a low number of swings. Even
have some (or do it yourself) tell you when to throw- it works more on reflex.
Then start roping out of the box again.
Q: Lynn, what is your best advice on goats
that get up? Normally I don't have to much of an issue with this, but my goat
got up at Nationals and I have a practice goat at home that no matter how tight
I try to tie it, it gets up.
A: The tightness of your ty is in your first wrap & where
you're knot is ending up. Make sure your first wrap is tight by pulling to
your hip pocket after the wrap is on & KEEPING that tension as you finish your
ty. Also get your knot on the bottom by keeping your left shoulder square
to the ground as you finish your ty.
Q: If the goats head is bending under my left
knee when I'm done flanking, what am I doing wrong?
A: You're not coming down with your goat with your left leg,
allowing him a moment to poke his head in the wrong spot. Stay closer to
your goat all the way down to the ground. Do it slow & make sure you have
contact always with your legs & you'll see that his head can't get in the way.
So as you are going faster, you're loosing position.
Q: How fast should me and my horse run down to
the goat?
A: Depending on your age and your experience will determine
how fast your ready to run down to the goat.
For seasoned competitors high school aged and older, on
a 100' score line, I like to see them clock under 2 seconds from where the time
starts to where they step off. For seasoned competitors in jr. high this
should linger close to 2 - 2.5 seconds at the most. Jr competitors,
3 seconds is ok.
If your ground work is up to par, add 2 seconds for your
flank & ty (high school aged & up) 2 - 2.5 seconds for jr high aged, about 3 to
4 seconds for jr. kids .
And then about 2- 3 seconds running yourself from your horse
to the goat.
So that will add up to mid 6's to 7 flat for high school & up
age group; about 7.5 to 8.5 seconds for jr. high competitors,
and about 9 seconds for jr competitors...
.Something to shoot for...... (but don't sacrifice being
correct for speed. Get it RIGHT 1st then add the speed- for tips on how to be
correct & fast scroll down)
Q: me and my horse are new to breakaway we are
just getting started what are some things I can do here at home in the practice
pen to prepare both of us physically and mentally for what's going to happen in
the arena?
A: First get comfortable roping the bale on the ground.
Take a different number of swings each time before you throw, so you don't
get stuck in a comfort zone of x amount of swings- every calf is different, so
be prepared. Next stack two bales on each other & rope them off your
horse. This will add a little more difficulty as you got to be able to
stand up & see over your horse to rope the bale, as you would a calf.
Position should be straight behind the bale (on the ground & the horse).
If you have access to a pen and a calf; turn a calf loose in a pen & track him
around with your horse. Get your horse to 'latch on' straight behind the
calf. Once this is good (may take a while) then add roping off your horse.
Do this A LOT. This is a great teacher!!! Try to rope only on the
straight aways- not the corners as it teaches bad habits.
If you don't have a pen (arena) or a calf (or even if you do)
practice riding your horse around & swinging your rope. Get comfortable
standing up while doing so-- keep your knees bent & toes down. Get your thighs
into the swells of your saddle, but don't lean too far forward with your upper
body. Learning to ride standing up is important and then it's important to
learn to ride standing up & swinging your rope.
Q: How many runs could you get out of the
classic hard strings as compared to the old ones?
A: The big difference in longevity in the new Classic strings
you notice in the practice pen, I'll ty with it until it doesn't feel good
anymore- which is around a month or so depending on how much you practice.
For competition strings, I'll use about 10 times compared to 5 times of the King
strings. So they last way longer than the King Strings.
Q :Every time I pull my knot tight and go to
put my hands in the air, the "head" of the string hits my left thigh. It really
stings and I've had welts, but I know it's not right-I just can't figure out
what I'm doing wrong
A: Keep your left shoulder down while you are tying and
finishing your ty- it'll make the head end of the string hit the ground and not
your thigh.
Q: I'm really losing confidence in ground
work; sometimes I have a problem and blow it up to an hour long session then my
head isn't in it at all and I didn't get anywhere in the practice session. I'm
wondering how I can keep it simple, gain confidence by tying different goats,
and learn something from every session.
A: When you have a problem in your ground work, single that
problem out & just work on it. Slow it down & get it right, then add speed
again. Often I will tell myself in practice to "GET IT RIGHT". It's
our body, we have control over what it does so I can MAKE myself get it RIGHT.
I can also let myself be sloppy & make mistakes- my choice....
Once you get it right several times- QUIT for the practice
session.
Q: What kind of bit would you recommend for a
horse that has no rate when coming to the goat?
A: I like a correction bit. You can get different
lengths of shank for a little more "whoa" power if needed. I like the
Dutton bits, they make are variety of bits with the correction mouthpiece and
several different shank lengths.
Q: I am tying in 7s 8s and 9s with
little mistakes but I want to be faster! how can i add speed?
A: To add speed, work on one thing at a time. Sit & ty & do it
as fast as you can. Gather as fast as you can, Flank as fast as you can.
Then start putting two things together. Gather & ty- try to do it near 1.0
second. Flank and gather, and then flank, gather & ty (try to do it under
2.0 seconds). Getting your muscle memory fast is important, so to get
everything to speed up, you need to break it down & get one thing fast by
itself, then start adding too it. Don't worry about mistakes- if you
continually make one-focus on doing it right, but don't slow down. If it
keeps being a problem, then slow it down & work on it before you wrap up the
practice session. Think HURRY! :)
Q: I had commented earlier on how I am having
trouble with adding speed going down to the goat and stepping off. Does your
goat tying DVD talk about your dismounts?
A: Yes it does
Q: What size goat would you recommend for the
college girls to tie on?
A: Generally I would say goat that weigh between 40 - 55 lbs.
are a good practice size goat. But if you know you may be tying
smaller or bigger goats at an upcoming rodeo, then try to practice on that size
so you are better prepared. If possible try to have a meat goat and
a dairy goat for practice, since their bodies feel different.
Q: How do you stay motivated to work out?
A: The wonderful quote: Motivation is what gets you started &
habit is what keeps you going!
You schedule working out, practicing, roping the dummy, tying
your foot, riding your horse (whatever) into your day if it's important to
you. Making it a routine (every day, every other day, whatever that
matches your goals & commitment) and then being DISCIPLINED to do it. Finding
fun ways to work out help as well- a work out buddy, or Wii, change where you
bike/run, change what you are doing to work out. Be creative.
Keeping your goals in mind help with the motivation part.
At the of a season like the National Jr High Finals or
High School finals, feeling burned out is common- especially if it didn't go the
way you wanted it too. Taking a break (one month or so off) doesn't hurt
anything either. Or find some other rodeos to go to so you continue to
have something to work for.
Q: I have problems flanking from the leadrope;
I'm not sure what's wrong-maybe I'm too far away or not low enough, but I always
miss the front leg in the air. I think I lose my confidence if I have too much
slack in between the collar and my hand when I jerk the goat. Right then I'm not
sure what my body should be doing, either.
A: Most problems with flanking from the lead rope is caused from
not getting the goat close enough to you- that's one of the reasons you JERK him
to your LEFT HIP- it brings his front end into your lower body. Being low
on your part really helps too. Also popping the lead rope BACK across your
leg will keep the goat's front end close to your body- sometimes just flipping
the lead rope with your left hand will cause the goat to 'float' away with it's
front end. Actually keeping tension on the lead rope while flipping it
back over your left leg, should keep the front end in line with the left side of
your body-making it easy to catch the front leg & come down without the goat
turning underneath of you. Do a lot of jerk & stepping, then popping &
catching. Then pause to make sure you are getting the front leg before the
goat falls to the ground. Once you are good at that, then make sure you are
still pushing the goat down to the ground equally left and right hand- so the
goat lands square for a "flat flank".
Q; How do you train yourself mentally to go on
from a mistake in a competition run?
A: This is something that you learn in practice. You
make sure you keep going with a run in practice (ground work, horse work, or a
full practice run) so that you get better at going on with mistakes. Too
many girls think they need to be perfect to place/win, but that's not the case-
FAST is what counts, so keeping forward momentum in a run after a mistake is
crucial time on the clock. Knowing that they also give places, points and money
for more than 1st place too keeps me hustling through a run after a mistake.
(even thought I'm GOING for 1st :)
Q: Do you ever do one on one lessons?
A; Yes, if I'm traveling to or from clinics & someone's
location isn't too far out of the way, I will do one on one lessons.
Q: My horse is ducking to the right of the
goat when I run down there. How can I make my horse run straight to the goat?
Getting your horse into the arena before competition is
important. If possible, ride him where he would be going during the goat tying
run. I like to do a few practice dismounts, (slow usually) and then
lead him to the fence behind where the goat will be staked. I'll have a
grain bucket & his buddy horse there as well, so he has more incentive to go
straight & all the way to the fence. Make sure you are stepping off early
enough so that you're not pushing him away in the dismount. If your left hand
comes up to help support him, he may stay with you better as well, so don't let
your left hand drop to his neck as you step off.
Also if the ducking off problem isn't helped by working your
horse prior to competition in the arena & or supporting him with your left hand
(reins), then I'm not opposed to a blinder on the right eye. A bra
works well for a quick blinder- cut out the left cup of an underwire bra.
The strap can go over his right ear & it will buckle under his throatlatch.
Practice a LITTLE with this to make sure he's ok with it. Don't cover his
eye for long periods of time- just immediately before your runs- wearing it too
much can take away the effectiveness of it.
Q: I just graduated form high school and will
be starting college in August. Right now I am tying 11 and 12's, do you think
its possible for me to be tying 8's by the time I start college?
A; Any thing IS possible, but to knock that much time
off over a period of two months it will take a lot of hard work. Breaking
things down & working on each element separately until you are consistent and
fast at that one thing will help. So sit on a goat & work on your ty. Ty
correct, then ty as fast as you can. Don't get frustrated with mistakes
when you are trying to go fast. Just think about what you are doing & try
to do it correctly & fast.
Just work on your flank. Flank your goats over and over
again, until is perfect and then start working on doing it perfectly and fast.
Most time is lost once the girl gets to the goat- so flanking, getting your
gather & tying is EVERYTHING!
To work on being more consistent from your horse- start off
slow- trot down to the goat, step off & run into & flank the goat only. If
you can flank perfectly from you horse consistently, then adding the gather and
ty is no big deal. You can do this a lot at a lope, fast lope and even a
few rodeo runs until you feel awesome with the dismount, timing, and the flank.
Putting too much together will cause muscle-mind confusion,
frustration and isn't not good for staying positive!
Best of luck & work hard!
Q; I have my flanking, gathering and tying
down great but when it comes to stepping off my horse at a run or even a fast
lope I am always afraid I will trip or fall at a fast speed. What can I do to
help me with this?
A: Break it down, so you're just working on your dismount &
you can get confidence in that. I like to go next to a fence. Pick a
spot where you want to step off, lope down & do it. Gradually add speed.
Remember the faster you are going on your horse, the sooner you'll get there,
the sooner you'll need to start stepping off. Don't change anything in
your dismount (speed) just because you're going faster on your horse. Then start
stepping off at the goat, but don't ty it. Just work on your dismounts by
the goat so you get your timing down. Make sure you hustle to your horse's
head when you touch down on your landing (run) and get your reins so your horse
doesn't learn bad habits of ducking away or speeding up. Plus
running up to his head will help you keep your feet moving; also it's a safer
spot to be! TALK YOURSELF INTO IT INSTEAD OF OUT OF IT- watch your' thoughts &
think only positive thoughts!!!
Q: What do you do when a goat tries to horn
you and/or run in between your legs?
A: The horning part, I don't worry about. That's their
way of defending themselves. So it's part of the game. Running
between your legs- he should never get there. If you are low running into
your goat, it'll be harder for him to see an "out" between your legs. Also
if your right hand is pushing his head away (to the left) as you are coming into
him, it'll re-direct his attempt.
Q: Where can I find a can for goat strings?
A: Personally I don't like goat cans for strings, as they are
too small and put circles that you don't want in your strings. Storing
your strings straight is a better bet, as they'll function correctly. I
offer "String Saver" Tubes at clinics for sale for $25.00 that are very useful
for storing strings. If you'd like to order one I could ship you one with
the cost of the tube & $15.00 in shipping.
Q: We were told by a goat director that since
Jordan's horse circles before he takes off she'll be DQ'd at Nationals?
I've looked thru the rule book and didn't see anything that says this. Can you
tell me if this is something we need to deal with.
Thank you!
A: From my understanding, you are allowed to take one SPIN or
PIVOT if a central gate is not in line with the goat. I would check with a
judge and the national event director PRIOR to the start of the
event/rodeo for complete clarification from the officials. BEST OF LUCK AT
NATIONALS!
Q: When you're at a rodeo and the goat isn't
across the gate you come in, so you ride down along the fence until you're
straight across from the goat. Do you have your horse face the fence and turn
him around before you run down or do you go ahead and take off?
A: Usually my horse is pretty excited, as they are used to
running from the gate. But I'll keep him close to the fence and moving
forward, even if his butt is tipped/pointed toward the goat. I like to
make a turn or a pivot to the left & then go, so if the gate that I came in is
to to the left of the goat, I'll just turn & go, since I'm turning to the left.
If the gate is to the right of the goat, I'll ride by the "point" that is
straight with the goat & then turn to the left back to the "spot" and go.
I like to find landmarks (banners, arena post) something to help me know what is
straight & how far I need to ride down the arena fence to make sure I'm lining
up correctly. When you're horse is hopping around & is excited it's
sometimes easy to let him become the boss & tell you when to go, but it might
not be straight. So a landmark will help you get lined up without having
to look down the arena for the goat.
Q: My horse works great for me in practice,
but at the rodeo, he is slow and ducks off. After that in practice it is hard to
build both of our confidences back up for the next rodeo. I've struggled with
this for two years.
A: Getting your horse into the arena before competition is
important. If possible, ride him where he would be going during the goat tying
run. I like to do a few practice dismounts, (slow usually) and then
lead him to the fence behind where the goat will be staked. I'll have a
grain bucket & his buddy horse there as well, so he has more incentive to go
straight & all the way to the fence. If he's been dogging it running to
the goat- I'll run him down there & not step off- just ride him past & into the
fence/bucket/buddy. Doing this once or twice should get him a little more
excited for what will happen during the run. Doing this will help both
problems, but make sure you are stepping off early enough so that you're not
pushing him away in the dismount. If your left hand comes up to help support
him, he may stay with you better as well.
I do like short spurs as well, that way you're
feet are more effective. 1" spurs with blunt rowels are nice rodeo spurs.
Also if the ducking off problem isn't helped by working your
horse prior to competition in the arena & or supporting him with your left hand
(reins), then I'm not opposed to a blinder on the right eye. A bra
works well for a quick blinder- cut out the left cup of an underwire bra.
The strap can go over his right ear & it will buckle under his throatlatch.
Practice a LITTLE with this to make sure he's ok with it. Don't cover his
eye for long periods of time- just immediately before your runs- wearing it too
much can take away the effectiveness of it.
Q: I have been having to tie by myself a lot
lately, which sometimes I think helps me to deal with goats in any situation,
but I was wondering if you had any advice on this since it sometimes gets
frustrating?
A: Well, I guess sometimes you just have to make due with what
you've got. (I never tied/practiced with anyone until my sophomore year of
college) But "coach" yourself. Make practice plans- plan out what you're
going to work on for a week & make it different each day.
For example: Monday-
Ty five goats 10 times.
Tuesday- Flank and
gather 5 goats 10 times each.
Wednesday: Ground
work- run at the goat on the ground. When you notice yourself slacking or
messing up, do two perfect in a row before you can quit.
Thursday: Practice
runs off your horse and whatever gave you the biggest problem repeatedly, do 10x
perfectly after you are done with your horse.
Friday: Flank, gather
and ty five goats 10 times each.
Q: How many
practice (roping) runs do you make during a week with rodeos on the
weekends?
A: I'll rope more calves during the beginning of the week,
like Monday & Tuesday. Wednesday I take fewer & make sure they count.
If I have a practice horse, I'll rope only five or six on my rodeo horse Monday
& Tuesday, then get on my practice horse and rope more. Wednesday I may rope one
or two on the rodeo horse, then finish out on the practice horse with maybe five
more. Thursday, I really rope for my horse, scoring, tracking up, whatever
needed to give him the best chance of working good at the rodeo and rope very
few. I might not even rope on the practice horse Thursday. I'll rope the
dummy to get more practice in. (that's with going to the rodeos Friday- Sunday).
If it's a long haul, Monday the rodeo horse may get the day off.
Q: My new horse is afraid to run toward the
goat. Do you have any suggestions?
A: I would stake a goat out & lope a lot of circles around the
goat. Starting with big circles down to small- totally ignoring the fact
that the goat is there & just ride, get your horse broke & exercise him. I would
only go to the left, since that's the side your horse should see the goat when
using him for goat tying. Hauling horses with goats is an amazing
quick, "get used to". With hauling to clinics, all our horses have learned
how to haul with loose goats in the trailer, therefore none of them worry about
the goat when he's on a rope in the arena.
Q: At a rodeo this past weekend, I found my
muscles cold and I wasn't able to warm up because of lack of space. My run
wasn't great. Do you ever warm up before your runs?
A: Always! I like to warm up by stretching, jogging
some, flanking & tying (I bring one or two goats to every rodeo- bring the
easiest, most confidence building goats you own!) And then an event before, I'll
stay off my horse, leading him around & jumping around to stay loose until one
or two girls before me. I don't want to ever sit still & let my muscles
get cold- no matter what the weather. You don't need a lot of space.
I've often flanked & tyed my practice goat in the trailer, as it was the most
suitable (driest, softest) spot at times. You can be creative in finding
spots to stay loose that are still close to the arena gate!
Q: I have a problem, my horse is ducking to
the right as i am hanging off the side to get off. I've tried the bucket of
grain for him to run to, that's not working. What do i need to do to fix this ?
Is it him or me? I am clueless. By the way I loved your clinic it really helped
me.
A: First of all make sure your left hand is holding the reins
UP in efforts of guiding your horse straight while you are dismounting.
If it's going down to his neck, you are allowing him to move out on you. Your
reins need to be snug enough so that you can guide him easily. If they are
too long, he'll still be able to step out on you. You also want to make sure
that you are staying really close to him with your body (right hip) during the
entire dismount so that you are not pushing him away.
Next I would ride down (trot first, then gradually add speed)
slide out to the frog position, hold it & ride by. Make sure you guide
with your left hand/rein hand. If he's doing good when you are
frogging, hold the frog position for a stride or two, then slide down into the
hip position- hold that & ride by. If he does good in the hip position
then start lowering yourself down. Eventually frog for a stride or two,
hip for a stride or two and then lower yourself down & lead him by. Anytime he
wants to step away, stay in that position & ride him through. I'll
do this at all speeds in various spots on the way to the goat.
I'd also check for soundness. Sometimes as the rodeo
season goes on, horses will get sore, causing them to move out. If
we are correct in our position, this usually helps support our weight, but they
still can get sore. Maybe change saddle pads, saddles (if possible) and
see if that helps him at all. Run your fingers down his back and see if
he's sensitive anywhere. Sometimes butte will help get you through the
rest of the season.
I'm not opposed to blinders either., as a last resort.
If it'll help me win or give me confidence that I can win, I'll use them.
Covering the right eye can sometimes help a horse that's not hurting stay
straight. An easy blinder is a bra. Get an underwire bra of decent
cup size, cut the left cup out & the bra strap can go over his ear & the straps
connect under his throatlatch. Practice with it once to see how he reacts.
He may hang tight to you, so lining up is really important. If he's ok with it,
use it in competition, but try to let him wear it too much at home or at the
rodeo, so it doesn't loose it's effect.
Q: Did you switch your goat strings to
Classic? Are they the same as your original ones?
A: Yes, I'm switching strings. Going with Classic.
They are similar to the 'old' ones but should be will be more consistent in lay
and have more longevity. I've (we've) tried & tested the final
"drafts" this week (April 12th) and were very pleased with them, so the "mass
production" of strings should be under way. I'm picking up 200 -500 strings for
starters this upcoming weekend (April 23rd) so I should be able to start sending
them out the 27th to those of interest. Price is TBD, but should be in the
same range as the old ones. I will be sending out postcards to everyone on
the mailing list to notify of where you can purchase the new strings- right here
will be one spot, but there may be others Classic dealers able to sell them as
well (?)- Will work out that detail Friday with Classic.
I think we'll all be pleased with the switch!
Q: Now that correctness and consistency is
mastered, my main concern is speed. How can I make goat tying runs faster?
A: I like the stop watch :)
I'll time just
my ty, (try to get it under .7 seconds)
just my flank,
(try to be under .7 seconds)
my flank, gather & ty, (try to be under 2 seconds)
running to the
goat (10 feet before the stake to the goat), ( a little
over 1 second)
time how fast on
the ground (10' from the stake), (3's on a straight goat,
low 4's on a runner)
how fast my horse is
going down (from 100' to where I step off) ( under 2
seconds for sure)
to my whole run.
(go for 7's on 100' run)
The stop watch doesn't
lie so it's a great motivator to get you going!
I'll set personal
goals- have to do something under such a time 2x before I quit for the nite.
(usually do this a lot with ground work, not so much on the horse to keep him
from getting silly)
One thing I did with
the college girls, time their whole run & If they clocked over 7.5 seconds, they
had to run the same distance on foot & ty the goat under 10 seconds before they
could try again on their horse. It was very effective!
Winners will keep
challenging themselves, so the stopwatch is a great tool. Those that don't
like to be pushed will dread the stopwatch!
Q: I have my dismount down good but when I get
to the goat my flank doesn't go good. I can never get the legs right. When I get
the legs and start to tie then everything goes good. Can you help me learn how
to work on my flank?
A: A good flank starts with good position. If you
are close to your goat before you attempt to pick him out of the ground, it
helps ALOT. I like my left foot IN FRONT both of the goat's front legs,
bend in my left knee and in his chest so that he's head is over my left thigh.
I want my right foot behind his back legs, but my knee is turned in so I can get
it under his belly. Your right ankle will be close to touching the ground
to get your right knee is position. My right hand is in the flank
area (my right knee and right hand are like a magnet- opposite side
of where my right hand is- with the goat in between like paper). My left
hand is on the forearm above the knee cap. My hips are down & chest up, so
I'm strong.
I'll rotate my hips under and through to the goat's body
to pop/bump which will knock the goat's legs out from under him. If
you are doing this right, you'll actually be getting lower or going down a
little while you pop his legs. Then I push with both hands to make the
goat land flat, my knees follow him down so there's no space between the
goat's body & my knees. Both of my knees land on the outside of my hands-
so left knee will be on the shoulder, right knee on the thigh of the goat.
My toes are turned out so my weight is back in my hips, not in my knees- helps
keep the goat's legs out and straight.
Do this slow alot to gain body control of yourself and
the goat. Once it starts going good slow, then start speeding it up. When
it falls apart again, go slow to get it right. Flanking is everything, so
spend time on it!
Q: What does it mean if you drop your string
from your mouth too fast in the tie? I do this and end up losing it.
A: A couple of things can be going on. The main one
could be your left hand is probably not coming up to your mouth, you may just be
reaching around for your string instead of UP to your mouth. Also you
could be sitting too upright, causing you to reach around for your string
instead of up. So try getting your head lower (or keep it low- you may be
rising up a little bit in anticipation of being done!) & really work on your
left hand coming all the way up to your mouth. (I once gave myself a fat
lip while working on this :) But I knew I was definitely reaching up to my
mouth then! )
Q: Hi Lynn after you clinic Maddy and I
have this debate as to where to line her horse up if she has to spin him to go.
A lot of arenas set up two goats so she has to get him lined up and he is too
excited to just walk and face the goat so she spins him. What should be her
focus point, she said you said two steps to the right of the goat but now she is
confused if that is facing away from the goat or facing the goat? Also do you
spin the same way right or left each time?
A: I always turn my horse to the left and then go. So if
my goat is on the right side of the arena, I can walk in along the fence, and
find my landmark on the fence then turn to the left & go. If I'm on the
left goat then I'll ride past my landmark so when I turn to the left, I'll be
lined up.
To find my landmark, I'll stand where the goat would be & look
down the arena to where I'll be coming in and find a land mark (a certain
panel, banner, etc..) that's a little bit to the left of the stake. So
when I'm mounted on my horse, I'd actually be a tiny bit to the right of the
goat's stake, so my horse has a straight shot by the goat.
Q: Hey Lynn this is LeighAnn from New
Mexico. I'm getting better at the flanking and everything, but when I'm
gathering, it seems that when I bring the back legs across to cross the front
leg, the back legs are hitting the front leg that is on the ground, and or
splitting between the front leg, so it like a back leg, then a front leg in the
middle, and a back leg on the bottom. It also seems that the back legs are
hitting the ground and staying there, they aren't really bouncing, so I'm
probably not pushing the goat all the way down to the ground or not sitting in
my but enough, but I'm not positive, but I don't know why the legs are splitting
like that. Well my next junior high rodeo is this weekend, but we are leaving
tomorrow, so talk to you later! Thanks!!!
A: Hey LeighAnn! :) You're kind of on the right track- the
back legs aren't bouncing because of where your weight/pressure is. It's
too far forward in your right knee, rock back into your hips more & those back
legs should bounce a little bit better. Also make sure you are using your
hips at the beginning of your flank, since it's easier to land 'in your butt'
then instead of your knees.
Then to quit splitting the legs- If you are splitting them
with the bottom back leg on top, the front leg & then the top back leg on
bottom- it's because of weight in your knee. Don't drop pressure into your
right knee when reaching for the back legs- stay back in your hips, but really
bend at the waist to get those legs THEN drop to your knee after your right hand
moves the back legs past your knee. Make sure you use your front leg too-
drive it down & under the back legs.
If you are just splitting them with the front leg in the
middle- it's because not using your front leg enough to help the gather- so
drive it down & under the back legs.
:)
Q: I'm having trouble pulling my slack in
breakaway practice. This is really slowing me up. How can I improve my times?
A: Usually girls miss their slack because they sit down too
soon. If you stay up right after you deliver your rope, your slack will be
out in front of you, near your right hand. But if you sit before you get
your slack it will be too far out in front & you won't be able to pull it.
So instead, sit WHILE pulling your slack. Once the slack gets tight on the
calf's neck, pitching it back will help your rope break quicker from your horn,
but you've got to get your slack completely tight on the calf's neck or you
could pitch your loop off from the calf's neck.
Q: Cost of clinic?
A: Total goat tying clinic cost is $250.00 The deposit
is $100 & the remaining balance of $150 is paid at the start of the clinic.
Q: I am having trouble getting my string out
quickly from my belt loop. I am only 11 an small for my age, so I realize my
loops are not as big as others. I was starting a bad habit of sliding from my
mouth down to my hip then pulling it out to get leverage. When I pull straight
out from my mouth, it hangs. Do you have any suggestions? I have been working
hard and improving since my clinic with you in Vernon, and this is just a small
problem I am having.
A: You will have to slide a little bit from your mouth down to
the mid section of your body or to your waist so that you're pulling at the tail
end of your string to get it out of your belt loop. Your hand can go from your
mouth, down your body & then out to the side without wasting time. Just
make sure your hand isn't sliding behind you, as that is wasted time. Make
sure if you are doubling your string over in your belt loop that it's a small
bubble back there, so you're not having to pull so much string through it.
Or just run your string through without doubling it over will help it not get
stuck as well, especially for smaller goat tyers. It's not as quick as
doubling it over, but it's quicker than not being able to get your string out!
:)
Q: Most horses
have a problem of ducking off to the right, but my horse tends to duck in front
of me to the left. He normally ends up running in front of me as soon as I step
off. Any suggestions on how to fix that??
A; I would work with my horse the same way basically either direction he
ducked off. I would start off by loping him down, then sliding out into
the frog position (right foot on hindquarters, crotch to saddle, good bend in
left leg) & I would RAISE my left hand (rein hand) up to guide him straight
though. Usually if we pick UP on our rein hand, we are able to direct our
horses in the correct direction. Our reins need to be short (not tight) so
that we have better control of what our horses do. With ducking
horses, we have to learn how to ride WHILE dismounting.
After my horse did good with frogging by & going straight, I would
slide from the frog to the hip position (right hip into fender of saddle,
lean upper body over saddle slightly for more balance if needed) & ride him by
that way. Again keeping left hand up on reins guiding him straight.
If that's going good, then I could go from the frog, to the hip to sliding
down to step off. When I touch down with both feet, I hustle to get up to
my horse's head & if he's pushing into me there, I'll stick up my right
arm (bend it but make it stiff & strong) & push my horse's head out of the way
if he's pushing into me. If he doesn't respect my space, I'll be more
forceful, but only enough to make him respond as I don't want to scare him, just
make him respect my space. My horses have to respect my space everytime I
handle them-- from catching, to graining to loading in the trailer- if they
respect my space in everyday handling, it makes it easier for them to respect my
space when goat tying.
Also on horses that push left while dismounting, keep the horse's focus on
you & what you are doing. Don't let them 'drift off" with their attention.
Especially nickering or pricking their ears at something outside of the arena.
Keep their focus on what you're doing. Usually horses that cut in front of you
are looking for a way out (literally). But if from my experiences, if we
learn how to ride WHILE dismounting & then make them respect us, the problem of
cutting in front is taken care of.
Note on frogging - start your frog position where you normally start to
dismount.
Q: How can you practice for goat tying when
you haven't stepped off a horse all winter, there is still snow on the ground,
and indoor arenas are limited? Is there a different way to look at practicing?
A: 90% of my practice is ground work; so you don't need much
space for that. Back in High School, I used to flank & ty in the corner of
the hay barn in the winter time in Minnesota. I'd practice for as long as I
could stand being cold, then go warm up and come back out and practice some
more. I have a good friend that put a cheap Wal-Mart rug down in a corner
of their garage & she flank & tied in there all winter. So you may have to
be creative in finding a place to practice, but there's always a spot. I
practice flanking and tying IN the goat pen rather than taking them to the arena
if I'm just going to flank & ty, that way I can do several goats & not have to
take the time to get them all to the arena. Practice sessions don't have to be
long- 10 to 20 minutes of flanking & tying is a pretty good work out. If
things are going good- work on getting it faster. Everyone can always work
on SPEED. As for stepping off, I'd rather work on being in shape.
Usually if you are in good shape & you've already master the dismount
technically, you can step off no problem even without practicing it.
