Throw and Ride
For an added challenge, make sure your horse is fine with you throwing the rope near his shoulder, then practice throwing and recoiling the rope as you ride. Guide your horse as you handle, release, and recoil the rope. You don't need to aim at anything; just get used to handling the rope as well as your reins.
Important note: As you ride, you might wish to dally (wrap) the rope around your saddle horn. However, before you do so, take rope-handling lessons from an experienced horseperson. This is a high-level skill for which you need proper training. You'll need to know what to do with the dally if your mount or ponied horse spooks to avoid a wreck.
Snap the Rope
To further improve your rope-handling skills, practice snapping the end of your training lead at a target, just as you'd snap someone with a wet towel.
To do so, hold the coils of a 12- to 15-foot training lead in your left hand and toss (snap) the lash end of the rope at a target, recoiling after each throw. Practice until you can touch the tip of your lash to any target.
Julie Goodnight (www.juliegoodnight.com) lives in central Colorado, home to miles of scenic trails. She trains horses and coaches horse owners to be ready for any event, on the trail or in the performance arena. She shares her easy-to-understand lessons on her weekly RFD-TV show, Horse Master, and through appearances at clinics and horse expos held throughout the United States. She's also the international spokesperson for the Certified Horsemanship Association (www.cha-ahse.org).
Heidi Nyland (www.wholepicture.org) is a lifelong horsewoman, equine journalist, and photographer based in Longmont, Colorado.
