ArizonaRealCountry.com 59 December 2018 Reprinted from @CraigSmithTeamRoping on InstaGram Ask any team roper and I’m sure they’ll agree that having fresh roping steers in the chute is just as good as finding presents under the Christmas tree. Let’s face it, steers are a big investment for ropers and we want to get as much out of them as we can. The two best tips I can offer for breaking in fresh steers are to put the head rope on in the chute (on a half-head) and to have the heeler dally the first handful of runs. This will teach the steer how to stay on their feet, and to hang back on the rope. How we break in our steers determines how they’re going to be in the long run. The longer we keep our steers good to rope, the better practice we’ll get and the more prepared we will be when it’s time to compete. Getting a good start in a run is just as important for a heeler as it is the header. By being proactive about getting in position, and being ready to haze a steer if necessary, a lot of unnecessary movement and time can be avoided. The sooner we can get in our spot, the sooner our shot is available to take. Most steers are patterned to stay straight. However, occasionally we’ll get one that wants to run to the right. This really makes it difficult for both partners to make a smooth run. Possibly the most difficult situation we can run into as headers are steers that tip their heads to the right, which requires a steep angle in our rope to get it under the right horn. When steers become roped out or have sore heads, they learn to try and avoid the head loop by ducking. While this does present a challenge to us headers, it’s nothing we can’t prepare for. A lot of steers won’t duck their head until we get close enough to deliver our rope, so we need to be ready to make a change instantly. First, if a steer ducks their head to the right we need to have our horse in a position that allows us to get our rope to our target. In this case, we can move our horse toward the steer slightly and stay back a little further. If our position if too far forward, it’s difficult to get a lot of follow through with our tip and have a snappy curl. Match your swing angle with the steer’s horns to make sure you get your loop under the right horn. When delivering your loop, give it enough time to cover the entire target before jerking your slack. Your loop will be similar to a calf roping loop (more side-armed), and when done correctly will have a lot of action on the tip and curl. Especially with steers that tip their heads to the right, we’ve really got to be on our toes and ready to make last minute adjustments. A subtle change to our position and rope angles will help ensure a successful catch. It’s hard to catch a steer when he’s up against the fence because there’s no room to get your rope around the right horn. Also, a head horse will have to change direction/leads to get over to the steer and then again to turn the steer. If a heeler gets pinched off on the fence, it forces them to hang back and get out of position. It takes a lot more time for the header to get the steer turned off the fence to allow the heeler enough time and room to take a throw. Handling Slow Cattle How often have you drawn the perfect slow steer in the short go, only to have things turn out on the opposite end of your expectations? Being able to take advantage of the slower end of the steers can be a real game-changer in your roping success. Slow cattle generally tend to be a little heavier to pull and may possibly drag more often than other steers. As a header when I draw a slow steer I make sure my horse position is a little wider left so that when I dally I have plenty of room to move away from the steer and can make the corner for my heeler smoother. Also, when I rope the steer I am going to ask my horse to move left a little sooner to keep the momentum of the steer going forward. I am not necessarily ducking my horse out but I am also not going to set the steer by picking up his head as much as I would a fast steer. This will translate into a smooth corner for my heeler and allow his horse to work the same as in a faster run. Keeping forward momentum is key for turning slow steers into fast cash at the pay window. Q: What is a good exercise for our horse when tracking live steers? A: Steer stopping is a great option. It has two major benefits. The first is that it teaches our horse to get on their hindquarters, which allows us to take the speed away from the steer and have control of their head. When our rope is tight to the steer, we can give our heeler a smooth corner. The extended benefit is that it helps add to our horse’s longevity. If our horse is using their body correctly, they will become more physically reliable. By getting their hindquarters underneath them, they are in a more athletic stance to absorb the momentum of the steer on the end of the rope. Then when we ask them to go left, they are able to use their whole body to pull the steer with, rather than just their front end. When steer stopping, don’t be afraid to change things up. For example, vary how soon you rope the steer and also the length of time you track the steer once roped before stopping. When you do stop, make it complete with the steer facing you. We want our horse responding to us rather than making assumptions on when to stop. ROPING TIPS: STEERS