b"From the Back OF THE BOXBy John SamsillYou can contact me directly at johnsamsillteamroping@gmail.com if you have any questionsor would like to schedule a clinic or a lesson.M ost people who knowour control. How we practice is certainly under ourThe most important thing thatme know that I likecontrol. I will not go into specifics here because I to read. I mostly readcould write an entire article on just how to practice. what would be called self- But part of what is under our control at our practicesis in our circle of influence is our help books. I like books thatis how well we make our horses work. If we do notattitude and the way we reacttalk about positive thinkingmake them work well in the practice pen then we and how to be a positive person and impact peoplecannot expect them to work well at the roping orto certain situations. in a positive way. In the book I am currently reading,rodeo. For example, if youre a header and the last they talk about what they call your circle of influence.three or four steers you run youre going left fast What they are talking about is knowing the then you can count on your horse going left fast at difference between what you can influence and whatthe roping or rodeo. This is in our circle of influence. you cannot. We cannot control what steer we have to rope. This is out of our circle of influence. What is in our circle Basically, if you cannot influence something it is outof influence though is to learn how to rope different of your control and you shouldn't worry about ittypes of steers. We can learn and practice how to rope since you cannot control what is out of your circleslow steers, fast steers, steers that run left, and steers of influence. If you can influence it then you shouldthat run to the right and make sure our horses are not worry about it but do what you can to makeready for steers that run different patterns also.sure these things happen or turn out how you want them to. As I was reading this I thought to myselfOur tack is another thing that is in our circle of that rodeo people already know this. I learned frominfluence. Is our tack in good shape? You do not need an early age that I couldn't control how other ropersnew tack but you do not want something breaking roped or which steer I had to rope. The only thingin the middle of a run or right before a run takingholding the headstall on the bit had worked its way under my control was my own roping. With anyour focus away from our task at hand. Once I wasloose and was gone. After that, I quit using headstalls goal, I like to start with the end and then put downat a rodeo, in the box ready to call for a steer whenwith Chicago screws. This was my way of making the steps I need to make that goal a reality. With thatanother roper told me to hold up. I wasnt sure whatsure that this never happened again. I know my not in mind let's recognize what is in our control andthe problem was but I rode my horse up to relax himusing Chicago screws again may be an extreme action possibly some things that are not. and the guy told me my bridle was about to fall off.but I have never had to give a thought to whether the He asked me if my horse needed a certain bit andChicago screws were loose again.The first thing that we have control of is our ownI told him he would work in anything. He quickly roping. What can we do to rope better? The firstpulled the bridle off of his horse and I put it on mineThe most important thing that is in our circle of thing is to practice. How often we practice is underwhile still in the box. The Chicago screw that wasinfluence is our attitude and the way we react to certain situations. We control our thoughts to a We Grow & Sell certain degree so choose what you think about carefully. This is true in life as well as in the roping arena. When I was rodeoing full time I tried to only be around people who were positive. You know the AlfalfaCow HayBermudaRye GrassPaca VerdeTeffStraw type of people I am speaking about, the type of people who bring everyone they are around up to another 623-386-2988baleshay.com level. The guys I traveled with were the first ones to congratulate you and give you high fives for a job well done. This type of attitude is contagious and raises everyone around to a higher level including yourself. 20600 W. Beloat Rd., Buckeye, AZ This was a powerful lesson and I still try to do the same thing in my work and with everyone that I am associated with. When you start to expect good things MF: 8am5:30pmSat: 8am4pm to happen to you and the people you are around, good things begin to happen. This type of attitude doesnt cost anything but you may have to work on it. It's not always easy to see the good in everything but with practice, you can. If you start to do this I can guarantee you that the people around you change and become your supporters, but the biggest change is you will be your biggest supporter. So change what you can and do not worry about the things you cannot change because they will turn out to be the opportunities to use our new attitudes. ArizonaRealCountry.com May 2022 13"