Posts Tagged ‘lariat
Minnow’s Latest Trick
We are getting close to pony penning time! Which means it’s time for Minnow to start working on new tricks! Admittedly I tend to get so busy with other things I always seem to wait until July to start training Minnow new tricks for pony penning. Lucky for me he’s super smart and it doesn’t take him too long to master a new trick.
We’ve come up with a new act, that we’ll hopefully be able to debut at pony penning this year at the Chincoteague Pony Centre, so we’ve started working on some of the new tricks Minnow will need to know.
We’re going to keep our new performance under wraps for now, but we do have a new trick to show you.
Here’s a quick video of Minnow learning how to hold a rope and drag it to me. It may look like a pretty simple trick, but your horse also has to be very comfortable with ropes in and around their legs – you’d be surprised how scary that can be for some horse.
Hopefully you will be able to catch up with us at Pony Penning this year, so you can see all of Minnow’s new tricks in action!
Boomerang the Roping Pony
You might remember that for my Birthday I wanted a lariat so that I could learn to rope. To my surprise my husband had already gotten me one – before I publicly announced on the blog that it was on my wish list! I had no big plans for the rope, it was more just for fun and a good way to desensitize the ponies to new things.
I spent the last few weeks roping things around the farm, fence posts, traffic cones, dachshunds, I even tried to rope the neighbor’s dog that escaped (unfortunately my attempt was unsuccessful – although we did end up catching the dog). Then I started roping things in and around Boomer to get him used to it.
Then just a few days ago I decided to try it while riding him. I wasn’t surprised to find that it didn’t faze him much, and I began using clicker training to teach him that the rope was a positive thing.
My first few attempts to rope while mounted were pretty pathetic. Boomer tolerated me while I roped his face, a couple of legs, and tail. I’m still not quite sure how the cowboys manage to the throw the lasso, hold the extra rope, and steer the horse at the same time. It’s not easy!
Anyway, here’s a few video clips of my first attempts at TROTTING and roping.
I could definitely use some more practice! Although I’m very happy with Boomer’s attitude towards it. Maybe soon we’ll work our way up to cantering! Yeehaw!
Lariat
I’m constantly learning something new. There will ALWAYS be something I don’t know, so why not try to learn EVERYTHING I can? It’s sort of a sickness I have, I want to try everything.
So while competing in the Extreme Cowboy Race was something totally new and different for me, I couldn’t leave it at just that. While at the expo I jumped at the chance to learn how to throw a lariat. After all, I could have been asked to rope a “cow” during the competition for all I knew.
I was sort of relieved we didn’t have to rope something, because I think I could use a little more practice.
I’ve added a Lariat to my Birthday wish list (which is tomorrow!) because it was so much fun I can’t wait to give it a try while riding a horse!
After trying my hand at tossing the lariat I made sure Boomerang was ready for roping too. During one of our schooling sessions in the indoor I practiced throwing a lead rope around his head, ears, and sides. Just to make sure that should I NEED to throw the rope in the race, he would be fully comfortable with it. You can never be too prepared!
Anyone else out there know how to throw a rope? Any secret pointers so I can look super cool throwing my lariat off an english saddle?
