Breakaway roping......

[Jazzin_Bobby]

hey guys,
Well I am thinking of doing breakaway roping with my horse in my equestrian team, and i was told that you have to have something that breaks off of the horn when the rope gets tight....do you use like a piece of string or is it an actual piece that is specific for it? And also would a barrel horn be okay for this event?
Jazzin

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Don't know about the show roping, but a barrel saddle would not be good for roping. On the otherhand, if you aren't actually needing to hold or jerk a calf down it might be fine. What do I know? I should probably just :secret:

 

[msscamp]

hey guys,
Well I am thinking of doing breakaway roping with my horse in my equestrian team, and i was told that you have to have something that breaks off of the horn when the rope gets tight....do you use like a piece of string or is it an actual piece that is specific for it? And also would a barrel horn be okay for this event?
Jazzin

According to what I've read, the rope is attached to the saddle horn with a string that breaks when the horse stops and the rope is pulled taut. I'm not sure I would compete in this event with a barrel saddle, as it is not designed for this type of use.

 

[R.T.]

Use a light weight string tie to end of rope and back to saddle.
Rider can't t throw the slack. Running calf and stopping horse is
all that breaks the connection.
There are some locations that use a special break away loop.
when you catch calf the loop will seperate and calf will run free of rope.
R.T.

 

[Jazzin_Bobby]

Do you think a piece of twine would work?

 

[clampitt]

My question is can you rope from the sound of it no.First thing you better do is learn to handle a rope.A green roper and a green horse usually adds up to trouble.
And you can get in a jam in the breakaway also.The rope is tied to the horn of the saddle with a string.Some ropings to keep things honest will provide the string it is usually a very small diamiater nylon about like a kite string and yes it will break and not jerk your horse down.And the barrier judge,some places, will make sure it is tied tite.And when it does break it will go a singing past the horses head.You do have to get your slack up you dont want to drop it and have the horse get over the rope.
And you can rope breakaway out of a barrel saddle.But it doesnt work as well as a calf roping saddle.They are designed to let you get up in front of the horse and rope cattle.A barrel saddle isnt made for that purpose.The breakaway is becoming a big event in this part of the country.Find you some one to help you learn to rope and find you and old calf horse to teach you.We rope on all our barrel horses first and we can do both but most barrel horses have never had a rope swung on them so it can get a bit scary.
If you need any help holler

 

[circlet]

most barrel horses have never had a rope swung on them so it can get a bit scary.

although some of you might go "well, duh", i think clampitt makes an excellent point and while it might be basic to some, it's worth mentioning. i'm really not a roper, but i've taken to getting colts i train used to having a rope swung around them because i had a wild ride with a colt that got scared if you did basically anything with your hands. first problem i had, i reached up to scratch my head and he bolted on me, i didn't worry to much cause he stopped easy enough and i thought he just spooked at something on the ground or whatever, didn't put 2+2 together until the next time i was riding him, i reached up and took off my ball cap and he really got crazy on me. the point of this is this horse hadn't spooked, bucked, reared, anything until this happened.

if you aren't 100% certain that your horse can handle having a rope whiz around it's head, i'd say take a trip back to the round pen and work on things. it's my experience a trip to the round pen is pretty much always good for horse and rider! :tiphat:

 

[clampitt]

Its not just swinging a rope over his head that gets em nervious you can in just a bit if the rope is over his head he cant see it so much and the sound of it they get used to.It when you thorw it past his head and it lands infront of him on the ground.Then you start to pull it to him to coil it up.That is when things can go horribly wrong so to speak.The rope is coming to him and he doesnt know really what it is and it keeps coming towards him and does make a sound when it is pulled over the ground.and it flopps some coming his way.When they see it I have had them look down snort run backwards and fall over run sideways.turn and try to run off and try to buck,And a coupe paw at the rope.
That is when you better have a grip of sorts on the situation.When the rope goes by their head for the first time they dont know if its going to hit them or not and will duck and try to get away from it then it hits the ground and is in front coming to em.
Give that a thought.And a rope horse has to learn to travel under a rope being swung over his head.Espicall if you are going right and are right handed he has to learn to go that way looking at the loop and it being over his head.He is under it right then and can see it.Left hes moving away and not so much of a view of the loop but does hear it.
More to ponder.

 

[Jazzin_Bobby]

Thanks soo much guys. that helps alot! Umm i am not totally experienced with the rope but I know how to handle it. I have been working on roping on the ground for about 3 years because i got a rope and horned plastic cow head for christmas a while ago. On a good day I can do pretty well at getting both horns. As for my horse. She is always close to me while I am roping on the ground so I am sure she will be ok with the noise. I have roped off her once or twice just dinking around and she didn't seem to care...but it could be too early to find out for sure. I have been wanting to practice with her but we have had soo much snow that I would rather have some dry ground under me lol. As for my horse with a cow...NO PROBLEM. My horse LOVES cows. We have 5 of our own and I am always in the field chasin them and trying to get her used to stayin close to the cow far enough that I could rope it. So I am prettty good there. I have also go her used to the noise over her head and all around her body not a flinch out of her. So hopefully by next high school equestrian team competition we will be ready to breakaway .
Jazzin

 

[clampitt]

Believe me there is a big difference in roping a set of horns on the ground and on a horse.Breakaway you rope calves not steers compleatly different throw.You dont rope calves the same way your rope horns.
And same with the horse.You can swing a rope around a bronc on the ground and they will get used to it then get on and see what happens.A horse that has not had a rope swung over his head from on his backhas not idea what is happening.
You can get in a world of hurt if you dont find you some one to help you learn to rope and get you and old calf horse to help teach you.You havent trained a roping horse and believe me you dont just get on and off ya go like Roy Rogers.

 

[Jazzin_Bobby]

hmm...
I know how to throw a rope onto a calf head too. Have done it many times! Obviously you know way too much clampitt to help a beginner, and anyone knows you don't just get on a yeehaw on a horse with a new thing....you work into it just like i have been doing for about 2 months now!! I am on a High school equestrian team and they will be teaching us this. I wanted some more information on it before i start practicing for real.

 

[clampitt]

What I said wasnt ment to hurt your feelings it was ment to make you think.I have trained and roped calves for fourty years been to four world show finals and have horses that win in the pros.I can help a beginner but they have to do a couple of things one is leave your feelings in the truck and the other is open your mind.
Because believe you me things can go wrong A green horse and a green roper usually means a wreck waiting to happen.
You asked some good questions and you have gotten some good answers from all of the above.
But to learn anything you have to open your mind and be willing to take constructive critisism.
You never say where you are from there might be some one around you that ropes and ropes well that will can help.And you do need an old rope horse to teach you.But life is about choices.

 

[simangus23]

Get a break away rope from Smith Brothers Roping Supplies

 

[applepie]

Thanks

 

[msscamp]

most barrel horses have never had a rope swung on them so it can get a bit scary.

although some of you might go "well, duh", i think clampitt makes an excellent point and while it might be basic to some, it's worth mentioning.

I agree!

if you aren't 100% certain that your horse can handle having a rope whiz around it's head, i'd say take a trip back to the round pen and work on things. it's my experience a trip to the round pen is pretty much always good for horse and rider! :tiphat:

I also agree with this statement. Better to be safe than sorry!

 

[R.T.]

A good place to start is check out your local 4H club.
Meet some young members and their parents.
Go to a couple of practice sessions to work on the basic how to.
See what your peers are doing learn from them and meet new friends.
Then sign up for a show and have fun. That is how most younger
ropers get their start.
Start slow learn and have safe fun.
R.T.

 

[L.A.]

Around here they also call it Ribbon Roping. Many tie a ribbon to the rope, then around the horn for a easy light break. They also use bright colored ribbons ( red, orange, etc.) so the timer can easly see the break. Good luck, you'll have fun.

 

[Jazzin_Bobby]

thanks, yeah I am in a 4-H but they don't teach us roping. But I am on a High School equestrian team and they are suppose to but haven't yet.

 

[R.T.]

Next suggestion would be a roping school.
East Texas has a barrels and roping school.
Martha Josey (sp) on the internet.
Good place for beginners.
Grandson went there a couple of years ago.
The following year he was county high point
roping Champ. (Nueces County) .
R.T.

 

[chippie]

It would be smart of you to listen to Clampitt. He may not sugar coat his words and they may not be what you want to hear - but they are the truth. Roping a dummy on the ground is not like roping a live animal on a horse. For one thing, standing on the ground and sitting on a horse puts your body in a different alignment.

Another thing is your horse. There is more to roping than just chasing a calf and swinging the rope. You horse will need to go to a trainer so that it can be taught to go into the box willingly, break out and it will need to be taught how to rate and track a calf. You can't teach something you don't know.

In my younger days, one of my horses was trained for roping. Both the trainer and I showed him in tie-down and I heeled on him too. I learned how to rope from a successful PRCA roper. He had me stand by the roping chute, nod for a calf and rope it as it left the box. After I could consistently catch it, he let me start roping off of my horse.

I don't know where you are located, but I second the suggestion of attending a clinic or find a trainer who can teach your horse and you to rope. The Josey Clinics are excellent. You can find out more about them at http://www.barrelracers.com/

Good luck.