Hey, it’s Barb and I want to talk to you in this little mini podcast about how powerful your eyes are when you’re making cuts in a herd work or cutting run.
First of all, it’s important for your eyes to, in general, to be up. Anytime our eyes drop, it is always an indication of some kind of insecurity or concern about our horse – what’s happening with them or if something’s going wrong, When we feel uneasy or unsure, we usually tend to avert our gaze downwards.
So that’s the first thing.
The second thing is that when you are walking through the herd, and the cattle take a direction around you, l (say they’re flowing to the left,) you want to have soft eyes so that you can see what’s really happening. You want to look toward the end of the flow because those cattle are the ones that are likely going to walk up to the center of the pen and be easy to cut.
So that’s the second thing.
But then once you’re set on a specific cow, you want your eyes to become more piercing. Say you’re aiming for the throat latch of the cow so you can move in that direction to control the cow, you want to feel like your eyes are like laser beams on that throat latch (or wherever it is that you want to control the cow.) Your horse will follow that.
It will help you guide your horse, but also there is a power and energy in our gaze that impacts a cow. I know that might sound a little crazy, but it absolutely does. It’s just like if you feel like somebody’s staring at you from across the room, all of a sudden you might feel it, even when you don’t see it first.
This is the same thing.
Those are two ways to powerfully use your eyes. It works!
The flag is one of our most resourceful tools to help us develop cow working skills. Barb describes her thoughts on the flag’s best benefits and limitations in this video.
An elusive concept for working out of the herd can be the idea of staying ‘on the line’ once we begin working the cow.
It’s an important idea to understand first and then execute, especially in fast cattle. In my video archives, I found a video that gives a great visual of staying on the line.
When I coach amateurs and nonpros for Herd Work, one challenge for most people is the feeling of chaos (or panic) near the end of the cut as the cattle thin down, and it’s time to decide which cow to cut.
This video is about how to help you more clearly see possibilities as they unfold as you stay grounded the entire time.
It’s a simple technique consisting of four words youkeep repeating to yourself during this final phase of the cut. You’ll stay calm and keep using your eyes to search patiently for the best cow to cut and step into at that moment.
Herdwork is what’s called a “soft skill,” not because it’s easy, but because the situation is never the same. During herd work it’s challenging because the cattle are always changing position in the herd and in the arena. Plus, as a rider, you make constant decisions on the spot that impact the flow of cattle.
In this voice-over video, I describe three actions you can take (simultaneously!) to get set up a good cut. They take practice, but a great first step is understanding what they are, and how they impact your cut.
Have you ever thought of using your seat and lower back in ways similar to using any other cue – and not just for stopping? That’s what this video is all about.
Riders manage to walk into the herd and drive the herd out just fine but then feel pressure when it comes down to the final moments of the actual cut.
A chaotic feeling at the end can result in being out of position for the cut, using our hands erratically, stirring our horse up, holding on too long, etc.
In this video, I talk about three actions you can take to help ensure that the final moments of the cut are smooth and you and your horse are set up for success – not only for the cut – but to begin working the cow:
Looking and focusing your eyes correctly
Guiding your horse with your feet
Talking to yourself as you make the cut
As you watch this video, have fun using your imagination. You get to decide what color cattle you want to cut. (-:
I have a short video that explains a common error when riders make cow turns.
They tend to release a horse from remaining on its hindquarters before the turn is complete. This often happens towards the end of the turn. It’s caused by using your feet too soon, or releasing the reins too quickly – or both.
It’s easy to want to “get going with that cow,” (-: and be unaware you’re rushing.
There’s no transcript this time, but the video shows how you can “fall out” of a turn – and how to avoid this error.
