Understanding Cattle
The Rhythm of Working a Cow
by Barbra Schulte
One challenge in working a cow, is to get all of the pieces of accuracy, form and rhythm to stay correct… no matter the speed of the cow.
This video is a great example of the pretty form and rhythm we all aspire to achieve as we work a cow. Below the video, I explain the component parts of working a cow.
Identify those pieces as you watch Lloyd Cox and Blackish work a cow.
Let’s start from the place where you and your horse are traveling across the arena, on a straight line, and in position with a cow.
You: Good position as you travel… slightly ahead of the cow… your leg in the cow’s shoulder.
Cow: Begins to slow down.
You: Because you’re reading the cow as you travel… and you and your horse are in position to stop the cow… when you see the cow begin to even think about slowing down, your seat drops to help your horse rate the cow and get ready to stop.
Cow: Stops.
You: Collapse your back and drop your seat softly down “into” your saddle as you see the cow stop. Continue to exhale and imagine your core dropping into your horse.
Cow: Still stopped.
You: Stay low. Stay down. All the while, read the cow. Sink lower.
Your Horse: His weight remains on his hindquarters as he feels you stay quiet, still and low in the saddle. He reads the cow.
Cow: Turns and goes the opposite direction.
You: When the cow first begins to turn, you stay still. Your eyes remain on the cow. There’s a momentary “wait”. You stay low as the horse pivots 180 degrees on the “line” and comes out of the turn slightly behind the cow.
You: When you get to the 180 point, you are behind the cow… again, just for a moment.
You: Now, proactively, but accurately, you accelerate your horse on the line to get into position to stop the cow.
You: Now you’re back traveling with the cow. The cycle begins again as noted beginning at the top of this list.
NOTE: The natural tendency is to do the opposite re: rush the turn when you need to wait … and not travel in position or with authority once you are traveling on the line.