Break It Down
Time and time again, I have left the herd feeling all the way from terrific, to close to suicide watch.
We’ve all felt the pain after a poor run.
One time during a clinic, a woman said to me, “I bet you’ve never cried like this.” I said, “Are you kidding? I have the corner on that market. You are an amateur crier.”
It’s easy to lump the whole run together as really good, or really awful, and not think another thing about it. (Well, maybe you ponder it a bit longer if you experience the low end of the totem pole.)
Do You Know How the Movements of Your Body Directly Correspond to Your Horse’s Performance?
Understand This and Improve Your Horsemanship
And, You Can Practice This Without Cattle
A big challenge for many cutters is understanding the “whys” of an instruction.
This article provides an outline regarding how the parts of your body (and their movements) affect your horse.
Beyond becoming more knowledgeable about horsemanship in general, my hope is that this information will give you “reasons” for the nuances in your riding. Perhaps, as your mentors make suggestions, you will think, “Ahhh, now that makes sense!”
This Will Make Your Head Turn As You Ride Your Cutting Horse
Make This One Little Change and You Just Might Sit Quietly In the Turn
I have a story to tell you about learning to sit still on your cutting horse.
I came across a very powerful new way to help you sit quiet in the turn … and not lean … and not twitch your body … and gain better timing with your feet.
The tips I’m about to share are novel … at least to me. They evolved because of my own need to be more quiet in the saddle.
Alert!!! Potential Cutting Horse Trouble Spot
Misuse of Your Herd Side Leg
As you continue to advance your cutting horse skills, one of your biggest challenges could be learning how to use your feet accurately.
Your feet are instrumental in communicating lots of messages to your horse including acceleration, direction on the line, movement of one of the horse’s body parts (like a hip), softening a body part (like a stiff rib cage), or asking a horse to look at a cow … just to name a few.
And to add to your challenge, the correct way to use your feet on any given horse depends on how that horse was trained … which might be extra confusing.
An Exercise for the Challenge of Getting Your Older Cutting Horse All the Way to the Ends
Have you ever had a cutting horse that was difficult to get to the ends, especially at a show? This is often accompanied by turns that aren’t too pretty (flips) and then ending up out of position ahead of the cow as you travel across the pen.
The whole thing can feel awful.
The reason this happens is that until you get the hang of staying even with a cow as you travel at all speeds across the arena, it feels like you are suddenly in the south 40 pasture as you travel to the wall. Early on in your learning, the middle of the arena feels safe and the ends feel vulnerable.
FREE Teleclass Introducing the NEW SIDEKICK;
a light, portable, very affordable, battery-driven flag to have at home and/or take with you!
Join me, along with Al Dunning and Nelson Sieden, this coming Tuesday, April 13th at 7:00 PM CST for a special information-packed teleconference.
We will introduce this latest CowTrac innovation and answer any machine related or general flag use questions you might have.
Go to this link now to sign-up for the call.
How Do I Keep From Blanking Out During a High Pressure Run?
The issue we are addressing here is the lack of ability to feel like you are on planet Earth instead of planet Mars as your cutting run progresses!
Maybe you were not in the moment before you entered the herd, much less during your run. In fact, you might have been shaking in your boots wondering why the heck you pay good money to put yourself through this misery!
Be Ready for Your Cutting Run …
It makes all the difference in how you do
We’ve all experienced the feeling of being SO ready to go cut. We knew we were on our game. Even if something very distracting, like a cow jumping over the fence, threatened to penetrate our laser focus we knew we could handle it.
World-class athletes in every sport who perform consistently have a methodical way of getting ready to perform. This is true particularly on competition day.
Get VERY CLear About Your Cutting Goals This Year
Five Suggestions to Get You There
So often we get swept away by what happened last year, what our best friend is doing, or what someone else thinks we should do.
But, what you want to accomplish this year is up to your desires, your current horse, family, or financial situations.
No matter what someone else is experiencing in our sport, it is important to decide what you want to achieve this year. Setting these goals is not the responsibility of your trainer, your spouse, or your friends.
Recover Between Cattle in the Cutting Arena
It is Critical to Your Success
One of the skills that separates cutting competitors is an ability to relax or recover between cattle.
I’m speaking about an ability to lower your heart rate and brain wave activity for several seconds after you quit a cow. When developed, this occurs just before you re-enter the herd for the next cut.
This is a learned skill. It must be conditioned. It is as important as anything else you do to keep yourself focused and thinking clearly during your run.
Personal Performance Resources
Cutting Resources
Live Events
Special To Me
-
-
-
Now You Can Share Your Favorite Blog Posts With Friends
Just click this green icon
at the end of each blog post to see all your options! Subscribe RSS Feed
Subscribe to this site's RSS feed.