This practice session is about getting a young, hard-running horse to handle pressure without coming apart. I’m not trying to win anything today—I’m just trying to build a rope horse that can stay calm, listen and handle being asked for more. You’ll see how I work through his tendency to get his blood pumping, how I use scoring and steer stopping to reset his mind and why timing matters when adding pressure. I’ll show you where he’s getting better, where he’s still unsure and how I adjust what I’m doing to fit what he’s ready for. This isn’t about fancy moves—it’s about feel, timing and helping him find his confidence one step at a time.
READ: Building Confidence in Young Rope Horses
1. Knowing the Mind
I’ve been working with this 5-year-old gelding by Winners Version out of a Foose daughter for a couple of years. He’s hot-blooded—quick to react, always thinking ahead—and that’s made his training a slow burn. We tried to start him at 4, but he told us loud and clear he wasn’t ready. So I shelved the roping for a while and just put miles on him—ranch work, riding every day, letting him settle and mature. Since December, I’ve been roping on him more consistently, and now he’s finally at a place where I think he can handle the pressure of a show. Today, I’m going to keep it quiet: score a bunch, rope a few and focus on keeping his mind right.
2. Building Pressure Without Losing the Horse
This gelding used to get real sour with any pressure—whether from my legs or the bridle. He’d throw his head, pop his tail, just fight it. So I took the baby steps route: pressure, wait for the softness, then release. Over time, I’ve gotten him to where he can accept pressure without panicking. I want to be able to put a rein on him and move his body without a fight. Warm-ups now include simple drills—push the hip over, move the shoulder, get lateral movement. He can stay straight, I just want him responsive and soft under pressure.
READ: Riding Is as Important as Roping at the Highest Level
3. Keeping the Mind Quiet Under Pressure
He’s at the stage where I can start holding his feet to the fire, but I still have to protect his mind. He’s learning to rope, sure, but more importantly, he’s learning how to manage pressure without losing his cool. In this practice session, he started getting anxious—elevating, pulling his head up when I roped—but I know what that is: mental overload. So I backed off, walked him out, let him take a breath. I’ve learned that if I don’t keep his brain calm, it doesn’t matter how athletic he is—he’ll beat himself. Roping well comes second. First, they have to think clearly.
4. Fine-Tuning Performance in the Box
One thing I noticed today: he’s not leaving the box with enough fire. He’s breaking late, floating out, and by the time we’re on the cow, I’m asking for too much. That’s on me—I’ve been roping slow steers and letting him ease into things. But with some shows coming up, it’s time to sharpen him up. That means fresher cattle, more aggressive starts and reinforcing that, when I drop the clutch, he’s got to go. I don’t want to chase the cow—I want him driving from the corner of the box with intent.
WATCH: Building Speed Without Sacrificing Control
5. Knowing When to Push and When to Back Off
This session showed me he’s close, but not quite show-ready. I’ll score a few more, maybe rope one more and then be done. What matters now is reading where he’s at and adjusting. A month ago, I couldn’t have done half of what I did today—he wasn’t mentally ready. But now, I can press a little harder. Still, the second he gets too elevated, I’ve got to bring him back down. That’s the balance: knowing when to push and when to pause. Every horse is different, and it’s on you to know your animal.
—TRJ—
