Roping is an old skill that most likely originated in ancient times, as soon as humans began to manage herds of livestock. It was brought to the Americas by the Spanish and was soon incorporated into the American cowboy tradition. Today, roping is practiced as a competitive sport in rodeos but also continues to serve a practical purpose on working ranches.
At Ranchlands, we use ropes to catch and restrain animals that need doctoring or branding, since being roped out in the pasture is a far less stressful experience for cattle than having to be brought into a set of corrals somewhere.
In this video, Ranchlands founder Duke Phillips talks about the art of roping--the subtle techniques, such as positioning your horse with precision and keeping the herd of cattle calm, that go beyond basic skillfulness with a rope.
