Ranch roping is at the heart of all ranch work, and unlike the rodeo variation of calf roping, the “vacquero” tradition calls for techniques that result in a skillful and graceful throw and catch. Buck Brannaman, a world-renowned master of the art, describes the essential tools, the partnership between horse and rider (incorporating the Natural Horsemanship approach for which the author is famous), and the mechanics needed to become a successful ranch roper, whether in competition or in actual cattle work. One-hundred full-color photographs of Buck in action enhance the step-by-step methodology that leads to mastering this essential Western skill. Whether you ride or rope or just wish you could, here’s a book for everyone who is captivated by Western traditions and contemporary life.

Buck Brannaman, a lifelong working cowboy and one of the most popular clinicians working today, shares his insights on the practical application of roping. Buck explains the fundamentals of rope-handling, basic and advanced swings, the efficient and humane use of a rope on cattle, and safely roping a horse. 40 pages, with more than 100 color photos.

Straight-from-life reminiscences of Hafen's youth growing up on a southwestern ranch. Throughout these personal essays, Hafen addresses important issues of land use and management currently affecting the West.

For more than a hundred years, American cowboys have made their living through the skilled use of horse and rope. Whole libraries have been devoted to the horse, but no one, until now, has written a thorough study of the origins and evolution of ranch roping--which differs from arena roping as practiced by rodeo cowboys. Author/cowboy John Erickson studies ranch roping from every angle: its origins in the Old World; old-time loops and throws; the influence of modern team roping; and the endless debate between those cowboys who rope "hard and fast" and those who "dally." Mixing scholarship with his working--cowboy's knowledge of the subject, Erickson tells stories of cowboys who could not resist fitting their loops on "things that ort not to be roped," such as elk, deer, badgers, bears, and bobcats. He tells of jackrabbit roping contests, and of cowboys who roped mice, geese, hogs, wives, or a runaway milk wagon. Anyone who has ever "built a loop" or even thought about it will find this book hard to put down.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 151) and index.

Maybe you compete in versatility ranch-horse events or plan to meet that challenge and want to take advantage of every opportunity to polish your performance. Perhaps cattle work can put a fresh perspective on your riding program, or you simply want a handy, responsive horse, no matter what your day’s ride might bring. Whatever your interest in Ranch-Horse Versatility, Colorado horseman Mike Major is uniquely qualified to provide the information to take your horse program to the next level. A rancher by profession and a competitor by choice, Major has developed the horsemanship expertise to be successful in both venues, in large part because he draws no real distinction between his show horses and ranch horses. A Major Cattle Company horse might well work on the ranch today and compete in the arena tomorrow, a dual-purpose approach that has proven successful. Major and his stallion, Smart Whiskey Doc, have claimed multiple national titles—American Quarter Horse Association 2006 Bayer Select Working Cow Horse World Champion, World’s Greatest Versatility Horse at the National Versatility Ranch Horse Association 2008 and 2009 National Finals, and AQHA 2009 and 2010 Versatility Ranch Horse Open World Champion. Plus, in 2010 Major rode Black Hope Stik, a daughter of Smart Whiskey Doc, to become the inaugural Battle in the Saddle Ranch Remuda Champion and the first Project Cowboy Champion. American stock-horse associations were founded on the backs of such talented horses, and versatility competition has brought a renewed appreciation for these all-around athletes. In his book, Major shares how he develops such responsive, maneuverable horses. His understanding, how-to tips and thoughtful insights in Ranch-Horse Versatility can help you sharpen your skills to ride effectively, compete successfully and show your horse to advantage.

Most horsemen agree that timing, feel, and balance are the holy trinity of horsemanship. The balance is brilliant: scientific facts and the empirical evidence to support those facts assembled by two highly respected professionals in their respective disciplines.

The most important tool for a cowboy is a rope. What he has done with it in the last 200 years is amazing. The evolution of the cowboy from taking care of cattle on the range to his competitive, top-level professional roping is all covered here. Why did calf roping replace steer roping? What kind of rope is best for each roping event? Since ranch cowboys have been team roping forever, why has it just become so popular? What makes a good roping horse? The answers to these questions and many more are in these pages, as are the stories and lives of ropers, and some of their mounts, from every era. As J. Frank Dobie once said, ?Facts are stubborn things. but they do make a good read!