Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-11-14
THE COWBOYS ROPE.

s. Inc. modern management of cattle
does not offer 80 extensive field for the
use OF the lariat as the old system, saws
the Kansas City Star. Up to within five
or six years, to bo a good roper was over
a question in making ones estimate Of
good cowboy, and the boys were very
dexterous. Now, months may go with
out rope being taken from the saddle,
and there are people in the business
who could not rope their own horses.
A lariat is usually of half-inch MANILA
rope and is about sixty feet long. At
one end the rope is bent backward and
! spliced into itself, making an eyelet for
the rope to run in and form the loop.
This eyelet is called the Aundoo, and as
the loop is grasped for throwing this
hundoo is two feet forward of the hand
and by its weight assists in spreading
the loop as the roper whirls and throws
it.
The cowboy bred on the plains throws
big loop-twenty feet of rope in it
but the boys from Southern Texas, who
had their novitiate among trees and
brush, use a much smaller loop. In
throwing nothing but the loop is
handled with the right hand, the re-
Gerve rope being coiled loose in the left
While go feet Is the usual limit of
a lariat, have witnessed an exhi-
Htion Of roping wherein a slim bow
OF twenty tied his rope to steer ut
distance Of. 104 feet. The rope is now
mostly confined to the branding pens
and the horse corrals. In the latter one
might as we'll be no roper as not, be-
cause the horses have such fear of bo-
ing cholned and thrown that any of
them will stop still as statue in the
midst of the maddest charge the moment
rope falls across his back. The bronco
regards himself as prey and q spoil to
man the moment he feels rope and
renders himself captive, rescue or no
rescue. The roping in the branding
pen does not call for q high grade of
skill, as the infant bovine, who is tho
object of the meeting is generally
standing, sad and dcwncast, immediate.
~ between your pony's front legs. The
"go" has all been run out of his little
legs and the gayety driven from his
youthful heart long before he was
crowded with his woe-begone com.
panions into the circle of torture.
It is frequently necessary to run q
road-brand on herd Of grown cattle
which are intended to take the trail for
long distances. This road-brand assists
In their recovery in the event of O
stampede, and even after year or two.
1t Is now put on while running the
cattle through chute, but in the times
which ante-dated chuteB 1t was among q
cowpuncher's most exhaustive and ex.
asperating duties. Think of ropinp,
tying down and branding every member
of o herd Of 1000 head of wild and full
grown cattle on fenceless plaini It
was like facing 400 rounds of catch.
as-catch-can wrestling with an expert.
In roping big cattlo great percent
age Of success is dependent on your
pony. He must understand his part of
the business. A common accident to
careless cowboys and green ponies is to
have the saddle turned by side pull.
This means that you are pro tenn.
scof and jeer TO other cowpunchers, to
say nothing OF having your 800 saddle
torn to flinders by your agonized pony.
Outside OF Wild West shows there is
scarcely any Of this hcadlong throwing
of heavy cattle which has common illus
tration In cigarette pictures Making
weak and grass.fed pony which weighs
less than 600 pounds swap ends with q
1,2oo-pound steer is not lawn tennis,
and q cowboy knows betterway. When
his lariatis safe about the victims horns
be, by q steady pressure, brings him
20 sullen standstill; then, with the
rope loose on the ground, he rides
clear around the steer and incloses all
his feet This done he spurs off like
thunderbolt and tho steer is tripped on
his side. The moment no is down the
pony faces around SO as to make the
rope pull straight over his shoulders and
permit him to watch the steer. Thsbo
has TO have his pony at this point and Il
is the pony's duty 70 keep the steer from
regaining his feet. This he does by
backing and by keeping steady strain
on the rope, thus holding the steer's
hoad along tho ground. While thus
posed the bow ties hia heinls.au leua d