Dakota Kirchenschlager rides French On Time, a six-year-old mare by One Time Pepto with plenty of natural intensity and all the ability to match it. The key to getting the most out of a horse like this, Dakota explains, is keeping her relaxed and confident so that talent has somewhere productive to go.

One of the standout moments of this session comes early: Dakota misses the steer on his first run, but French On Time travels down the arena slow, controlled, and exactly where he wants her mentally. He calls it a success. When you're training horses, recognizing when you've hit your real objective matters more than whether you caught. The loop missed. The horse did her job.

Dakota also addresses a common trap when cattle are running slow: letting your swing slow down with them. Staying aggressive with your swing while still riding your horse correctly is a discipline that separates good runs from average ones. Throughout the session he focuses on preventing French On Time from anticipating the face, keeping her slowed down and relaxed through the turn.

Beyond the arena work, Dakota talks about balancing life as a horse trainer with raising his family, shares the conformation traits he looks for in a top head horse, and breaks down what he believes Kaleb Driggers does exceptionally well when showing head horses. A well-rounded session covering training, competition strategy, and the mindset it takes to develop a confident, consistent performer.