Heeling Horsemanship

Heeling Horsemanship

Elevate your roping skills with the "Heeling Horsemanship" series, featuring insights from renowned coaches Clay O’Brien Cooper and Patrick Smith. This collection focuses on the essential techniques for selecting, conditioning, and refining heel horses, ensuring they are reliable assets in team roping. Learn from the best in the business to enhance your precision and performance in the arena. Unlock the secrets of effective heeling and strengthen your partnership with your horse through expert guidance.

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Heeling Horsemanship
  • The Never-Ending Horse Hunt

    Wesley Thorp on starting The Equine Exchange and its purpose.

  • The Rule of Three

    Horseman Brad Lund and Dakota Kirchenschlager learned the wisdom of "The Rule of Threes" from some legendary horsemen. They talk about their three-day-at-a-time approach to training and how they implement it. 

  • Adding Speed to a Cow Horse

    Most team ropers are riding cow-bred horses, and they often write in asking Trevor Brazile how to add speed to them and keep them running to the cow. In this video, Brazile and Miles Baker break down how they get the most out of their cow-bred horses.

  • The Importance of Safety and Knowing Your Limits

    Accomplished horseman Justin Briggs explains the importance of staying safe and protecting your investment when starting colts.

  • Correcting a Shouldering Heel Horse

    If a heel horse starts to lean into the bridle on the turn, Travis Graves addresses the problem quickly with his hands and feet. In this video, he describes how he keeps his horse working in his hand through a run. 

  • How the Pros Learn

    JD Yates is practically team roping royalty. Though he's seen much success on the rodeo and futurity scenes, he has never stopped learning. Yates explains that he continues to watch and learn from other trainers even today.

  • Managing Your Young Horse's Progress

    MUST-WATCH: Trevor Brazile breaks down how he insures his futurity horses peak at the right time for major events—including WND Affair., the horse that just won the American Rope Horse Futurity Association World Title in the heeling.

  • Weight In Your Stirrups

    Cody Snow and Wesley Thorp keep control of their horses and their bodies by keeping their feet balanced in their stirrups. 

  • Should You Cock Your Rope at the Ariat World Series Finale

    Things happen fast at the Ariat World Series of Team Roping Finale. Are you better off cocking your rope for a fast first swing, or holding the saddle horn out of the box? Trevor Brazile and Miles Baker pass along their experience and opinion.

  • Cesar de la Cruz | Pre-NFR Go-Round Routine 

    In this throwback video from the NFR in 2009, Cesar de la Cruz shows former Spin To Win Rodeo editor Bob Welch his pre-go-round dummy roping routine.

  • Warmup for Big Stops

    Each horse has unique needs in a warmup. Heel horses need a great stop, so building some stopping practice into your warmup is key.

  • Building Runs on a Young Heel Horse

    Dakota Kirchenschlager's program is about finding what each horse needs to develop confidence in their performance. In this video, Kirchenschlager makes the kinds of runs that put the pieces together for a young heel horse in training.

  • Heeling Donkeys Part 2: What Makes a Good Heeling Donkey

    What makes a good heeling donkey? Not just any donkey can make a great horse training tool. Clay O'Brein Cooper talks about what makes a good heeling donkey and why.

  • The First Run of the Day

    Wesley Thorp talks about his expectations and plan for the first run of the day. 

  • Hand Separation Through the Corner

    The type of horse you're riding can affect how you use your hands through your delivery. In this video, two-time World Champion Matt Sherwood discusses a challenge he faces with his horse and his left hand.

  • Rating off Your Rope

    Ropers talk about “rating off your rope”—a feel and timing that’s critical to develop in practice. Patrick Smith describes what that means and how to create it.

  • How to Keep Forward Momentum

    Heel horses need to maintain momentum through the delivery, keeping their front feet from punching the ground. Patrick Smith demonstrates a drill on the dummy with a student to keep the horse pedaling on the front end.

  • Breakdowns With Jake: Heeler's Reins

  • Freeing Your Heel Horse Up

    Ending a practice session by keeping your horses free and listening is a good idea no matter at what level you're roping.

  • Slowing Down A Chargy Horse In The Corner

    Making faster, more realistic runs can cause young horses to fall apart. Some horses that are naturally strong may start charging and rushing in the corner. Learn how to back them off with Matt Sherwood.

  • Roping For Your Horse - Drill To Keep Your Horse Light In The Corner

    Watch as Patrick Smith shares this drill to keep heel horses working well at the end of a practice.?

  • The Importance of Slow Practice Cattle

  • Green Horse Reminders on the Smarty

    Joseph Harrison demonstrates how he tunes up a green heel horse on the Smarty. 

  • Introducing Steer Stopping

    Brad Lund often takes cow horses and reiners and turn them into head and heel horses. In this video, he talks through an entire session on a green horse in the steer stopping.