Wesley Thorp is back on a new heel horse, working through the early stages of building consistency and control—starting on the dummy. This horse has been passed between riders, recently heeled on left-handed, and shows signs of drifting out of position after the turn. The focus today: drive to the correct spot, hold it, and stay there through multiple hops until the throw.
Thorp walks through how to use leg pressure, timing, and repetition to teach the horse to stay locked in—not just get there, but maintain position. He emphasizes the importance of riding with purpose, being ready to throw on your terms, and keeping the horse moving up under you. For ropers at any level, this is a sharp reminder that if your horse isn’t giving you a window, your shot suffers.
The biggest takeaway? You don’t need a perfect horse—you need one that will consistently let you create the shot, not just take the first one you’re handed.
Up Next in Heeling Dummy Drills
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Dummy Roping Session Part 3
In this video, Dean Tuftin shows why they rope the dummy in a circle on young horses and what their focus is for each horse.
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Dummy Roping Session Part 2
At DT Horses, the focus is on what's best for the horse, not a timeline. In this video, Dean Tuftin heels the dummy in a snaffle at a trot.
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Dummy Roping Session
Even when heading, instilling circles is important. Dean Tuftin explains how following the dummy in a circle when heading reinforces a horse's left lead and keep them left at a good width from a steer.
