“If you’re in a hurry, be deliberate.” It
always fascinated me that Charmayne James’ horse Scamper looked like he
was running slower than the others, but his time was always faster! Was
his stride longer? Was his body longer? Were his legs longer? Did it
take less strides to go the same distance as the others? Or was each
step done with such precision that it eliminated even the slightest
misstep that would add micro-seconds to the run?
I watch with awe the rodeo calf ropers
that flop the calf to the ground and tie him down with two wraps and a
hooey, faster than the eye can see! They usually take the short cut on
the tie and wait on pins and needles, hoping it will stay tight the
required 6 seconds. However, he takes a risk by going for speed.
In real life I’ve developed the attitude
that “If you’re in a hurry, be deliberate.” I don’t care whether I’m
tying my horse to; a mesquite limb, a hitchin’ rail, or the side of a
trailer, it’s a long walk back to the corral if you’re a’foot! So, say
yer in the brush and yer pardner has a two-hundred pound calf roped
around the neck bawlin’, his mama bellerin’ and chargin’ and all of them
crashin’ back and forth! Many thoughts fly through your mind in the
middle of this wreck. Should you try and get a loop around the hocks?
Dismount and tie your horse to a branch? Walk down the tight rope, flop
the calf and hog-tie him before the bronky cow mows you down, OR…
Stop the picture and think, deliberately.
#1: The calf is caught. Regardless of the tangle he’s in, he’s not
getting away. #2: The odds of roping a hind foot in this co-mangled
arroyo would be like trying to rope a javelina in a garage with bicycles
hanging from the trusses. #3: You have time to dismount and secure your
barn-sour horse to a solid limb. #4: You slide your hand down the line,
flop the calf and hog-tie him. This releases your pardner from needing
to restrain the calf with his rope and he can keep busy shooshing the
ferocious mama cow who’s now coming at you like a Right Wing hockey
monster!
The key to me is to take the extra
seconds that will prevent more problems. If during your attempt to
hurry, you drop the rein, spook the horse, lose your glove or knock your
hat off … chalk up a demerit. Which causes you to mishandle the tight
line, get run over by the calf, get kicked in the groin, burn your hand
and drop the calf twice trying to throw him. Finally in desperation you
try to imitate Alan Bach with two wraps and a hooey which comes undone
as quick as you stand up.
By the third attempt you stop … and
remind yourself, “If you’re in a hurry, be deliberate.” Steady your hind
leg to push forward his hind legs. Drop your piggin’ string, loop
around the under front leg, pile the others on, take three wraps, one,
two, three, pull’em tight, Umph! Then take at least two hooeys and pull
them tight again, Umph! Umph!
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