So today it was cold and nasty so after my school work and chores I practiced my roping. Okay I practiced my tying and my roping but I didn't really ride today. You see there are a few things that I use to practice ... Tools of the trade in a way. I often refer to my practice but I never really thought to explain myself until I was asked a few more questions the other night about it. So I decided to make a post to show you just what I mean when I practice. First, I practice tying on my tying dumbie. I made it myself and it works pretty good for me ... It is part of an old tire with 3 legs on it. The legs are scraps of wood and the duck tape is to keep the rope from slipping off the "legs" since they are much snoother then a real calf's legs would be.
This is the one I call the roping dumbie. It is really a bale of hay or straw with plastic forms on each end. I use the end with no horns to practice calf roping and the one with horns for team roping practice. Mom makes this one stay outside so my time practicing on it is short when it is cold.
This is my cowboy toy and I use it to practice my roping inside. It is small so it really isn't like roping at all but it helps with my form and aim.
And some times I use this metal one to practice when I need to get some heeling practice in. All in all I have alot of things I do to practice but all of them are parts of roping and even though I can't put it all together in the roping pen each day I can practice the elements.
Is there anything you do in parts to make the an activity easier when you can't do the whole activity??? Leave me a comment and tell me about it.