{"id":734805,"date":"2022-11-09T14:05:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T19:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xfactorteamroping.com\/?p=734805"},"modified":"2022-11-10T09:59:46","modified_gmt":"2022-11-10T14:59:46","slug":"training-your-heel-horse-the-very-first-steps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xfactorteamroping.com\/training-your-heel-horse-the-very-first-steps\/","title":{"rendered":"Training Your Heel Horse: The Very First Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maybe you\u2019ve just acquired a heel horse and are starting at square one. Or maybe you have a little experience under your belt, and are honing in on your roping technique. Either way, this guide can help you learn how to train your heel horse from the very beginning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even a horse that\u2019s used to being ridden will have to acclimate to several new things to be a successful heel horse. It will have to get used to seeing the rope, following a dummy, and later, chasing cattle. You\u2019ll also have to learn how you want it to approach the steer during and after your throw.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Experienced team ropers compare heeling to the precision of a golf swing. But before you can dial in on your rope, you\u2019ll need to get your heel horse used to what you want it to do.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before you even begin, it\u2019s important to have a solid relationship with your horse. Trust is important and it\u2019s best to first develop that relationship by spending time and riding your heeling horse. And that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to focus on in this blog post. From there, you may want to start with a dummy and then graduate to a live calf or steer. Letting your heeling horse get comfortable will be time well spent. But more on that later!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Important Cattle Heeling Terms to Know\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re new to the sport, then there may be a few terms or aspects of team roping you may be unfamiliar with. These things are good to know:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is Team Roping?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

When two individuals work together to rope or “capture” a steer, it\u2019s called team roping. One person (the header) lassos the front of the steer, typically by their horns. Right after that happens, the other person lassos the steer by the back legs. This rider is known as the “heeler”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Team roping is a sport that evolved from cowboys\u2019 need to rope animals like steer or oxen. This was for a variety of reasons, such as branding the animal, tending to its health, or getting it back in pasture. Any animal that was too big for one man to stop on his own power needed roping. Team roping is now a timed sport that requires the collaboration and talents of both riders and horses.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is A Heel Horse?<\/span><\/h3>\n

A heel horse is a horse ridden by the heeler. It is trained to get in close to the steer so the heeler can rope the steer\u2019s back legs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Does It Mean To \u2018Leg One?\u2019<\/span><\/h3>\n

This is when the heeler manages to rope only one of the hind legs and the team is charged with a 5-second penalty.<\/span><\/p>\n

Important Steps to Training Your Heel Horse\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

We know you’re excited to get to riding and roping. But before you can start earning accolades in the ring, you must develop a strong relationship with your heel horse. There are several steps to <\/span>training a green heel horse<\/span><\/a>, and we will walk you through a few of them here.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Heeler\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Building a Bond<\/span><\/h3>\n

There are a lot of ways to bond with your horse, with and without riding them. Non-riding bonding activities might include:<\/span><\/p>\n