Cody Crow steps on a 3-year-old gelding who is a touch behind on his lope departures, wanting to pop up and get pushy rather than departing correctly. Rather than pushing past it, Cody uses it as a schooling opportunity and walks through exactly how he addresses it. He starts by loping the colt for a bit to take the fresh edge off before asking for the departure. From there, Cody breaks down how he frames the horse up in preparation, how he uses his legs to ask, and the specific steps he works through to get a clean, correct departure. He wants the hind end stepping up underneath, the back rounded, and the horse soft and responsive rather than heavy in the bridle. Staying light with his hands is intentional. A horse that gets pulled on will pull back, so Cody works to keep the contact minimal and let the frame do the work. He works the lope departure on both leads and offers an important reminder throughout: don't over bend your horse. A clean, correct departure starts with a horse that is straight, soft, and ready. A practical and detailed look at one of the foundational maneuvers in the ranch horse pen.