Steer Stopping Fundamentals
If you’ve ever wanted a clearer understanding of how steer stopping is taught, practiced, and executed, this playlist brings it all together in one place.
In this Ride TV series, Brad Barkemeyer, Brad Lund, and Dakota Kirchenschlager break down the fundamentals of steer stopping step by step — from getting comfortable and selecting the right rope to tracking the cow, delivering your loop, and matching the speed of the steer.
You’ll see how they:
Introduce a horse to the dummy and build confidence
Progress from roping the dummy to live cattle
Work through rope exposure and cattle practice
Adjust for the horse and steer you have
Fine-tune timing, rate, and positioning
Whether you’re new to steer stopping or looking to sharpen your fundamentals, this playlist gives you a complete look at how top horsemen approach the event from the ground up.
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Introduction to Steer Stopping
What is steer stopping? Brad Barkemeyer breaks down this popular event and when you might see it at a reined cow horse event.
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Roping Runs
After Brad Barkemeyer has gone through his steer stopping fundamentals to ensure his horse is comfortable with the rope and roping box, it's time to do a couple of live runs to see how his horse responds.
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Rope Selection
What kind of rope do you need for steer stopping? Brad breaks down what he looks for in a rope.
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Roping Horns
There are different ways to rope the horns depending on personal preference. Brad discusses his strategy for catching both horns, and how to use centrifugal force to rope the horns.
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Roping Delivery
After practicing on the ground and getting comfortable handling a rope, you can start working on your roping delivery in the saddle. Brad goes over some of the drills he likes to do using a roping dummy.
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Track the Cow
Most horses who participate in this event come from a reined cow horse background. Which means that when they see a cow, they think they're either going to cut it or go down the fence. Brad Barkemeyer shows you a few cow tracking drills he does with his horses to help them learn the difference be...
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Cattle Practice
Once you have the fundamentals in place and your horse is comfortable tracking cattle, you can start doing box work with your horse.
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Rope Exposure
Before you get on your horse and start swinging your rope, take time to desensitize your horse to the rope on the ground to ensure he's comfortable.
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The Training Progression of Roping the Dummy
Brad discusses the step-by-step breakdown of roping the dummy, to practice in an effective way. Focus first on getting comfortable building and throwing your loop before you practice pulling your slack and dallying.
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Getting Comfortable
Once your in the saddle, take time to get your horse comfortable to all the sights and sounds that come with this event before heading into the chute.
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Introducing Your Horse to the Dummy and Basics of Practicing While Moving
When you're ready to practice on a moving target, introduce your horse to the dummy to develop a pattern and routine, and teach rate. Analyze how your horse responds to the dummy, and allow him to become comfortable by tracking it before you begin roping.
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Introduction to Steer Stopping
Brad Lund goes over the basics of steer stopping. He talks about introducing a horse to the event for the first time, gives tips on where you should be in the chute, and talks about what you want the end result to look like.
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Adjusting for the Horse and Steer You Have
Brad Lund coaches Dakota through a steer stopping run. He explains the technique Dakota is using and then the two discss being able to adjust your routine based on the horse you have and the steer you get.
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Matching the Speed of the Steer
Dakota Kirchenschlager steer stops on a reining horse. Brad Lund coaches him through it and the two disect the run. Brad talks about how Dakota's horse struggles to match the speed of the steer and gives tips to prevent this on the next run.
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Timing in Steer Stoping
