03/18/05 Ropes

Ropes Ropes are necessary tools in cowboy work, but sometimes they can cause a lot of trouble. I'm Jeff Keane; I'll be right back to explain. Ropes are a big help in working cattle or horses and can be an extension of a cowboy's arm just like a magic wand. A rope in the hands of a skilled rider can be viewed as a true art form. Over the years I've become convinced the greatest skill concerning ropes is knowing when to use a rope and more importantly, when to leave it coiled on your saddle and just ride away. But that doesn't seem to be what happens nearly enough times. The cowboy attitude is if it doesn't go the way it should, stop when it should, or turn when it shouldjust rope it. Now, I couldn't be the sweat in a real cowboy's hatband, but I've done a pretty good cowboy imitation when it comes tojust rope it. The trouble withjust rope itis that the next step is never thought out, seems like you forget you're on a steep, rocky hill, the critter outweighs your horse by a bunch, or you dismiss the fact you're on an unseasoned colt. Now these minor items don't get too many good hands in trouble, but to someone with my abilities they can mean disaster. The one cold hard fact that gets even the top hands in trouble is that 99.9% of the time it's a lot easier to put a rope on something than it is to get it off that certain something. I guess you could say ropes are like guns in a wayit's not the rope's fault, it's the cowboy that uncoils it. I'm Jeff Keane.