Working Ranch Magazine - Index

Working Ranch Magazine - magazine - Index

TIM O’BYRNE
remudaBY
PHOTO BY LISA ARNOLDY
WWW.LISKPRODUCTIONS.COM
NO TURNING BACK
Unless you’re mounted on a horse like this!
he star of the show is the cutting horse, his rider stuck to the
saddle like a kid’s wet mitten to a frozen doorknob. All eyes
are on the graceful, explosive moves of this talented equine
athlete. “I’d hate to be that cow,” drawls a nearby spectator.
Deep sand splashes as the horse gets down and dirty.
The rider intuitively knows when
the cow in front of them is spent.
Reaching forward, he lays a hand on
the quivering horse’s wither. The
response is immediate. Together, they
turn quietly and walk back into the
70 |WORKING RANCH | JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2008
settled herd.
The magic of watching a great cutting
horse in action is addicting. But there’s
more to the dance than one man, one
horse, and one cow. The star of the
show has a little help.
This turnback horse and rider play a huge role in helping the
cutter and cutting horse show to the best of their ability. Good
turnback help can make all the difference in a winning ride.
WHEN PRESSURE
IS A GOOD THING
Equestrian sporting events often
rely on support riders that play a critical
role outside the spotlight. In
rodeo, hazers line out the bulldogger’s
horse and the critter they’re doggin’.
Pickup men work in tandem to provide
safety and security during the
chaotic few seconds that a bronc rider
spends in the arena. In the cutting
pen, a pat on the back goes to the
turnback help. Without them, things
would be a lot different out there.
The term turnback help is slang for
the horse/rider combination that provides
opposing pressure to set the
stage for a cow to make the proper
moves during the cut. It’s not as easy