Setting Up For Success in the Cutting Arena

Posted in: Ask A Pro, Featured, Horse Training

Working a cutting flag with a young horse can be a challenge, but also so rewarding. As me and my husband prepare one of our two year olds and a three year old for the show pen, I have been helping start them on the cutting flag. Though this can take years to perfect, there are a few basics that are easy to help get a young horse started, setting them up for success in the future. 

Always starting with a warm up so my horses are ready for the work, I (or my husband) start with some long trotting and loping circles; we always treat them like the athletes we expect them to become. Working up a small sweat, I like to use small circles trotting to work on getting a horse soft and supple off my feet and hands, never pulling on a horse’s face without using my feet to ask for the softness. Another exercise that is helpful to warm a horse up for the flag is finding something to work a circle with, I prefer a large tractor tire or round hay bale; now I work the colt in a circle with his nose to the inside. Using my feet I ask the colt to really load up into his face from his behind, lifting his shoulders up and creating softness into the snaffle bit. Once the horse is really soft, I ask him to stop and turn into the circle. The tire or hay bale will make sure the colt works his turn in a backwards motion as you would need on the flag or in the cutting arena, if the horse leaks forward he will hit his front legs on the bale/tire without hurting himself. Quickly they realize this is not comfortable and typically begin using themself correctly through the cutting turn. 

The cutting flag is one of my favorite training tools, helping prepare horses for the cutting arena. After the warm up, I start my horses off facing the flag, letting the flag move and urging the horse forward and into the flag. Some horses take to the flag really well, while others are more apprehensive, I like to let both types of  horses just start by tracking with the flag however they are most comfortable. The flag should be their favorite place to be, not a place of discomfort;  horses should crave working the cow, not be scared of it. Starting with long strides of the flag passing back and forth, I encourage horses to follow as closely as they can with the flag. 

From there I work on correctness, asking the horse to work the flag, straight and backing up into the turn. Typically I get lined up with the flag, move it forward asking the horse follow, stop the flag and ask the horse to stop as well. To set up the turn I start the flag going back in the opposite direction, having the horse back up with the flag. Once it passes the stirrup I ask the horse to cross over, turning almost like the flag is pulling the horses nose around with it. After the turn is finished I use my inside leg to push the horse’s ribs out of the way and back into a C-shape, which prepares the horse for the next stop and turn. This is a really simple and easy way to start a horse on the cutting flag.

cutting

Posted in: Ask A Pro, Featured, Horse Training


About Anna Foulger

Hey there! My name is Anna Foulger, I am a young mom of soon to be two; a toddler daughter and little boy on the way! Me and my husband ranch in Eastern Montana with his family and we love every minute! My background is in...

View all posts by Anna Foulger


Comments