- ALWAYS STOP FIRST BEFORE YOU TURN (do not make rounded turns)
- STOP STRAIGHT
- ALWAYS TURN TOWARD THE COW [This is cast in stone!]
- ALWAYS FINISH YOUR POSITION, especially going to the fence, BEFORE YOU MAKE THE NEXT MOVE
- DRIVE WITH POWER OUT OF THE TURN (you can always “rate back”)
- DO NOT ALLOW YOUR HORSE TO DRIFT OFF THE LINE YOU ARE PROTECTING, either by “fading” away from the cow or by moving closer to the cow
- When cutting a cow from the herd – once you get the cut and drive the cow from the herd, when the cow “breaks”(turns) you “break”(turn) with it – that is your line to protect to prevent the cow from going back to the herd
- When a cow is moving and drops its head it is about to turn back
- When rating your horse to the cow – start to “rate” your horse when the horse’s eye is at the pin bones of the cow (for a small cow because they will turn faster) or when the horse’s eye is at the shoulder of the cow (for a large cow [300/400/lbs.]) so you don’t override the cow and get ahead of its eye
- If you “lose” a cow, i.e., when any part of the cow crosses your lateral line (when the cow crosses your eye), DO NOT CHASE THE COW BY RIDING BEHIND HIM, instead “check” your horse and establish a new lateral line which will allow you to block him before he gets back to the herd
