THE CUTTING EDGE

Everyone knows about a cowboy using his rope for branding a calf, team roping at a rodeo, roping a steer for shipping, or a horse to ride fences.  Another job cowboys have, is called cutting.  The horse is trained to separate the mother cow from her calf so the littles one can be counted, branded, tagged and given medications. This is done before it’s sold or put back into the herd until a later date. The modern “cutting horse” has evolved from this ranch job into an extremely competitive, equestrian event. Horses are trained for physical agility, quickness, “cow sense,” and smoothness in performing their task.  During a “cutting horse” competition, judging is strongly concentrated on the horse, with less stringent emphasis on the cow or the rider. The breeding and training of these horses is closely followed and quite expensive.  People who watch this event know The Cutting Edge that puts the team into the winner’s circle, is a beautiful “dance” which makes the horse, cow and rider a single graceful unit.