How to Rope a Wild Horse

To get close to a wild horse, your best bet is to rope the horse and capture it. Roping the horse allows you to safely escort the wild animal to the area that you want it to stay in, be it the barn or a fenced-in enclosure. Capturing a horse and working with it to tame it can be a difficult and dangerous job due to the animal's unpredictable temperament and reactions to humans.

Things You'll Need

  • Long rope
  • horse to ride
Show More

Instructions

    • 1
      Cowboys and cowgirls use lassos to catch wild horses.

      Get a long rope and tie a Honda knot so you can use it as a lasso. Tie the Honda knot by starting out with a simple overhand knot that you would use to tie your shoes. Push down on the knot to create an open loop and run the tail end of the rope through the loop. This creates the lasso. Practice throwing the lasso so that you can get used to the action of looping the rope over something.

    • 2
      Ride out to the wild herd's location.

      Mount your horse and place your rope in an area where you can easily reach it. Many cowboys carry the lasso on the horn of their western saddle so that it is easily retrievable.

    • 3
      Find the wild horses.

      Locate the wild horse herd by riding to their last known location. Follow the hoof prints of the herd until you spot the horses.

    • 4

      Follow the wild horses and guide them into an area that is hard to get out of. A blocked-off canyon or a corral works well for this.

    • 5

      Throw your lasso around the wild horse's head and pull on the rope to tighten it. The wild horse will fight you and be upset at the capture. Have other riders support you while you attempt to capture the horse. The other riders can surround the horse so that it cannot escape.