What Happens When You Lasso a Horse?

Catching a horse is not always as simple as walking out into a pasture and haltering one. In some cases, especially working ranches or with wild horses, approaching the horse on foot is not an option. In these cases, it is most common for a person to form a lasso, approach the horse on another horse, then throw the lasso around the horse's neck and subdue it.

  1. First Reaction

    • When the horse feels the lasso first settle around its neck or legs, its first reaction will be to shy away from the touch and try and move in the opposite direction. It is important that the person be prepared for this and ready to brace for the pull.

    Fight or Flight

    • Instinct will kick in as soon as the rope tightens. The horse is a fight or flight creature; it will either attempt to run away from danger, or attack it in self-defense. In most cases, the horse will fling itself away from the rope and may fight the rope with its feet or teeth. In rarer, more dangerous cases, the horse will charge the human who has roped them, intending to attack.

    Submission

    • In some cases, especially where the animal has been handled and roped before, once the lasso tightens around the neck, the horse will drop its head and submit, just as if it were haltered.

    Forced Submission

    • In cases where the horse is determined to run or fight, the lasso must be tightened to choke it into submission. This is not necessarily the best outcome as it is terrifying for the horse and dangerous for the human, but in cases where a wilder horse is dealt with, it may be the only option.