Beginner Ranch Roping Clinic by Ed Dabney Gentle Horsemanship

UPCOMING CLINICS

Please check back
for upcoming clinic dates

LOCATION
Cattle Ranch
2445 Sewell Road
Mansfield, GA
30055

We also have
Beginner Cow Working Clinics
Advanced Cow Working Clinics

CLINIC TIMES:
Saturday 10:00 - 5:00

CLINIC FEES:
Rider Clinic Fee $425

Release and Hold Harmless Policy
Cancellation Policy

The style of roping you will be learning is Ranch Roping as done on a working cattle ranch. This type of roping is executed with an emphasis on low stress stockmanship. Unlike competitive roping, ranch roping involves no speed or chasing the cattle. In ranch roping precision, finesse and skill are more important than speed because we want to keep the cattle herd calm and quiet.

You may arrive anytime after 9:00 AM. Look for “Dabney Clinic” signs at Sewell Road on Highway 229 directing you to the ranch. We will gather at the arena on foot without horses at 10:00 to begin the clinic. You may leave your horses tied to your trailer or tied to the arena fence. We will start with roping instruction from the ground on roping dummies, without horses. You will learn the basics of how to hold the rope, build a loop, throw several different types of loops for head and heel catches, pull slack, dally on the horn, and desensitize your horse to the swinging rope. You do not need to own a rope or have any prior roping knowledge to participate in this clinic. We will have a variety of ropes for you to use.

After that we will rope stationary dummies from horseback practicing pulling slack and dallying on the saddle horn. You will have plenty of personal coaching and time to practice these skills.

In the afternoon we will make sure your horse is ok around cattle then you will have the chance to rope live cattle in a controlled environment. We will start with break-away ropes with you on horseback in a small corral with a few cows. Once you have caught a few cows in the corral we will move on to break-away roping cows out of a herd in the arena.

If you have accomplished the fundamental skills proficiently and have successfully roped a few cows then you will have the opportunity to catch and hold cows with head and heel loops. There will be instruction on how to lay the cow down as if you were branding or doctoring and how to remove your ropes from the cow.

More Information

Lodging

There are Airbnbs available and major chain hotels in Covington, located within a 25 min drive to the Ball Ranch.

These hotels are all located at exit 93 off I-20:

Hampton Inn 678-212-2500 14460 Lockridge Blvd. Covington 30014

Holiday Inn Express 470-441-9500 1445 Paras Dr Covington, GA 30014

Travelodge 770-784-1849 10225 Hwy 142 N. Covington, GA 30014

Horse Boarding

We have stalls and outdoor paddocks available for $25 per night at the Dabney Farm only 1 1/2 miles from the cattle ranch. The 10 x 12 stalls have shavings and water.

Electric Hook-Up

$10. per/night. We have two 30 amp hookups available at the Dabney Farm 1034 Hodges Cir., Mansfield, GA 30055.
Free primitive or RV camping with no hook-ups is available at the cattle ranch. No restroom facilities are available at the cattle ranch until the day of the clinic.

What to Bring:

Meals and beverages for the day. There is a Subway about 4 miles from the ranch. Spectators bring lawn chair, note pad and pen, all horse tack for participants: Helmets are recommended and required for participants under 18 years old.

*Current Negative Coggins Required for all participant's horses. No stallions or dogs please.