Ranch sorting is a fast-paced, exciting, and family-friendly event with plenty of action for every level of rider. Working in pairs, riders sort off numbered cattle as quickly as they can. Whether you’re in the gate or in the herd, ranch sorting requires horsemanship, the ability to read cattle, and learning how to make quick judgement calls.
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Working the gate might just be the hardest aspect of ranch sorting. In this video, Logan Wolfe, Event Director of Cinch RSNC and Ride TV coach, talks you through his thought process and techniques as he works the gate and handles different situations.
Start Small
“We’ll start with cattle #0, and she starts by taking the cow to the left. I don’t like moving too much in the gate to start. I like my movements to make a difference. So I come over here, take a step back, roll over, and open the gate up. I open the gate up when her cow is all by itself to make sure it has plenty of room to go through.”
▶️ Watch the full video lesson.
When the Cow Isn’t on the Fence
“In this situation the good cow is on the inside of the bad cow. Not ideal, but happens all the time. When that happens, I came to the fence side, and told my partner to come around me, so I can control the bad cow to the left, turn it into the fence, and she can back off, and let the cow come around me. When your good cow is not on the fence, but on the inside, then the gate person needs to move to the inside. They’ll try to hold the bad cows on the left and let the good cows come around the inside.”
▶️ Watch the full video lesson.
Getting More Aggressive While Working the Gate
“I move to the left and try to move this cow out of the way and open the hole up. It lets her turn around quicker. We go to #3, I take a step back, once the cow rolls up, I go forward to it. I’m being a little more aggressive, getting further out of the gate, positioning the cows so she can turn around and go for the next one quickly.”
▶️ Watch the full video lesson.
Last Cow On the Wall
“When their cow is the last cow on the wall, my job is to move the bad cows out of the way, then get out of the way for the good cow to come out. So when the last bad cow goes, I step forward, let the good cow out.”
▶️ Watch the full video lesson.
Your Horse’s Position in the Gate
“Now I’m going to go over the basics of holding the gate…A good starting place is for your flank or leg to be in line with the gate. This is a good base starting position. This way, if you have cattle on both sides you can draw back a bit and keep everything in front of you. But you don’t want to go much further back than the middle of your horse’s neck, because then the bad cows can stick their nose through.”
▶️ Watch the full video lesson.
Keep Your Horse’s Hips in the Hole
“You want to make sure you keep your horse’s hips in the hole. Make turns that are 90 degrees to make it easy. Take a step back, roll over, make a 90 degree turn, and stop on each side. A lot of people will make a round turn, and this can cause you to scoop up some bad cows. It also gives that cow the option to run past you. Instead of turning like that, take a step back like a cutter would, and then halfway through your turn you’re already in position to stop the bad cows.”
▶️ Watch the full video lesson.
Create a Funnel
“Once the last bad cow is turned, I step forward to create a funnel. I’m part of the wing, the panels are the other wing, and the good cow will funnel itself right out.”
▶️ Watch the full video lesson.
