If you want to rope faster, cleaner, and more consistently, it all starts with how you on the breakaway roping dummy—and Martha Angelone has some key tips.
One of her favorite drills teaches ropers how to keep their form solid all the way through the throw. She shares her top takeaways for making dummy practice more effective. Watch the full video on Roping.com.
1. Stand Like You’re Sitting on Your Horse
Many beginners instinctively walk through their throw when roping the dummy—but this habit can create bad mechanics when you get on your horse. Forward momentum might feel natural on the ground, but it doesn’t translate well to horseback.
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“A lot of beginners have a bad habit of walking all the way through their throw. And I get it—a lot of people are more comfortable doing that, and I do it too sometimes. But if you’re walking through your throw, you’re not getting used to throwing your rope sitting like you would on your horse. At my clinics, I tell the girls: when you’re roping the dummy, stand like you’re sitting on your horse. That way, they learn to use their core and upper body strength to finish the throw instead of relying on that step forward.”
2. Adjust Hips for Moving Calves
One of Angelone’s most important drills simulates a calf veering mid-run by positioning your body at a 45-degree angle to the dummy. Don’t turn your whole body to face the dummy when roping; just pivot from your hips.
“You’re not going to move your whole body; I just want you to move your hips. This drill teaches you how to keep your body position through the whole run, how to stay square and still be able to finish.
3. Slow Is Fast: Do the Drills Correctly to Create Muscle Memory
Repetition is key—but only if it’s done with intention. Angelone practices specific angles over and over to build muscle memory that eliminates hesitation in real runs.
“I like to rope the dummy a lot of different ways, a lot of different positions. When I’m practicing at the house, I’ll rope the dummy 10 times from here, 10 times from straight behind, 10 times from over here. That way I practice absolutely everything.”
Build a strong foundation in breakaway roping with Roping.com’s library of training videos for breakaway beginners. Learn the basics with the complete Breakaway Fundamentals playlist.
