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Breakaway Troubleshooting: My Horse is Too Hot in the Box

Danielle Lowman's advice: work, work work, work, rest.

Danielle Lowman trotting buckskin horse in a circle
Trotting circles in the arena then resting in the corner helps antsy horses relax in the box, Danielle Lowman says.

When milliseconds matter, keeping cool in the box and getting a good start can mean the difference between a winning run and being out of the money. Two-time NFBR qualifier Danielle Lowman—currently sitting No. 2 in the world standings—shares her advice for helping antsy horses learn to relax in the corner.

Danielle Lowman riding buckskin horse, backed into the box.
Watch the full video.

“When I first started, I did have a lot of box problems with my horses. To be honest, just letting them do circles in the arena when they’re hot—lope ’em, trot ’em, whatever—then letting them rest and breathe in the corner, teaches them this is a resting area where they can relax.“

All my horses, if they’re hot in the box, I’m gonna lope, lope, lope, lope, lope, and head straight back to the box after I’m done. And then I’ll just sit them there and let them breathe. Teach them they can relax there and they’re not always going to have to blast.”

For more insights, watch the full video on Roping.com.

More Roping.com instructional videos on box work:

Learn more about the Roping.com masterclasses offered for all levels of ropers. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced breakaway roper, we offer a diverse range of instructional videos led by top coaches.

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