A lariat is a braided leather rope used in cattle ranching to capture animals, often with a sliding knot or loop. The word lariat comes from the Spanish “la reata.” It can also be used for rope tricks and there is a style of jewelry called a lariat necklace.
In the world of cattle ranching, a lariat is a length of braided leather rope used to scuffle or capture cattle, generally by forming a noose and ensnaring the animal’s legs or head. A typical lariat used by working cowboys on a cattle ranch would be between 40 to 50 feet (12.2 to 15.2 m) in total length and would have a metal eyelet or braided ring on one end so that the user can create a sliding knot or sliding loop. A lariat is often used in rodeo competitions to trap sheep or young cattle released from special pens in a ring.
The word lariat is actually an American corruption of the Spanish la reata, meaning “the rope.” American cowboys misinterpreted the original Spanish phrase, converting it into the singular lariata and eventually the lariat. Although the words lariat and lasso can be used interchangeably to describe a coiled rope, lariat is generally considered a noun and lasso is used as a verb. A cowboy wouldn’t use a lasso to secure his horse; he used a lariat to lasso the animal.
A traditional lariat is carefully woven from long thin strips of conditioned leather through a laborious process. A lariat maker skillfully attaches new sections of leather to the string until the desired length is achieved. A ranch hand or cowboy loops the string and attaches it to the saddle from his dominant throwing side. To catch a wandering animal, the cowboy forms a large loop of rope and throws it just in front of the target’s front legs. The animal should enter the loop and become entangled as the slipknot or loop tightens.
A lariat can also be used for various rope tricks, such as a spinning loop that runs the length of the cowboy’s body. A skilled lariat handler can also leap across a large spinning loop of rope or snare small moving targets at a distance or on horseback. Some performers may use a traditional lariat for stunt work, but others use specially modified lariats for their routines.
There is also a style of jewelry known as a lariat necklace. A lariat necklace is a long chain worn loosely around the neck or closed with a special clasp that creates a tie or lasso appearance. The two ends of a lariat necklace are designed to hang freely around the wearer’s neck, much like the noose on a lariat.
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