Lasso

a running noose used to catch animals. The word is Spanish, meaning a slipknot. The best noose is made of raw-hide. The hide is cut into strips half an inch wide. The hair is shaved off and the strip is trimmed to uniform size; four such strands braided together form a rope of great strength and durability. A running noose is formed at one end. When not in use the lasso hangs in a coil at the cowboy's saddle. In use the coil is held in the left hand, the noose is grasped in the right hand and swung around and around in a circle above the rider's head with a dexterous turn of the wrist that keeps the noose spread. At the right moment it is launched with a slight upward motion. At the moment the noose settles on the animal, the free running lasso is given a turn about the pommel of the saddle and the well trained horse braces himself for the shock. The cowboy's skill in singling out a broncho or steer from a running herd is something remarkable. Two men working together, one entangling the front feet, the other the hind feet, stretch an animal at full length without difficulty. The terms rope, lariat, and lasso are used interchangeably. Lariat is also Spanish, meaning rope.