In high school, did you ever ask your teachers or your parents, “When am I ever going to use this information?” Math and English have obvious connections to daily life. However, physics class is probably the last thing you think would apply. But riders—especially cow horse or versatility ranch horse riders—relive some physics lessons out in the arena. Understanding the connection between the two can help you improve your performance and increase your scores.
In boxing and cow horse events there are two objects running side by side—the horse and the cow. Both are in a uniform state of motion until one, ideally the horse, controls the cow’s speed and ultimately forces the cow to stop and turn. Think back to science class and Newton’s first law of motion. Every object in a state of uniform motion will remain in that state of motion unless acted upon by an external source. The cow (object) will keep running until the horse (external force) stops or changes that motion.
Remember Newton’s second law, force equals mass times
