Great showmen don’t just control their animals — they understand them. Every flick of an ear, every shift of weight, every tossing of the head can be your animal “talking” to you. If you learn to read body language, you can prevent problems before they happen.

Sheep, goats, and cattle:

The biggest thing with animals that you set up or brace is that they need to stay put. If you can understand what makes your animal move – you can move up in showmanship quickly. Being able to keep these animals set is key. How else can you be the one set every time the judge looks down the line? You simply can’t re-set fast enough.

Most people think getting set up fastest is the biggest advantage you can have, but staying set is even more important.

For all three species, head control is huge. If you tip the animal’s head either direction only slightly too far, you will feel your animal shifting. Any shifting is a step towards moving out of place. Learn to feel your animals most subtle movements. Every time your animal moves at home, think to yourself did they give me a clue before they shifted. If so, you can remember that clue. If you can tip the head back the oposite direction just before they move, they very likely won’t.

For sheep and goats, you actually want to rest your hand on their side as they shift encouraging them to stay balanced and still. You will be shoked how often this keeps a lamb from stepping out of place in the show ring.

Other subtleties can be as simple as flies. I had a lamb constantly stomping during practice. I realized it was a fly and it was such an easy fix. Pay attention and try to learn and understand what is causing your animal to behave the way it does. It will move you up placings in the show ring!

For swine:

Swine are the complete opposite of the set species. You want absolutely no slowing down, speeding, up, or change in their pace. You want them to be cruising along with a chill high-headed look.

For swine, the biggest thing I see in pace is handler errors. The showman cutting in front of their own pig or turning the pig into another animal when they could wait and turn the pig wider in a moment. Read your animals willingness to turn close to other animals. If you animal speeds up as it exits the crowd or slows down when you enter a mass of showmen – take note of it. If you understand your animal imagine how well you can work to his strengths and how easily it is to become an unbeatable team.

Final Thought

Your animals are predictable. You want to pay attention and see how they behave. Respond to how they behave not with harsh tactics, but use their strenghts and weaknesses to your advantage. Your pig, sheep, goat, and steer all have a unique personality. They have preferences and pet peeves. You can actually learn these things and work together becoming a team that is crazy hard to beat.

A great showman doesn’t just look polished — they’re tuned in. Pay attention, learn your animal’s signals, and you’ll handle problems before the judge even notices.