Goats are carried or dragged over to where there’s a 10-foot rope attached to a stake in the ground. The rope connected to the ground gets attached to the goat’s collar. A handler uses their legs and/or hands to keep the goat standing in place facing forward until a flag has been waved, signaling that the contestant has crossed the starting line on the horse they are using. The starting line is one hundred feet away from where the goat is tethered. When the horse and their exploiter get near the goat the exploiter dismounts off the horse to go hurt the goat. Sometimes the goats get trampled by the horse before they are brutalized by the exploiter.

The exploiter chases after the goat with a goat tying string or "pigging string,” which they'll use to tie at least three of the goat's legs. Once they get a hold of the goat, they pick them up roughly and carelessly, usually by their forearm and flank or their collar and flank. They flip them over and push them down hard to the ground, what rodeo people refer to as ‘flanking.’

The exploiters will sit on the goat, usually on top of their shoulder and hip. They then ‘gather’ or cross at least three of the goats’ legs tightly together (usually a front and two back legs) and tie tightly and seal with their string. Once the goat's legs are restrained, the exploiter will put their hands in the air to signal that they are done and then step away from the goat. The goat's legs must not come untied for six seconds, or the contestant doesn't qualify for a time. At public events, the goats are typically used by at least 3-5 participants before they are switched out for another goat.

The National High School Rodeo Association’s rule book states: “[The] contestant must string a front leg and then cross and tie any three legs with a pigging string. There must be at least one wrap around all three legs and finished with a half hitch of hooey. A hooey is a half hitch with a loop. The tail of the string may be partly or all the way pulled through.”