It takes up moisture from the ground, without getting hard.

Soaking it in water won't do, nor will anything else that I know of except, as I say, burying it.

When the riata is resurrected it should again be left for a time stretched over a block, with a weight to hold it taut.

Then the hair should be sandpapered off the outside, and when the riata is greased with mutton tallow and properly noosed it is ready for use.
Every vaquero that pretends to take care of his apparatus will bury his riata and stretch it every six or eight months.
"A hair rope does not make a good riata.

It is useful to stretch around camp at night to keep snakes away.