If he holds it at the knot he will throw a long, narrow noose that is very likely to cross and kink.
"Meanwhile I, representing our cowboy, hold the remaining coils in my other hand, only changing the position of my forefinger so as to secure better control of the coils.

Then comes the third maneuver--enlarging the noose.

Of course, you have to have a larger noose than one a foot in diameter to drop over a steer's horns forty feet away.

The noose is enlarged by swinging the noose in your lasso hand until the centrifugal force pulls it out the size you wish (this is the reason you do not grasp it too firmly), letting go with the other hand, of course, as many coils as are necessary to make the noose the right size.

Now you have the noose in the air you do not cease making it circle around your head until you let it go.