A mechanical roping apparatus for practicing animal roping, the apparatus including: an animal assembly with leg members; one or more visual cue indicia mounted on the leg members configured to indicate to a user a proper time to rope a leg member using proper roping technique; an indicia actuation assembly with: an indicia wheel rotatably mounted on the animal assembly and in contact with the ground; and an indicia switch operably connected to the indicia wheel and to the one or more indicia, wherein the switch is configured to operate as the indicia wheel turns when the animal assembly is moved; and two, three, four or more skids positioned to the right, left, or both of a longitudinal centerline of the animal assembly.