Abstract: An improved lariat comprising a honda arm sock around each honda arm adjacent the honda knot. The honda arm socks are manufactured of low-friction material. When the lariat loop closes, its tail slides against the honda arm socks. Due to the low-friction characteristics of the honda arm socks, closure rate of the lariat loop is increased, and heat and friction are reduced. Consequently, a roped animal has less chance to shake off the lariat, and rope breakdown is decreased in the rope from which the improved lariat is made, thus increasing lariat life. Optimized honda arm sock weight and dimensions and materials are disclosed. An additional improved lariat embodiment incorporates a tail sock disposed around the improved lariat tail adjacent the honda knot. The tail sock helps maintain rope stiffness in the tail in the vicinity of the honda knot, thus favorably affecting the handling characteristics of the improved lariat.