How crucial is it to work you cutter on a flag?

This spring I am hoping to get to a few cutting shows with champ. My trainer is a cutting trainer and we have worked him on the flag a handful of times. I wanted to know, do you put somewhat of a limit on your horse on how glued he gets to the flag? Do you push him until he's treating the flag like a cow or do you nail the basics and jump right in to cow work? I could probably ask my trainer but I wanted different riders input.Thank you
Tasia

I wouldnt set a time. Work on whatever needs to be worked on. If he's kicking his hip out and facing the flag then id just work on getting him back on his hocks till he made a few nice turns and quit him.

How old is the horse? Have you dropped your hand?

Working the flag is good for fine tuning your moves without having to deal with your horse getting excited about working a real cow.

I don't think cows should be withheld until your horse is treating the flag like a cow.
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I find most young horses get more excited about working a flag than a cow just from the noises and sudden movement of the flag. Obveously young horses are always started on the flag but I rather work a cow. You can still work on perfecting moves and that fine tuning on a cow. You just have to have better timing and be more correct

We only use the flag when we don't have cattle available to work.

However, we don't ride in the cutting shows. ($$$) We do ranch shows.

Kind of already been mentioned...but I think both are very important. Working the flag, no matter how inexperienced or experienced your horse is, is a great way to fine tune those little things that your horse may be having issues with on the cow. You can slow it up as much as you need to, while when your on a cow everything is much more fast paced, and it may be harder to stop and correct your horse. Try making sure its right on the flag first, then see if they improve those movements when working a cow. We have a 2 year old in training right now, she definitely started out on the flag, then once she started to get a general idea, we started bringing her to work cows every saturday, but instead of throwing her right in with a herd, we just put one cow in the arena with her and let her work it off the wall. It's a great way to ease a younger horse into it without pushing them or overwhelming them too much right at first. We don't have cattle over the winter though, so are just utilizing the flag 3 days a week until February when we have cows again... (it can't come soon enough, that flag sure gets a little boring!!)

It can go the other way too.

Some horses hate dry work and act up because they are bored as heck.

I totally agree! Should've added that it depends on how well the horse responds to it. My horse works well with the flag, but some horses just seem to get bored with it, and respond much better with cattle.
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I have an 11 year old gelding named Little Doc Parker who has his ROM in team penning and is an awesome penner and sorter. He is an ex-cutter who was blowed up on the flag by his ex-cutting trainer. The flag is a great training aid but do not blow them up on the flag. Ride smart.

Just curious what you mean Team Penner? Please define blown up on the flag