What does correct position look like when working a cow in cutting?

Correct working position in cutting places the horse between the cow and the herd, at a distance and angle from the cow that allows it to cover both directions of escape with equal effectiveness while maintaining enough proximity to the cow that the cow cannot simply run around the horse by committing fully to one side. The ideal position is generally described as being at the cow's eye — slightly to the side of the cow's head at a distance that keeps the cow in the horse's visual and physical control zone — which gives the horse the best lateral range to respond to movement in either direction while keeping the cow aware of the horse's presence and authority. A horse too far back on the cow's shoulder loses the ability to cut off quick directional changes and begins to appear as though it is following the cow rather than controlling it; a horse too far forward on the cow's head pushes the cow backward toward the herd rather than holding it in the working area. The distance from the cow is equally important as the lateral position: too close and the horse has no reaction time for quick changes, too far and the cow has too large an escape window to exploit. A horse in correct position appears to be mirroring the cow at a consistent distance and angle, adjusting both variables simultaneously as the cow moves rather than maintaining a fixed spatial relationship that only works when the cow is stationary. The horse's body should be square and ready — not leaning or committed to either direction — so that it can move left or right with equal speed. Correct position is dynamic rather than static and requires continuous adjustment from the horse rather than a single correct location that it holds throughout the work.