Cheyenne Rodeo

Bearkiller, I agree totally! The worls is full of hypocrits. As far as rodeos, I believe the "humaniacs" have always been there....It's just easier for them to get their massage out nowadays. (with internet, etc.) They take a picture of a buckin horse falling or a rope horse fighting the bit, and they put all these pics in a video and say "This is rodeo!" They could take some pictures of some football injuries and say "This is football, you're abusing and endangering your kids if you let them play it!" To me it's just as ridiculous. The stock contractors I've worked for were all animal lovers and loved to see their animals buck people off. They didn't let people punch their livestock around or hot-shot them, or cinch them too tight. And I've seen more than one roughstock rider get a cussing for spurring a bull or horse in the chute. The contractors get irate about that. If you think you're good enough to spur their animals, try it in the arena. They usually don't own the timed event cattle, either. They subbed them. At least that's my experience.

Like most people on this site, I've been around lots of horses, livestock, and pets. But I've seen very few cases of abuse. When I did, I did as you suggested, I acted like a grown-up and discussed it with the people. I've found that if you present things in an upfront, honest, helpful manner, then people respect that and you can do some good. Some folks just don't know how to feed right, or they're just idiots. I've seen a couple cases where horses were kept in a stall and fed grain only. Their horses looked like hell and probably would have died if it hadn't been caught. These gunsels were spending lots of money on feed and didn't realize their horse needed roughage. Yes they were stupid, and maybe they didn't have any business having horses. But when I told them what they needed, they did it and were happy to get help.

Most cases of real neglect and abuse is generally derived from ignorance. As an old cowboy is known to say "There is nothing more dangerous than sincere ignorance". Usually people just don't know. I have hounds and it's one of those sports, like rodeos, that is frequently criticized. Yet, 99% of hounds are treated better than any other dogs I've been around. They are athletes and athletes require lots of attention and quality feed or they won't perform. Are there cases of abuse? Sure. Just like anything else. It's kind of like saying ALL churches have child molesters in them because a few do. It's not a fair or accurate statement and is complete ignorance. The reason the Cheyenne rodeo is attacked specifically is because it's one of the biggest.

My husband used to work for a rodeo company in Utah. They had several strings of horses and bulls for high school rodeos, local open rodeos, the PRCA and PBR. Bucking stock is a HUGE investment. Treating them poorly just doesn't pay or make sense. I am not saying that it never happens, because in any sport or activity your going to have a few "bad apples", like Bearkiller said above.

Their argument about bucking stock being abused into doing their job rather than being bred for it - it doesn't add up. Think about this.... if that was the case any Joe Blow could go to the local sale barn and buy any bull and "abuse" him into being a bucking bull. This doesn't happen. Just like how horse breeders make careful mate selection depending their use. Would I bred a warmblood for reining or cowhorse? And would I use Corrientes for milk cows?

When my husband helped train bucking stock, they weren't shocked or abused into it. As mentioned above they are bred for it, then there is some training involved. They put a dummy on that resembles a rag doll with a RC release latch similar to a seat belt. As soon as he makes an effort to buck in a certain manner. The latch as released and the dummy comes off. Therefor training them that bucking off whats on there back provides a release of somewhat. It is no different than training a saddle horse. Do we not all use the same method of pressure and release? Just the use of the animal is different.

I watched some videos of the calf roping, oh excuse me...tie down roping. And yes a snapped neck can occur. And it is rare. I have been to a lot of rodeos and I can't remember the last time I had seen that. And its usually an accident. This is very undesireable. You will get disqualified if this happens. So basically you donated your entry fees. And when you are trying to make a living rodeoing you are not there just to donate.

I feel that PETA and SHARK need to be more fair in their depiction of rodeo.

I forgot to add.....

Have you ever noticed in a rodeo that once a bull or horse bucks a contestant off for the most part he quits bucking or at least slows down and starts looking for the out gate even though he is still "flanked"?

This shows as well that being flanked isn't abusive, it may be an annoyance, but I find it no more abusive than cinching up my own horse to go to work. He Is simply conditioned to buck with a cinch as opposed to where we train our saddle horses to NOT buck with.

More food for thought....

I agree! In HS I had to do a research report about rodeos. Most of the time, the people who want to shut 'em all down have no exprience with horses or livestock and (not saying that abusive things don't happen) what seems "abusive" in their eyes are in fact not. The flank strap and roping of calves seems to be the most "controversial" topics.

Also want to add, most of the videos you see on on youtube are worst case senrios. Being a person who's been to quite a few rodeos, you usuaully don't see what you see on youtube. Yes, you'll see an accident here or there (but what sport doesn't have accidents?) but I've never seen serious beating or any of that. I mean some people may be a little rougher than need be, but I wouldn't call it beating.