REAL rodeo--graphic

IMHO, I think the people before me have pretty much said it all, and I definitely agree, the barrel racing is where I see the most abuse, personally, but then again, not all of the riders do it. But, Another thing to remember is that some of these horses are bred that way. Sad, but true. My grandpa used to breed bucking horses and sell them to the rodeo, and it was kinda, to me, like racing or reining... There were certain bloodlines the rodeos wanted, the proven to buck ones, because if no one can ride the horses, no one can win the money. It was kind of a business, and yes, I also thought of it a little like backyard breeding, but what do you do. All those horses knew, though, were bucking, and they were total blockheads! They hurt people who were just trying to help them out, and eventually everyone began to realize that you can't make a bucking horse into a saddle horse. It just doesn't work. Again, not a fan of abuse, but rodeo as a whole isn't abuse, and you can't categorize any sport or discipline as "abusive" entirely.

Just my 2 cents. =)

I agree and disagree. I have actually seen several bronc horses turned into nice saddle horses. I mean granted some of them never will, cuz they actually like there job and enjoy bucking people off lol. But alot of the ones that just dont have that "desire" actually can turn into nice saddle horses. But i do think its a hit or miss thing. And ya i agree, breeding broncs is kinda like back yard breeding, i dont think they care about confo, or if there registered. And most of them are mutts arent they? LIke tb wiht qh wiht draft.

Um... really? Bucking stock is worth a lot of money. They're treated better than my horses, that's for sure. A vast majority of "broncs" are halter broken and quite gentle. Some are even saddle trained, but they know their job when they go into the shoot and they do it - much like a well-trained stallion when it comes to breeding. I know a guy with a retired bronc that became a real nice feedlot horse. And while I'm sure that it doesn't feel good to be roped, I've never seen a calf or steer actually injured - they just hop up and trot off happy as you please, as if it never happened.

I do agree on the Wild Horse Race, and I'd like to see it gone, but that's not technically "rodeo". I've never been to one that does it, and off the top of my head, I can only think of the Cheyenne Frontier Days who also do Chuckwagon Races... not cool either.

If you don't like rodeos don't go to them but PLEASE don't believe everything that you see on youtube. Most videos like these are taken out of context or are extreme examples that people have had to work very hard to find.

I really agree with everyone's replies to this thread. However, this video proves that SOME "Rodeo's" are like this and need to be stopped. Honestly, I find it shocking that people pay money to breed, feed and raise these animals, just to watch them be abused and die cruely. I have always believed that, If you seriously abuse an animal, the same should be done to you!!

Amen to the people who have rodeos and don't abuse the animals for others "entertainment"

I agree with most everyone on the fact that most rodeos are not like what is portrayed in that video.

I have never been to a rodeo with wild horse races, or steer tripping...I think those are more common in Mexico...and on a side, Mexican rodeos are MUCH more cruel than American rodeos...you want to be 'sick' over a sport, what those rodeos on tv. They have some really odd sports, and they do not seem to have served an actual 'purpose' at one time.

Many of the american rodeo events were set in place because this is what the ranchers had to do on a daily basis in order to ensure proper care of a large herd of cattle. It became a tradition to 'test' their horses against other ranches horses. For the bronc riding ones, that's the way they broke 'em in in the old days...not very gentle, no, but you just didn't have time in a day to spend 3 mo's training each horse (more than 1 or 2 that's for sure).

Most of the bronc shots look pretty typical, sometimes they get carried away and end up going down. The rest I am going to say is very uncommon.

I have been to alot of rodeos and most of that time was spend in the back (I rode on a drill team). I've seen some handlers that were unnecessarily rough, not truely abusive, but definately more then needed. Most the adult animals know their job, and do it well, I remember one rodeo where as soon as the buzzer buzzed, they'd stop bucking (w/ or w/out their rider), and calmly walk to the gate that led to the pen they needed to go in. And the horses are definately treated the best.

I really don't care for calf roping, and agree that that is probably the closest to abuse I've seen, HOWEVER, I saw on one occation where a cowboy release the calf and took a no time because the angle that he'd caught it, if it had got to the end it would have broken the calf's neck. I've never seen any perminate physical damage done to a calf.

And I've never heard of steer tripping, that is not a regular sport. I've also never seen anything not leave the arena on it's own feet (well actually I think I once saw a bull break a leg, can't remember for sure, but I think they drug him out on a tarp), so not sure what was up w/ them rolling them onto a board (or whatever it was) to take them out. Most pop back up and head for their pen as soon as the ropes are removed.

I agree, I'm not overly fond of the calf roping but even at our low key rodeos I have NEVER seen calves treated like they were in that video. I've been to a goodly amount of rodeos and never seen a horse drag a calf back. That's just some damn lousy training on the idiot owners part. The horses always keep the rope semi-taut and then immediately step forward. Still, it does seem like unneccesary terrorizing of a baby animal, I realize it's done on ranges but realistically, how often do you really rope a calf going full out for branding? Cows have an extreme herd mentality and once settled into a group, not a whole lot of chasing is going to occur.

I'm on the fence with the wild horse race as well. We don't have those around here. You just really risk serious injury to the horse when they're fighting you THAT violently.

Also never understood the point of bull doggin'/steer wrestling. Is there really a time on the range it becomes neccesary to drop off your horse and onto the head of a rank bull? I'd have thought cowboys have more self preservation then that.

I definately agree there are some things rodeo could improve on. But it's like any other discipline and I just hate when it's given a bad rap by one bunch of tools who don't have respect for anything.

I do NOT compete in redeos but I do like whatching them most of the redeos are back yard or ran by a bunch of creeps 95% of redeos are great family fun places.

You have never been to Wyoming or Montana or Colorado have you? A lot of the big time ranches still use horses that way, and when a herd gets in a stampede, things go crazy! Cows are like horses, yes, a horse is herd bound, but panicked enough, it will veer off course being chased. And calves aren't rope just for branding, if one gets sick, or needs to become a steer, that's another way to do it, if your in the middle of a 5 mile ranch with a small corral. But if you get upset by that, you would hate goat tying...

Haha, I think it's too prove how tough someone is, I mean, if you can bring down a steer, you must have some muscle. I just find it hilarious when the steer stops, and the horse doesn't so the cowboy lands on his butt Cows are very flexible though.