Rodeo broncs--acting, savage, or tortured?

Toccet02 · Postby **Toccet02** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:48 pm

OK. I've never understood the broncs. According to the commentators, at least some of them are friendly and safe to be around when they're not "in the chute". They also speak of them as if they were great performers. As if they were trained to do this.
I've heard that to get them to buck, they poke and prod them, and my husband claims they "tie their balls up". But most broncs seem to be mares!
If they were mistreated to get a violent response, I doubt they'd be friendly in any circumstance, because horses remember bad treatment..right?
And if is really cruel and awful, you'd expect much more uproar.
The National finals are all over ESPN right now so that's why it's on my mind.
Thanks!

valerie · Postby **valerie** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 4:50 pm

Knowing a few stock contractors I can offer you what I know about the rough stock animals. Most are bred to be broncs. They have a very refined breeding program for these animals, take exceptional care of them, and pay a lot of cash for them. They have sales for young stock and while a few are gentle to be around, for the most part they would rather you not. They do use a flank strap for them to encourage the bucking but believe me most would anyway, and they learn when the buzzer sounds they are done and that causes a few of them to be retired or culled from the system early. As for those that say they are mistreated, there is always an ASPCA representative at all sanctioned rodeos along with a vet. I might add that most of the broncs have a lot of draft in them.

Lucy · Postby **Lucy** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 8:28 pm

One thing I've noticed is that even while bucking, they do pay attention to where they're going and what they're doing. A horse that is panicked or in great pain wouldn't....these guys get close to the arena wall, they see it, acknowledge its presence, and turn around. A panicked horse would go through it.

....and the most devious buckers do seem to be mares, don't they? :wink:

I don't worry much about the rough stock, but I do wince a little during the timed events when I see cows getting jerked down by the neck. I know it mustn't be as harsh as it looks, and they all seem to trot off just fine, but oof. :shock:

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:29 am

They are bred to do it. Just like our horses are bred to run.... I don't know that a bronc would let you get close enouh to their balls to push them up and put an elastic on....... sort of an old cowboy trick for colts with balls that bother them.... I'm not certain it's a productive thing to do, but I do know the odd TB trainer who has done it rather than gelding a horse and loosing training time... I'm not a fan. I don't know how much bucking you'd get from a horse with it's scrotum in an elastic.... but maybe?
I don't think they are abused. Ya they get thumped on sometimes in the chute, so do racehorses in the starting gate ... tongs sound like fun! :roll:

Jean · Postby **Jean** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:44 am

These horses are BRED TO BUCK! The Calagary Stampede has what they call a Bred to Buck Program. The great bareback horse Grated coconut horse of the world several times can be led around like a big pussycat. These horses areworth as much or more than our Tb's and when they are done bucking at 25 or so are usually retired to a life of leisure on the farms. it's a major program with embryo transplants and AI. They collect the stallions etc. Those cowboys who are making thousands a round at the NFR pays over 14,000 to win will not get on any scared wild horse. These contractors make big money with their horses and most work for less than 1 min per year only 8 seconds at a time. They feed well and look after them. they win trucks cash etc for their broncs and they have to take care of them just as we do in order to compete successfully.

madelyn · Postby **madelyn** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:47 am

I admit to limited exposure to rodeo horses, however they are trained to perform. It is actually quite easy to teach some horses to buck, and once they have learned that, it is a nearly impossible task to teach them NOT to.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:52 am

Put a bucking strap on almost any horse and you will get them to buck... In college we used to ride up to our friens and grab their horse's flank and watch 'em go... good times!

equestriandynamo · Postby **equestriandynamo** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 7:31 am

the only thing that bothers me is the horses and bulls that thrash so hard they break their legs.. then they crawl out of the arena with their tongues lolling out of their mouths.. but this is rare, we have a rodeo here every year and i have never seen it personally happen.
Like everyone said they are bred to buck, its like racing, Rodeo stock is bred the same way, for talent and the ability to buck or spin a certain way, they get studded out, The famous Bodacious was notorious for smashing his riders faces in because of how he landed, he threw his head high in the air the moment his front feet came down i believe, so he was no doubt a very valuable bull at stud. Even though he was retired at the age of 7 because he hurt too many people... heheh, i would have hated to draw his name at a rodeo thats for sure.

Linda_d · Postby **Linda_d** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:01 am

The flank strap encourages the rodeo broncs to kick out high behind rather than "crow hop" like most "impromptu" buckers do.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:05 am

Accidents happen in every sport. Doesn't make it any easier to take, but no matter the event there are fatalities.... Rough stock is just that... rough stock... I have seen horses buck so blindly that they headed into a fence and broke their necks... sad and tragic. But even cross country and show jumping aren't exempt.

Arctic Cielo · Postby **Arctic Cielo** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 8:52 am

I've ridden in many rodeos, and these people take pride in their broncs. You'd be amazed the way they talk about them, like they were fine thoroughbred race horses :lol:

I have the same answer as everyone else, that these horses are bred to do this. Its a whole other breeding world. I've seen people try to make a rank riding horse a bucking bron by putting a bucking strap on it. The horse bucked about 5 times and then just ran around.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 9:00 am

We had a horse in college that was BAD. And of course we had a rodeo team so someone decided to see if they could make him into a bucking horse. He didn't buck a jump. He did manage to dislocate his shoulder when some idiot put a running w on him and tied him up with it. He did eventually heal and get broke and sold as a good riding horse... he survived enough!

summerhorse · Postby **summerhorse** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:09 pm

Some of these horses are gentle or tameable anyway but most have no use for humans for good reason. They are not handled gently and remember every minute of it. Gaining their trust is not easy and takes a lot of time, patience and hard work. Some never tame down while others end up saddle horses (for expert riders usually!).

They have bucking "schools" where they try out prospective broncs. The ones that wash out usually end up at the low end auctions or dealer lots and what happens to them then depends on fate. Does a private person with the skills to undo the damage get them or does a kill buyer get them (they are usually in decent weight at that point). Since not many people are capable or interested in wild horse taming the KBs get a lot.

The used up stock usually ends up in the same place and have even less chance of being adopted. A really successful mare might be sent to the breeding range and a few very top geldings might end up retired to pasture but most are disposed of like any other rodeo livestock. The rodeo contractors are a Kill buyer's dream. They raise a ton of horses and cull a ton of horses (of all ages including breeding stock) hoping to get the few top buckers.