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Rodeo is often referred to as "America's sport." It generates millions of dollars every year and enjoys a wide fan base. And while rodeo has thousands of adoring fans, it also has its critics. Several animal welfare groups, including PETA and SHARK, have charged rodeos with numerous counts of cruelty. As a former rodeo participant and trainer of barrel horses, I can honestly say that the sport known as rodeo offers some of the best and the worst when it comes to humane treatment of animals.

I've never known of a rodeo cowboy or cowgirl to mistreat or neglect their own horse. Most competitors have large sums of money and vast amounts of time tied up in their mounts. In barrel racing, calf roping, team roping, and steer wrestling, the cowboy and his horse are partners. They depend on each other for success. These horses are given excellent feed and vet care, and they're kept warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If the mounts aren't in top physical and emotional health, they won't be viable contenders. These animals benefit from a close relationship with their human teammate.

The bulls don't have it too bad, either. Most of them work only a few minutes a year, and the rest of the time they eat, sleep, and drink. It's true that electric prods are used on them sometimes, but a bull's hide is thick. In fact, it's seven times thicker than human skin. Of course, bulls are huge compared to humans, so zapping a bull with a hot shot isn't the same as prodding a human with one. Still, some rodeo attendants use the hot shot on the faces of the animals, which is painful and supposedly forbidden.

Some people get all bent out of shape about the flank straps put on the bulls, claiming that they squeeze the genitals. Not true! The strap doesn't touch the genitalia and doesn't hurt the bull. It does aggravate him, however, and encourages him to buck to free himself of the annoyance.

Another thing to consider about rodeo bulls is this: If they didn't work for the rodeo, there's a 99% chance these big brutes would be hamburger meat by the age of two or three. In contrast, many rodeo bulls live to the ripe old age of 15.

Although horses that compete in barrel racing, roping, and steer wrestling are almost always treated well, the saddle broncs and bareback broncs owned or contracted by the rodeo are often a different story. Cattle prods are sometimes used on them, just like on the bulls, even though the manufacturer specifically warns against their use on horses. The

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