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 difference? A horse's hide is only about half as thick as a bull's, and an average horse weighs about half as much as a big rodeo bull. A shock to the horses by an electric prod is relatively much stronger than the same shock to a bull.
I also have to wonder, what do they do to these horses to make them so mean? I've worked with horses my entire life; they're not naturally aggressive. They'd rather flee than fight. I've seen a few broncs, however, intentionally bite and kick fallen riders even when the rider no longer presented a threat. Obviously, these rank broncs were somehow taught to fear and hate man. Worst of all, when these horses are injured or no longer useful, they're often shipped to Canada or Mexico to slaughter houses.
The worst treated animals at the rodeo are the calves used for calf roping. These are babies - just three or four months old. They're sometimes too afraid to leave the chute, so they're often tortured into running. Of course, when they run, a mounted cowboy chases them and throws a rope around their neck or head. When the noose makes its goal, the roper's horse slides to a stop. Once the calf reaches the end of its tether, it's jerked back violently. This action has caused all kinds of injuries in calves, including broken necks, broken legs, broken ribs, and bruised trachea.
Even if the calf is okay after being roped and tied, sometimes the roping horse drags the poor animal around. The horse is trained to keep the rope tight by backing up, but some horses don't know when to stop, and a few cowboys don't seem to mind that the calf is choking to death or bleating in terror.
Another cruel event is steer roping, also called "steer busting." In this competition, a steer is roped and then rapidly forced to the ground by the rope's being pulled around the animal's hip. The steers legs are then tied, and the beast is dragged. Most states won't even allow steer roping, but the PRCA continues to hold the competitions, usually in remote arenas.
Many rodeo fans say that animal cruelty like the use of electric prods are never used on the faces of animals at professional rodeos. I, too, wanted to believe that, but it just isn't true. Several websites have videos of this and worse being done at PRCA rodeos around the nation, even though such practices are specifically against the PRCA's own rules.
While small, local rodeos are often culprits of cruelty, some of the most heinous acts have been conducted at high school rodeos, even some sanctioned by the National High School Rodeo Association. Online videos show animals being shocked, beaten, kicked, and subjected to other cruelties, even though such practices are specifically forbidden by the organization's own rulebook.
I enjoy some rodeo events. I have no problem with using animals in competitions or as part of entertainment. When the animals are subjected to suffering and abuse, however, it's no longer entertainment and the "good clean fun" that rodeos supposedly represent. Unless, of course, you're a sadist.