I've read a lot of bronco "facts" on various anti-abuse websites. I do not tolerate cruelty animals in any way, so I decided to look into it-- and I'm happy to say that, after having viewed hundeds of rodeos, I can't say the 'facts' are really true. A lot of people believe what they read without investigating it. Their hearts are in the right places, but their minds aren't.

Most of the people who write these "Facts" have never been to a rodeo, let alone hundreds like I have. Most have never owned and cared for a horse themselves. I've been to many rodeos, as a spectator, or with a competitor (in barrel racing-- in the competitor's area you often get to go behind the chutes area and see what's going on in the back, so that was really helpful).

Note: When rodeo season starts, I'll try to get more pictures and better pictures of the horses close up for any evidence of scars or injuries due to any type of cruel treatment.

Myth: The flank strap is sharp. Flank strap has spikes. Flank straps cause wounds to flank area.
Fact: Flank straps are lined with sheepskin and are soft. It is illegal for anything sharp, painful, caustic, rubbing, etc. to be placed on the flank strap. Flank strap is worn only for about 8 seconds. As you can see from the photo I snapped during a bareack bronc event, the part of the strap that comes in contact with the horse's underbelly/flank area is sheepskin lined and is soft. The upper part is leather with holes punched so it can be adjusted for different horses. The long leather string is part of a quick-release strap that pulls the flank strap free.
I have personally seen hundreds of rodeo broncs, and have never seen even one with a cut, wound, injury to the flank area. If I do, I will post it here. See injury statistics & what attending veterinarians say.

The sheepskin-lined flankstrap is shown here. Also, note the horse's fat, sleek, shiny coat-- signs of good health and good care. Abused horses are often thin, with a dull coat.

Myth: Flank strap is tightened around horses's testicles. Flank strap is around the horse's genetals.
Fact: Most broncos are mares and geldings, and have no testicles. As any horse owner knows, it would be anatomically impossible for a flank strap to touch a horse's genitals. But the people that write and believe these myths, not being horse owners themselves, don't know that.

Myth: The flank strap is really tight, and the horses buck out of abdominal pain.
Fact: Horses in pain will refuse to buck. Just think of a colicking horse, which is experiencing abdominal cramping or pain. A horse with colic doesn't run and buck, it stands, paws the ground, or lays down and rolls. Hardly the thing you would want a bucking horse to do!

Myth: Horses are beaten, hit, or prodded.
Fact: Anyone found beating, hitting, or prodding a horse would be subject to fines and probably suspended from rodeo. They have strict rules outlawing animal abuse. Cattle prods are NOT used on horses. These animals are not afraid, wild, or scared; often they are very tame. They do not act at all like horses that have been abused (I have worked with horses that have been hit/beaten before). Horses that have bit hit or cattle prodded would be afraid to the touch.

Myth: Horses are abused to make them wild. Horses are hit/kicked in the chute to make them buck.
FACT: Think about it logically: You're in a tiny chute with a 1,200 pound animal. If that horse gets mad or upset-- you could be KILLED. Do you want to, even if you could, aggrivate the horse? NO. If the horse gets too nervous, he could easily smash the rider agains the sides of the chute, or worse yet, trample the rider beneath his hooves.
Fact: Cowboys are regularly seen stroking, patting, and whispering to horses in chutes as an effort to CALM them. That's right-- they try to CALM horses in chutes. Why? Because the horses are excited and pumped with adrenaline, ready to buck, wanting to buck, and the competitor has to get on without getting his legs smashed in the chute or injured by the horse. 2 or 3 helpers are there to calm the horse and hold him still so the rider can get on safely. Sometimes a horse will lean against the side of a chute, in which case a rope may be placed around the horse's neck to pull him off, or they may push the horse's head the other way to get him off the sides of the chute. I have never, even in the cases when a horse is crushing a rider's leg against the chute, seen a cattle prod or any other such devide used to move the horse.

Myth: Bucking horses have a hard life.
Fact: Bucking horses work only a few seconds a weekend. They work less than 5 minutes a year. Many bucking horses are well-treated and have a nice life, and unlike racehorses (which are 'retired' at 5 or less), bucking horses are often physically strong past the age of 20! They are well-cared for and thus are able to buck for a long time. See injury statistics & what attending veterinarians say.

Myth: Bucking is unnatural and horses don't like to do it. Horses only buck when in pain or fear.
Fact: Anyone who's trained horses knows that if you walk up to an untrained horse and put a saddle on him, and get on his back-- he's going to BUCK. The horse's natural response to anything on their back is to buck it off.

Horses also regularly run and buck in their pastures when they are turned out, or in the wild. It is a natural behavior seen in healthy horses (ie, not those that are lame or in pain).

Myth: Horses have wounds and scars from the spurs and from abuse.
Fact: I haven't seen any wounds, injuries, cuts, or scars on broncos. Actually, most are in quite good condition, with fat, sleek hides. I will try to get more pics. Spurs used have loose rowels-- therefore they roll off the horse's hide, they don't stick or gash the horse. The "spurring" done is mostly done for the judges to show that the rider has control of his feet and isn't just sitting there like a lump and hanging on. He has to show that he is balanced and in control of his body, and not just sitting there.

Myth: These horses buck because they are unhappy and are in pain.
Fact: When your horse is feeling really good, excited, with extra energy to burn, what does he do? Buck. When your horse is feeling lousy, scared, bored, upset, or in pain, what does he do? Usually act lifeless, dull, refuse to move, etc. Horses that are in pain do not buck. Horses in pain usually refuse to perform. Bucking is a natural movement done by horses that are usually really hyper, excited, and well-fed. Horses often buck when they are 'feeling their oats'. Most bucking horses that I've seen are fat and well-fed. As you probably know, horses that feel good and are being fed good tend to act spirited and buck, rear, and run more.

Myth: These horses are wild and scared. They buck because they are terrified.
Fact: Most broncos are very sweet and tame. They are not afraid of people. They show no signs of fear that abused horses show (I have been around abused horses! You can tell they've been mistreated!). They don't shy from your touch or run from you as a horse that has been abused does. They are mostly curious spirited horses that enjoy bucking. They know their job is to buck, and once in the arena, they do it. They know they are about to perform and get their adrenaline pumping and one thing on their mind: bucking.

Myth: These horses are not fed/treated well.
Fact: Horses that are not fed well would not have the energy to buck. These horses are often worth $10,000-50,000 and it is in the best interest of the livestock contractor to make sure his horses are well-cared for. If a stock contactor doesn't take good care of his horses, then they won't perform well. If they don't perform well, the rodeo is going to go with a DIFFERENT contract. There are COMPETITIONS and AWARDS that go to the best broncos, and contractors compete for those.

 

To summarize:

In ANY event you can find abuses going on. I can say it certainly isn't the norm in rodeo, but it is possible. Abusive people are found everywhere; we cannot punish an entire sport for the actions of a very few bad people. If I see abuses going on in a rodeo, I WILL inform someone and try to make it stop. I am 100% against animal abuse. I have, in the hundreds of rodeos I've been to, not seen anyone doing any of the abuses that ARA's claim. I have only ever seen one injury which was caused by an accident. Veterinarians are ON HAND to handle any injuries that might occur, and that is what happened.

Let's stop picking on events that give animals something to do and a place to live, and start picking on the REAL animal abusers out there. To see how you can help horses, please visit the Clickety-CLOP main page. There are all kinds of ways to donate to help a horse in need! Every small donation counts!