High Tide, a legendary bucking horse, bucked off a year old-cowboy at the national finals when he was 32 years old. The Calgary Stampede Rodeo Company, one of the oldest breeding programs in rodeo, include many older horses in their list of top bucking horses.
A few of these older champion broncs currently bucking include: year-old Go Wild, year-old Kloud Grey, and year- old Guilty Cat. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association takes the welfare of all animals used in PRCA sanctioned events seriously, and the bucking horses are no exception. Many questions often arise about the equipment used on bucking horses. Riders in both the saddle bronc and bareback riding use spurs while riding.
The flank strap is used in bucking events to encourage a bucking horse to kick higher. The flank strap must be lined by fleece or neoprene and placed loosely around the flank area of the horse, just in front of the back legs. To pull a flank strap tightly would restrict or stop the motion of the animals, quite the opposite of what is asked of rodeo bucking horses. Horse flank straps are equipped with a quick release mechanism that allows the rodeo pickup men to release the strap when the ride concludes.
Veterinarians familiar with rodeo events and equipment have testified that the flank strap does not injure or cause pain to the animal. Overall, the animal welfare program employed by the PRCA is extensive. As Dr. Haber documented, the rodeo circuit is just a detour on the road to the slaughterhouse. Although rodeo cowboys voluntarily risk injury by participating in events, the animals they use have no such choice.
Because speed is a factor in many rodeo events, the risk of accidents is high. A terrified, squealing young horse burst from the chutes at the Can-Am Rodeo and within five seconds slammed into a fence and broke her neck. Bystanders knew that she was dead when they heard her neck crack, yet the announcer told the crowd that everything would "be all right" because a vet would see her.
Sadly, incidents such as this are not uncommon at rodeos. For example, in , three men and seven horses died at the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada. In San Antonio, yet another frightened horse snapped his spine. Witnesses report that the horse dragged himself, paralyzed, across the stadium by his front legs before collapsing. During the National Western Stock Show, a horse crashed into a wall and broke his neck, while still another horse broke his back after being forced to buck.
Bucking horses often develop back problems from the repeated poundings they endure. Because horses do not normally jump up and down, there is also the risk of leg injury when a tendon tears or snaps. It is highly ironic that when a horse treated in this manner finds a home as a rodeo bronc, where he is not only allowed to buck with no punishment but where he is also highly prized and well cared for, that the misinformed would have him "rescued".
This makes the animal unwilling to move and is an effective way of restraining him for medical treatment. To pull a flank strap too tightly on a rodeo animal would cause the animal to refuse to move, let alone buck. Abuse of any animal should not be tolerated. Report any suspected abuse immediately to your local humane organization.
This article was originally published in the July 11, newsletter of Dr. Reprinted here with his knowledge and consent. We're sad to say that Dr. Nielsen passed away in June, Advertisement Find beautiful cowhide purses on Etsy. Menu Search Newsletter Top. Flank Straps The outside of the flank strap is made of leather. Spurs Putting the odds in favor of the horse is also why bronc riders are required to spur the horse.
Where Do Broncs Come From? One Last Thing The NAIA is a tireless fighter of animal rights extremist organizations. Most are trained for a specific event and rarely cross over between events, says Corey. He says he rarely sees carpal knee problems. Corey says he sees some muscle soreness, depending on how frequently the horse performs.
At the largest events the timed-event rodeo horses run three times and, then, if they qualify, participate in a final event. The slack cowboys must qualify for the perf. At smaller rodeos, the horses might compete once without a semifinal or final format.
In all PRCA-sanctioned events, a licensed veterinarian is present on rodeo grounds. Just like broncs, the timed event horses travel far and wide. Team roping tends to be the most common event. Pickup horses often work even harder than the timed-event horses. Espy says most performances use up to 15 bareback broncs and 15 saddle broncs. During each round of 15, a pickup rider has to change horses twice because the animals get winded as they move in conjunction with the bucking horses.
This means that, like a polo string, each pickup rider needs five or six horses to work a top-tier rodeo performance. Stock contractors provide most pickup horses as part of their agreement with the rodeo for animal provision. Most issues Espy says he sees in pickup horses relate to soft tissue, such as tendon and ligament injuries.
According to PRCA surveys of on-site rodeo veterinarians gathered from to , livestock injuries including cattle occur at an average rate of 0. Illness and injury are rare among rodeo broncs. Western performance horses and pickup horses are more likely to experience injuries similar to those seen in any other sport horse. The PRCA has high standards for animal welfare, our sources say, and goes to great lengths to give any horse performing on the rodeo circuit the best in medical care. Nancy S.
Her book, All Horse Systems Go , is a comprehensive veterinary care and conditioning resource in full color that covers all facets of horse care. She has also authored the books Go the Distance as a resource for endurance horse owners, Conformation and Performance , and First Aid for Horse and Rider in addition to many veterinary articles for both horse owner and professional audiences. How Veterinarians Care for Top Rodeo Horses Learn more about the equine athletes that compete at rodeo events, the types of injuries they are prone to, and how veterinarians nurse them back to health.
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