Rodeos — the Brutal Reality

List of Rodeos' Documented Cruelties

Rodeos in the U.S. are highly abusive to animals. Injuries to the horses and cattle range from bruises and broken bones to paralysis, severed tracheas, and death.

Severe abuse during practice sessions and transportation is common, as well as during the actual competitions. The sponsors of rodeos, the contestants, and the rodeo veterinarians, all of whom make a profit from these horses and cattle, maintain that rodeos don't harm animals. Investigators working for animal welfare organizations and also independent veterinarians testify to the cruelty.  Watch the videos linked below to see the truth for yourself.

Rodeos typically include the following events:

  Riding bucking horses (bronco busting)

  "Wild horse" racing

  Calf roping and calf dressing

  Bull riding

  Steer wrestling

  Steer roping (steer busting)

RIDING BUCKING HORSES  (Bareback and Saddle "Bronco Busting")

 

A horse in the chute is subjected to an electric shock.		The horse bucks as a result of the pain inflicted by the strap, the electric prod, and the spurs.		Electric prod shocking device

When the rider climbs onto the horse in the bucking chute, a strap tied around the horse’s flank -- an extremely sensitive area -- is severely tightened, causing pain. As soon as the gate is opened, the horse bucks to escape the painful strap, which often causes open, bloody wounds. The rider adds to the horse's suffering by spurring him. Tormented horses may slam into obstacles such as fences, or they may trip and fall, causing serious injury and death. In addition to the strap, which is banned in some cities in the U.S., electric prods are used to cause horses to buck even more. Although the prods are illegal, their use is widespread, just as are the illegal but commonly used drugs in horseracing.

See bucking-horse videos here (scroll down) and here (see "Flying U Rodeo").

"WILD HORSE" RACING

Several horses are released from chutes at one time. One person from a team of three for each horse tries to saddle, mount, and ride a horse. The "race" involves the complete domination and extreme abuse of animals. The "cowboys" do whatever it takes to subdue the panicked animals, including putting the victims in headlocks, biting them, or hitting them. The horses struggle intensely, falling hard to the ground, slamming into fences and each other. Some collapse from the stress and exhaustion. As with other rodeo events, the animal victims may be injured or even killed.

See wild horse racing videos here.

CALF ROPING

 

What are these children learning by watching this degrading treatment of a baby animal?

A rider on horseback throws a rope around a calf's neck, dismounts, runs to the calf, and restrains him or her by tying three legs together in as short a time as possible. The calves, who are only about four months old, are subjected to painful stimuli (such as tail twisting) in the chute so they run, terrified, into the arena at top speed. When the calves are roped, the sudden jerk results in their becoming airborne before slamming into the ground. This process can break the calf's neck, back, or legs. Calf roping is banned in some locations in the United States because of its cruelty.

So here we have today’s brave cowboy, bending over and tying up a frightened, dazed, disoriented baby (the animals are all of four to five months old), with neck or back injuries, bruises, broken bones, and internal hemorrhages....And they call this 'sport.'

 

Tom Regan, Empty Cages (2004)

In CALF DRESSING, a "family entertainment" event, spectators join in, and the terrified calf is dressed in clothing, often underwear.

See calf-roping videos here (scroll down)

and calf-dressing videos here.

BULL RIDING

 

Notice the assistant on the right reaching over with an electric prod.

A rider mounts a large bull in a chute, and when the chute opens, the bull jumps out bucking. Electric cattle prods, clearly visible in videos and photos, are used to torment the bulls, to make them appear to be wild killers, thus enhancing the rider's macho image of domination and control. Cattle are particularly sensitive to electricity.

See bull-riding videos here (scroll down) and here (click the photos).

STEER WRESTLING

In this event, a rider on a horse chases a steer, drops from the horse to the steer, then wrestles the steer to the ground by twisting his horns, sometimes breaking the animal's neck.

STEER ROPING ("Steer Busting")

 

This steer's neck was broken during this event.		The dead steer is dragged out of the arena.

A steer exits from a chute into the arena, where a rider on a horse attempts to rope, throw, and tie him as quickly as possible. The steer is thrown so fast and slammed to the ground with such force that many do not survive. Steer roping is so cruel that it isn't allowed in most states..

See steer roping videos here and here.

Photos and videos courtesy of SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness).