Is anyone aware of Rodeo Abuse???

In every activity involving animals there will be abuse, but make sure you understand that not every rodeo is cruel and abusive. Horses that are used for shows, races, rodeos, and as pets all have the select few owners that are irresponsible and cruel to the animals, but abuse and cruelty is not the norm. Please do not say that every horse in a rodeo is treated badly, I can gaurentee that there are more neglected, starved and abused horses out there sitting in peoples back yards then there are at rodeos.

Recently where I live there was a group of people affiliated with PETA that snuck into the fair grounds at night and released all the horses from a rodeo that was in town. These horses ran into a main road causing a couple of car accidents, I believe 2 horses were hit by cars. Many others were injured from running around subdivisions completly terrified. THIS is an example of animal cruelty. The horses in the rodeo were being used for team penning, barrel racing, etc. They were trained to do jobs they loved, and were well taken care of untill the 'animal lovers' interfered.

Also most of the pictures on those sites were taken in Mexico. Mexican slaughter houses are not regulated by the US government and have much worst conditions for the animals than American slaughter houses. By banning horse slaughter in America, more horses will be shipped to Mexico to be killed in ways that are cruel and unregulated.

As 'foreigner' I admit to be hooked on PBR ever since I saw a video of Bodacious. We do get PBR in the UK and, watching those bulls seeing how as soon as the rider is off their backs, they head straight for the gate. They look really well and in very fit and good condition. When in Idaho I saw a small rodeo and was not very impressed. There were several lame sheep in the mutton busting - of which I decided the winner was the kid that cried the least! I did not approve of the goat grabbing. A couple of the broncs were also lame. I have also seen videos on Youtube that showed wild horses being caught and ridden and that was, in no way whatever a good thing to watch. Horses were killed and I believe some cattle are also killed at events where the 'macho' image has to be shown. I am not against rodeo providing that the animals are well cared for behind the scenes and there is no risk of abusing any animal.

How many rodeos have you been to???? because I live in a town where most kids are from cattle ranches and almost all of those kids ride high school rodeo. Not only that this is where one of the biggest rodeos are held every year for about 60 years now. Do you have any idea what the animals are worth??? A good horse will cost anywhere from 4 -30 thousand $'s. The bulls can be the same and the steers they dont come sheap either. As someone else stated how are you going to catch a steer or even a small calf for that matter?? Have you ever tried to run one down and grab it?? A calf can outrun you and just try to hold on to one. Have you been around cattle or horses to know how to take care of them and what things need to be done for your own safety while working with large animals?? Did you know that the average horse weighs 1,000. pounds and a bull almost twice that ?? Did you know that all the things in a rodeo are done everyday on the ranches??? Team roping, and reining, theres branding, and cutting young bulls to steers, riding a bronc to help start training. all of these things have been done for hundreds of years why start griping now all these animals whether in rodeos or on farms all get the same treatment. I will agree that there are alot of mistreated animals in this world. But for the most part rodeo stock are well cared for. Get on the band wagon about circus animals!!!

Rodeo is not abuse. None of those animals are being hurt in any way at all. Wouldn't you like to work for no more than 8 seconds a day for a couple days a week and then stand or lie around for the rest of the day? Those animals get treated better than you could ever imagine.

Do you also realize that PETA kills more animals in the name of "saving them" than anyone else? Since you are going to jump on this, then lets ban football (pigskin ball), baseball (leather covered ball), polo, horse racing, dog shows, cat shows, and anything thing else that has anything to do with an animal. You are also aware that since the slaughter houses have closed, that there are now horses being shipped long distances and being killed more inhumanly down in Mexico. Good rodeo producers and stockmen do not abuse the animals. They are way to valuable for that. These are animals that are taught to buck and not scared into it. If a cowboy cut a bull or a horse with a spur, he would be heavily fined. If you cannot rope a steer or a calf, then how do you catch it? Instead of whining about this, why not try and do something for the millions of kids who are way more abused than any rodeo animal. Please list where here in the US that this happens. I would really like to know. You really need to get your facts straight before you start harping.

If you are going to jump on that band wagon why not horse racing too? Do you realize how many horses are put down right on the track due to injuries every year? If Barbaro was not a Derby winner and he was not injured in one of the top publicized races in the nation he would have been euthanized right on the track, and probably should have been. Or the Tennessee Walking Horses who are 'soured' by putting chemicals on their feet or other items to cause them pain just to get them to do the 'big lick' stepping and 'improve' their gait.

Don't take one person's word for anything as far as cruelty to animals goes because for every bad rodeo there is a good one.

As an EMT I used to have to work at the rodeo. To be perfectly honest, I usually cheered for the animals. Sorry if the cowboys got hurt, but no sympathy from me... Anyway, I used to go back to the pens and you could see how poorly treated the animals were. And this was a company that was supposed to be one of the best in the state! They didn't appear to medically treat any of the animals' wounds. It just disgusted me so much I wouldn't work the rodeos anymore, no matter how good the money. All I have to say is, long live the bulls and the broncs!

The vast majority of rodeos are not cruel. But as any other sport that involves animals, there are some that are. Those of course should be stopped but not the entire sport.

Make sure you get your facts straight before going on a witch hunt.

PS-- Dear Luvrats-- they don't put straps on genitals-- IT'S AROUND THEIR FLANKS. BIIIIIIIG DIFFERENCE.

See my point?? Make sure you get your facts straight so you don't sound like an ignoramus.

Thanks for the info. Thought you might want to know that the House of Represetatives just passed the bill for a permenant ban on horse slaughter. And I know it's a complicated issue on some levels with horses being abandoned, etc, but in the long run I think this will save many horses.

Even if a rodeo SEEMS to take good care of the animals -- the animals are well fed and get vet care -- do you know how they get them to buck? They strap TIGHT belts around their genitals! That's why the horses and bulls buck so hard!

Also, who's SICK idea was it to make sport of taking BABY COWS, terrifying them to run, throwing a rope around them, making them fall HARD to the ground and hog tying them? What part of that is sport?????

Rodeos make me sick. So do circuses that use animals.