RodeoCruelty.com : Bucking horses
Exposing the lie of the "mean" rodeo horse
The Rodeo Mafia claims that their bucking horses are rank and mean, and "born to buck." Its all a lie -- hype and propaganda for a billion dollar industry based on cruelty and cover-ups.
The foundation of the bucking events is the buck strap, also known as a flank strap. Once a horse is moved into a bucking chute, the buck strap is loosely fitted around the flank area like a belt. A contestant gets on the horse and prepares to ride.
At the contestant's nod, the chute gate is opened. At the same time a person behind the chute pulls on the buck strap, tightening it around the horse's very sensitive flank area. This is similar to grabbing a very sensitive nerve area of a human being. Just as a person would instinctively fight to escape the tormenting grip, so does the horse fight and buck in a futile attempt to escape the buck strap.
Some rodeo opponents claim the buck strap goes over a horses genitals. This is not true. Regardless, the buck strap is a hated torment for a horse.
The bucking events cannot be held without the buck strap. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania banned the use of the buck strap over a decade ago, and the town hasn't had a rodeo since. The buck strap is as vital to the Rodeo Mafia as it is cruel and tormenting to the horse.
As the video clips show, a horse does not stop bucking when a contestant is thrown. The horse continues to fight the torment of the buck strap. The contestant does, however, add to the suffering by spurring the horse.
The horse usually does not stop bucking until one of two "pickup men" rides alongside the horse and flips a quick-release mechanism on the flank strap. The horse will usually stop bucking immediately.
The Rodeo Mafia claims their horses love to buck. Horses do occasionally buck for fun, but that's not what happens in the rodeo. "Bucking horses" are abused animals. Watch the video clips and see for yourself.
These horses are "chute fighting," a term for horses displaying their unhappiness about being abused in a chute. A few minutes earlier, they were calm and quiet in their pens. Once in the chute, the bucking horse may be shocked, have her mane or tail pulled, or her faces slapped, all to irritate and anger her before she is further abused by the bucking strap and spurs.
Rodeo apologists actually claim their victims enjoy the abuses suffered. These horses are obviously not happy. They are enduring the irritating bucking strap, and the contestants are raking the horses furiously with spurs, as is required by rodeo rules.
While a horse may buck for fun, rodeo horses buck out of control because of torment. They may slam into obstacles such as fences, or trip and fall. This may result in serious injury and death.
The bucking strap, the irritating device which is the main reason that rodeo horses buck, causes bloody and painful open wounds in the sensitive flank area. SHARK investigators document flank strap wounds at virtually every rodeo we investigate. Incredibly, rodeo apologists try to deny flank strap wounds even exist.
Rodeo people say that mean and wild rodeo horses come from the meanest and wildest mares. Here you can see Steve Hindi and Donna Hertel interacting with the "wild mares" used for breeding to produce the "mean and wild" bucking horses. It's difficult to imagine more gentle animals.
Rodeo victims are forced to perform in any weather. This rodeo was held in intense midsummer heat. This tormented victim collapses from exhaustion.
You can see the man behind the chute pull twice hard on the buck strap. The victim bucks blind, headfirst into another chute gate.
Another victim bucks blind headfirst into a fence.
Another horse bucks furiously, but watch what happens when the cruel buck strap is removed. The victim is instantly calm.
Another horse bucks and thrashes on the ground. Again, the victim is calm once the cruel buck strap is removed.
Another "wild" and "mean" horse is calm after the cruel buck strap is removed. The only meanness to be found is in the Rodeo Mafia.
Another "wild" and "mean" horse is calm after the cruel buck strap is removed. The only meanness to be found is in the Rodeo Mafia.
Another "wild" and "mean" horse is calm after the cruel buck strap is removed. The only meanness to be found is in the Rodeo Mafia.
The cruel buck strap often creates painful raw open wounds on rodeo victims. The Rodeo Mafia claims this doesn't happen, but the video footage exposes another rodeo lie.
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