# Rodeos: Cruel to animals?



## omairp (Aug 21, 2006)

Edmonton is in the grip of rodeo fever because of the Canadian Finals Rodeo this weekend. I believe they use electric prods, spurs, and very tight harnesses to hurt and scare the animals into bucking to try to escape the pain.

Are sports like bull riding and calf roping cruel to animals?


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

As a western rider, former cattle ranch and horse ranch employee and holding an associate degree in agriculture ( beef cattle, sheep,swine, poultry production and dairy management classes) my answer is yes. It is argued many of the performing bucking stock and bulls are so valued they in fact receive quality care. True, but once at the rodeo a bucking horse is saddled with a bucking cinch fitted with steel cleats to irritate the soft area equal to our abdodmens. My beloved ex movie trick horse and former bucking horse Bad Bob simply gave up one day at a rodeo and fell down in a total mental heap. A very good horseman/actor by name of Ben Johnson rescued him and gave a misunderstood horse a second career under the trainer of Jimmy Stewart's longtime movie horse Pie. I was priveleged to be entrusted with his retirement years,if how he rode could be called retirement. I NEVER even thought of putting a rear cinch on Bob or use spurs ( they get a horses attention, but only the most extreme are more than a dull prod, and used correctly the very movement of a spur against the hair becomes a signal itself. The trick is teaching the wearer proper refinement) Bob quite simply would have killed me dead, which is not unknown in Rodeo, one sport where the animals sometimes fight back with a vengeance. Calf Roping is an abomination. I was invited to a school rodeo and the instructor claimed then the animal rights activists would find no cruelty. Ha,ha- This fool heeled a calf ( roped a rear leg ) took a hard turn on his saddle horn and set the horse up to stop. Horse already was, and the calf's leg disarticulated and ripped off before the no longer smiling buckaroos and buckarettes from the elementary school. That was my last rodeo. There are lots of western sports that truly duplicate the old cattle operations. I have a cutting bred horrse. I trained briefly on a ranch that used Buffalo. You can cut a buffalo once. after that they chase you. Now that is real fun, and fair to both parties, I think.


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## Spence (Feb 28, 2006)

I'd have to say that it's pretty cruel on most counts. While there may be some merrit in retaining old traditions and skills, if it becomes too entertainment focused there certianly is an ethical issue...

-spence


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Here in Tucson, they actually close the schools for our rodeo. There's a huge parade. It's a major thing for the city. After 10 years here, I have yet to attend any of this and I hope my streak can continue.


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## marlinspike (Jun 4, 2007)

I once went to a bullfight in Spain...I had no idea that they actually kill the bulls, plus the bulls seemed fairly doped up...on top of being extremely cruel (they even have guys on horses come and spear up the bull a little to weaken it after abit), it was extremely boring.


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## RSS (Dec 30, 2003)

Being a beagle fan ... when they start ropin' beagles ... that's when I get p*ssed. :icon_smile_wink:

And as for you, Mrs. De Vil ... you'll stick to those Dalmatians if ya know what's good for ya, Cruella, baby.

Here is a picture of a favorite beagle of mine.

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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

RSS said:


> Being a beagle fan ... when they start ropin' beagles ... that's when I get p*ssed. :icon_smile_wink:
> 
> Here is a picture of a favorite beagle of mine.


Looks to be quite an intelligent and friendly little fellow. Thanks for sharing his handsome visage with us!


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## crazyquik (Jun 8, 2005)

Yes, it's cruel to animals.

No, I don't care.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

What about Horse And Carriages? That's a person pulling a horse by the neck,Wasn't that supposed to be banned?


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## PennGlock (Mar 14, 2006)

crazyquik said:


> Yes, it's cruel to animals.
> 
> No, I don't care.


Exactly what I was about to write. It's just not cruel enough for me to give a ****. Go visit a chicken farm if you want to see real animal cruelty...


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## omairp (Aug 21, 2006)

Howard said:


> What about Horse And Carriages? That's a person pulling a horse by the neck,Wasn't that supposed to be banned?


A person pulling a horse??? I think you've got it backwards buddy.


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Howard, Horses do not pull carriages. Horses push against either a custom fitted collar of soft leather filled with flax seed shaped roughly like an inverted teardrop or a wide breast strap. Either system is carefully fitted to rest against large chest muscles and cause no discomfort.


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## TMMKC (Aug 2, 2007)

Is it cruel? I've never given it any thought...I dunno, maybe.

Do I care if it's cruel to an animal that's going to end up on someone's dinner table within a month anyway? No.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Howard said:


> What about Horse And Carriages? That's a person pulling a horse by the neck,Wasn't that supposed to be banned?


I thought it had been banned at least 200 years ago.


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## Good Old Sledge (Jun 13, 2006)

I rode rough stock in the old IRA back when I was young enough to do that sort of thing. The animals were cared for well enough, but it was danged cruel to the cowboys.
As KAV indicates, though, the cruelty too often kicks in when the stock's career is over. Yes, a good bronc or bull is valued and even pampered when it's making money for the contractor, but when it no longer serves a useful purpose, too frequently they are discarded without much ceremony.


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## Trommel (Sep 27, 2006)

Meat: Cruel to animals?


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Trommel said:


> Meat: Cruel to animals?


Moot point. We are not the ones that made animals out of meat. It is just their bad luck they are so tasty.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Wayfarer said:


> I thought it had been banned at least 200 years ago.


I think it was banned in Manhattan.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Wayfarer said:


> Moot point. We are not the ones that made animals out of meat. It is just their bad luck they are so tasty.


Meat has vitamins and minerals so some meat is actually good for you.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Howard said:


> I think it was banned in Manhattan.


200 years ago?


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Howard, a chunk of granite has minerals.Bon appetite.


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## 16412 (Apr 1, 2005)

Wayfarer said:


> It is just their bad luck they are so tasty.


I don't have a problem with that.

What is that program on tv? MTV? Where kids wreck themselves using skateboards? It is rare that an animal in the big rodeo end up with those kinds of injuries. And the children and adults do it without being asked, not to mention any sport children participate in. So, rodeo cruelity to animals- not much, not enough 99% of the time to give it a thought.


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## Patrick M Thayer (Dec 24, 2004)

Cruel? -- Sure. -- That's what they get for being cows!


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Wayfarer said:


> 200 years ago?


https://www.all-creatures.org/bhdc/

A website to ban Horse And Carriages.^


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Kav said:


> Howard, a chunk of granite has minerals.Bon appetite.


Was that supposed to be funny?


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Interesting artifact in cities from the days of horse: Days incidentaly which spanned all of our creative endeavors up until the mid 20th century. Trees and fountains were not planted by aesthetic minded individuals. They were a neccessity for the comfort and productivity of horses. Movies about Black Beauty suffering in the rain make money. A movie of a horse that lives to be 56 years old does not ( the documented oldest horse of record.) The fact is horses very nearly joined their Pliostocene friends in extinction. Mankind ate horses for a long time before some brave soul domesticated first donkeys and then horses. There is a fire hardened spear cache in Heidelburg Germany near a massive slaughter site of horses. Had the horse's particular qualities not been domesticated, our world history would be far different today. The people in Manhattan obviously are experts on horse husbandry and care. So I defer to their infinite wisdom and experience to nurture a society of Howards.


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## Clovis (Jan 11, 2005)

Kav said:


> There is a fire hardened spear cache in Heidelburg Germany near a massive slaughter site of horses..


Are you talking about wooden shafts or lithic bifaces?


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Fire hardened wood tips found in a wide range of very sophisticated shaft wieghts and balances. I don't have the site offhand, but do a search for spears and Heidelburg. And then brace yourself for 1,000,000 hits of the bimbo pop star.


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## Clovis (Jan 11, 2005)

Thanks. BTW, I think that Britney Spears - Heat Treated might just work for a CD title. She does make music right?


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

W.A.Mozart wrote music. Keiri Takanawa sings and Pearlman plays. I have utterly no rational explanation or emotional reply for Britney & Co.


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## MichaelS (Nov 14, 2005)

Kav said:


> Interesting artifact in cities from the days of horse: Days incidentaly which spanned all of our creative endeavors up until the mid 20th century. Trees and fountains were not planted by aesthetic minded individuals. They were a neccessity for the comfort and productivity of horses. Movies about Black Beauty suffering in the rain make money. A movie of a horse that lives to be 56 years old does not ( the documented oldest horse of record.) The fact is horses very nearly joined their Pliostocene friends in extinction. Mankind ate horses for a long time before some brave soul domesticated first donkeys and then horses. There is a fire hardened spear cache in Heidelburg Germany near a massive slaughter site of horses. Had the horse's particular qualities not been domesticated, our world history would be far different today. The people in Manhattan obviously are experts on horse husbandry and care. So I defer to their infinite wisdom and experience to nurture a society of Howards.


You can still buy horse meat (or at least could when I was last there in 1987) for human consumption in Germany. I guess it all depends on your solcialization whether you accept it or not (meat is meat as far as I am concerned although I would have trouble eating puppy).


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## RSS (Dec 30, 2003)

MichaelS said:


> You can still buy horse meat (or at least could when I was last there in 1987) for human consumption in Germany.


It's still commonly available in many parts of the world ... and much of Europe.

Earlier this year when we were in Tuscany, a visiting friend offered to cook dinner. She came home with some very beautiful beef. Jokingly I asked, "You didn't' accidentally buy horse, did you?" Of course, from the color of the flesh I could tell it wasn't horse ... and I received a resounding, "*No*, I didn't." She seemed very sure of herself ... and I patted her on the back to let her know that I was joking. It was my way of saying ... "You aren't in Kansas any more, my dear."

Prior to departing us, she admitted that I my attempt at humor had caused her some uncertainty. She hadn't considered that this market also sold horse -- didn't even know what horse meat looked like -- and she ultimately returned to the market to confirm that she had, indeed, purchased beef.

Sadly my attempt at humor ruined several hours of her short trip to Tuscany.


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## Wayfarer (Mar 19, 2006)

Howard said:


> https://www.all-creatures.org/bhdc/
> 
> A website to ban Horse And Carriages.^


Is there a website to ban trolls?


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

Perhaps we could find an Arabian consultant that could encapsulate a troll in a bottle.


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Trolls are northern Europe folklore. Usually they are caught outside at sunrise and turn to stone. Howard did say he has the graveyard shift at Pathmark.


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## Acct2000 (Sep 24, 2005)

I'd hate to turn our troll into stone, though. It seems a bit severe. (Although it depends who's being trolled at the moment, I guess.) Perhaps we could hire a contractor to pave his keyboard.


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

As I understand it, Howard religously places his keyboard upside down on an anthill to clean out the peanut butter, grape jelly and Oreo cookie crumbs.


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## omairp (Aug 21, 2006)

Howard said:


> Was that supposed to be funny?


Nope, try it... it'll come to you.


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## JDC (Dec 2, 2006)

MichaelS said:


> You can still buy horse meat (or at least could when I was last there in 1987) for human consumption in Germany. I guess it all depends on your solcialization whether you accept it or not (meat is meat as far as I am concerned although I would have trouble eating puppy).


Doesn't (or didn't) Jack In The Box use horse meat for their tacos? I remember them getting sued into changing their advertising from "beef tacos" to "meat tacos" some years ago, because the meat was from horses and not cows.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Wayfarer said:


> Is there a website to ban trolls?


Could you please stop this nonsense already,What's going on here?


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

Kav said:


> Trolls are northern Europe folklore. Usually they are caught outside at sunrise and turn to stone. Howard did say he has the graveyard shift at Pathmark.


Sorry Kav I don't work that late.My late shift ends at 7pm.


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## Laxplayer (Apr 26, 2006)

FrankDC said:


> Doesn't (or didn't) Jack In The Box use horse meat for their tacos? I remember them getting sued into changing their advertising from "beef tacos" to "meat tacos" some years ago, because the meat was from horses and not cows.


I thought it was kangaroo meat. Maybe a combination of the two?


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