Are Livestock Safe when They Are a Part of the Rodeo Circuit

There are a lot of questions regarding the safety of animals who are a part of any rodeo circuit. Even though most rodeo activities were started by things cowboys use to do around their farms, many people feel that it is abusive of an animal if you are roping them, tossing them down onto the ground, and even riding on them while they try to buck you off. However, if you look at the facts, you may discover that it is not the case at all. Here is the answer to whether livestock is really safe when they are part of the rodeo circuit.
Back many years ago, ranch owners went to extreme measures to round up their cattle and break horses. The fact that it was a challenge to become successful, made some of the rougher cowboys more aggressive in their approach, even to the point of riding a bull until he could not buck anymore. As rodeos became more popular, people began to question how the animals were treated. This lead to several rules being put in place to ensure that animals were cared for.
The truth of the matter is, there are some animals that are good bucking stock because of their breeding. This means that if you have a good bull, you will not want him abused. He may have the right look or the right build, and from there you can make more money off of him based on that and you would not put your prized bull in harm’s way.
As the years passed and certain rodeo circuits were invented, there has been a lot of investigations done regarding animal abuse in the rodeo. Today there are more than 60 rules that specifically regulate how animals are cared for and how they are treated. This means that out of nearly 34,000 runs, maybe 16 animals were actually injured and most injuries are not severe.
There are other rodeo circuits that are less careful with their animals, but for the most part, animals are safe. They are treated as a prized possession by their owners. They are respected as animals. They are protected from harm. Not just in the United States, but in other areas of the world as well.
This is great news for animal and rodeo lovers throughout the world. So the next time you feel guilty pleasure over watching a bull rider in action, you do not have to worry about whether it is safe for the animal or not.