Interesting ..... - Page 3

I exercise reserve horses and young stock horses for a couple that does team roping.  While I LOOOVE riding these horses and playing at roping the fake steer there is no way I, personally, could do it. They have their own steer and their own arena/gate to practice and the steer haven't been injured that I have seen. Don't move like injured or even stiff that I have seen. But I've seen calves injured badly at the big rodeo in Tucson. 

From what I have seen the livestock is taken care of. Broncs, steer, saddle horses. But it's a different mentality from any horses I have owned.  I've always approached riding with a partnership mentality, but me definately having the final say. And I have always been very careful to rehabilitate when there were injuries. But with a Rodeo mentality it seems to be the difference between pet/partner and livestock/coworker. The cowboy rides injured, so does the horse. The horses do seem to be gone through more quickly than some but on the other hand it's better than going hungry in a field with their hooves splitting from neglect.

At heart I think this is the difference. Cowboys see animals as livestock as the cowboys/farmers before them did. I don't beleive there is any cruel intent overall but it does seem that there are aspects they need to bring into this century.

JMHO

I'm sure there are some "decent" rodeos out there but, after looking at some of the videos from the above mentioned site, I have to say, I really don't care to ever watch another.

To use these animals to put on a show for us is one thing, but to abuse the animal, that's something totally different.  I am a true believer in the punishment should fit the crime.  How I'd love to see the same fate befall these inhuman idiots.

It's amazing the crap that people can turn a blind eye to. 

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I don't like agreeing with Steve, but I have to in this regard.  I am the kind of person that thinks what humans do with animals really sucks.  We put parrots in cages.  We kill bulls in bullfighting for sport (and cheer loudly).  We put fish in tanks.  We experiment with animals to find out "what would happen if I put this drug in that animal".  We cull racing pigeons that do not perfom well.  We mutilate dogs ears, tails, etc., just for "looks".  We breed and raise chickens in tiny cages, whereupon they can not even turn around, to feed ourselves (when we really do not need meat to survive well).  We (in 4H) raise a farm animal like it was our child, even giving it a name, and then sell it off for consumption.  We catch fish with hooks in their mouth or guts, then many times just throw them back with the injury or the hook still in their mouth or their guts half pulled out, just for sport.  We goad dogs, Roosters, Preying Mantis or whatever, into fighting for our amusement.  We even send 12 year old dogs to bite at sleeves, just to show off.  The list goes on and on.

Yes, I am as guilty of some of these things as all of us are.  I just think that being an animal sucks.  And no, I am not a member of PETA or any other group like that.  I do not know the answer as to how we should treat animals, but I think that not abusing them for entertainment would be the first step.  I would not go as far as saying that we should not eat meat, even though I have "almost" become a vegetarian (yes, not quite there yet though).  As I get older, I think about these things more often.  Maybe it comes from experiencing the worst side of some people and their relationship with animals, from having been a cop.  I dunno the answer.  I see Elephants killed for their tusks and almost everyone agrees that is terrible, but then you see bull fighting or rodeos, and you see all of those people cheering.  It amazes me.  Even the WWF and professional boxing is stupid, in my opinion.  And again, yes, I have been a boxer in the past.  I am as guilty as many, of mistreating animals, in the sense of caging them, and eating them.  Don't we all remember the pics posted on this site of those cultures that sell dogs for meat.  Putting tin cans over their mouths, bending their fronet legs around to the back of their necks and tying them their, as the dog lies in pain, unable to even pant, in the market place.  The postings about what dog food makers do to "perfect" their dog foods, and their medicines.

I have said it before on this site, probably a dozen times.  It sucks to be an animal, when humans are near.  Heck, it sucks to be an animal even when there are just animals around.  They eat each other alive.

What the heck was God thinking?  All we really needed was plant eating things and vultures for the ones that die of old age.

Okay.  I'm done.  Gonna go have a turkey and cheese sandwich, with mayo and egg, on rye bread.

I liked your Post EchoMeadows.

It is strage, but if you are around large animals long enough you will see horrid accidents. I remember My friend's horse breaking it's own leg in a freak accident when being loaded onto a truck right infront of my eyes.

I don't do rodeo, BUT I really enjoy the PBR bull riding TV.

Most injuries are on the cowboys who have a long list of prior injuries already like Broken jaws, riped ligaments, and broken bones. Still I like the fact that the Bulls have long Careers that can be tracked, and at the finals they bring the best and most famous Bulls. It seems they bred for this and sometimes the anouncer will mention a bull's famous sire.