Clarkson Rodeo Days, Inc.
PO Box 610
Clarkson, NY 14430

Bucking Horses

Bucking Horses

International Professional Rodeo Association, P.O. Box 83377, Oklahoma City OK 73148

Generally, when a horse has been properly gentled and trained, it learns that bucking is not part of what a rider wants. However, some horses never quite relinquish their will to that of a human and display their independence by bucking. Horses that show a willful tendency to buck with some frequency are not trustworthy to most horsemen; they are of potential value to rodeo.

Bucking is a natural action, something that all horses have done at some point in their life. It is often seen in young horses that are feeling playful or when a horse that has been cooped up is released into a pasture where it runs and bucks to get out the kinks.

Rodeo, of course, needs an animal to buck with regularity, not just when the whim strikes. The occasional bad actor doesn’t always make the grade. To be of value to rodeo, the horse has to understand and agree to “when.”

The Flank Strap

Several things come into play to communicate that “now” is the time to buck. The first time the horse is exposed to the routine of the holding chute, a cowboy on its back (but no controlling bit in its mouth), and the unfamiliarity of a strap placed around its flank, some horses will simply run when released into the arena. For those that buck, you wait a few days and then try them again. Bucking out the gate a second time is still not insurance, but it is an indication that this horse might be a keeper.

The reason for the flank strap, initially, is its unfamiliarity. The strap is placed in front of a horse’s hind legs. A cowboy on the backside of the chute momentarily holds on to one end of the strap as the horse leaves the chute. As the strap snugs up to the horse, the animal may kick out with its back legs in an attempt to rid itself of the unfamiliar object. Once an animal becomes conditioned to the routine, the strap is essentially just part of the package that tells the horse when it is time to buck.

In addition to communicating when we would like the horse to buck, the strap also encourages a particular style of bucking that is favored for rodeo competition; that is, back legs kicking high into the air.

While the physical effort of a rodeo bucking horse is high energy, it is for only a few seconds at a time. In exchange for a light workload, the animal receives good care and lots of rest. Bucking infrequently, the normal working life for rodeo broncs is 5 to 10 years longer than other working horses.

The “heart” of an “honest” bucking horse to consistently turn in a good performance is greatly admired and is a matter of pride to the owners and riders. The reputations of great horses live on in our memories and in legend long after the animals are retired.