A new study — the first to deal with the welfare of bucking horses used in rodeos — shows that horses used for bronc riding in rodeos can become accustomed to the high-pressure performance. Drs. Christy Goldhawk, Temple Grandin and Ed Pajora found that experienced horses used at the Calgary Stampede had fewer reactive behaviors during loading and holding in the chute before they performed. Horses with increased rodeo experience were also less likely to balk during loading.
The three-year study used 116 horses involved in saddle bronc, novice saddle bronc, bareback and novice bareback events. The research team observed the horses in holding areas behind the chutes, where they found a low frequency of adverse behaviors in rodeo horses. They note that this may be because the horses have been habituated to the rodeo, meaning they understand the sequence of the event.
The places where the horses exhibited discomfort can easily be modified to make them more comfortable, the research team said. For example, when the horses appeared uneasy when spectators were above them, the research team recommended that a tent be placed over the holding area to shield the horses from view.
Read the study here.
Read more at HorseTalk.
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