What is a Bronco horse, and why can they make even the toughest cowboys tremble?
A bronco horse, also known as a bucking bronco, is a type of horse that is notorious for its ability to buck off riders!
You can see Broncos in rodeos and other Western-style events, where riders attempt to stay on the horse for as long as possible.
Join us as we look into the history and development of the Bronco horses and why they are so challenging to ride!
Key Takeaways
- Learn the fascinating history of Broncos horses and their origins.
- Rodeos were a place for everyone, no matter the color or gender, however, this all changed due to a very bad accident.
- Read about the different types of Bronc riding and their methods.
What is a Bronco Horse?
The Spanish language word "bronco" means "rough" and was adopted by American cowboys from their Mexican counterparts to describe an unbroken, wild, or untrained horse.
It is not a specific breed of horse, but rather a description of a competitive type of riding in western rodeos.
Cowboys compete on them in bronco riding events, where they must stay on the horse for a set amount of time while the horse tries to throw them off.
Today's modern rodeos no longer use feral horses but train domestic horses with the power and athleticism to make top-class buckers.
So how did the Bronco originate?
History and Origins of the Bronco Horse
The 1800s became the era of the cowboy in the United States and Canada as the cattle industry flourished.
Wild horses roamed the open ranges of cattle ranches until adulthood, whereby the cowboys would attempt to break them in to become cow horses.
After long cattle drives, many ranchers competed in their downtime to see who were the best riders, placing bets on who could stay on a bucking horse the longest.
These friendly but competitive ranch versus ranch competitions led to the first rodeos. The word is derived from the Spanish word "rodear," meaning roundup, as in cattle roundup.
The first official Bronc riding event to offer prize money was at Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show2 in 1882.
So who was allowed to compete in these bronc riding events?
A Sport for Everyone
Despite being an era where racial and gender discrimination was commonplace, rodeos often included Hispanics, Native Americans, African Americans, and women.
From 1916, over twenty rodeos had women's bronc riding events.
However, this changed in 1929 when Bonnie McCarroll3, a well-known cowgirl, died 8 days after being seriously injured in a bronc riding accident.
In 1930, the Rodeo Association of America (RAA) banned women from competing in rodeos.
Although women compete in Bronc riding in the United States today, some states still don't allow women to participate, and it is still very much a male-dominated sport.
Let's look at the types of bronc riding.
What are the Types of Bronc Riding?
Rodeo competitions have two types of bronc riding events - bareback and saddle.
Riders need a high level of physical fitness, requiring good upper body strength and core stability to endure the physical demands of riding a Bronc.
These judged events require the rider to stay atop a violently bucking horse for the eight-second qualifying time and are not for the faint-hearted!
The rider holds onto a rope, rein, or rigging with one hand and must not touch the horse with their free hand, keeping both spurs feeling the point of the horse's shoulders as it leaves the chute.
Two judges in the arena score the horse and rider out of 100 points, with a good score being over 80.
Saddle Bronc Riding
Saddle bronc competitions developed from the traditional horse-breaking tasks of cowboys during the 19th century.
The rider uses a custom-made western saddle made to the competitor's specifications but with no saddle horn.
A buck rein is attached to the halter, and the rider decides where they place their hand and how they hold it.
The judge looks at the Bronco rider's control of their Bronc, spurring action, and whether they can keep their feet pointing outwards.
For the Bronc, judges look at their bucking ability and if they stay smooth and rhythmic during the ride.
Bareback Bronc Riding
Bareback riding is probably the most physically demanding of the bronc riding competitions, which developed as an arena contest in 1910.
The rider sits bareback on the horse with only a rigging, a surcingle strap with a single riveted handhold to hold onto.
The judge looks at the rider's spurring technique and the degree to which they keep their toes turned out while considering the Bronc's bucking style.
What Type of Horse is a Bronco?
In today's modern times, the term Bronco no longer describes a wild or feral horse as they now use domesticated horses on the rodeo circuit.
You will see large breeds of horses as Broncos, usually with draft horses4, Quarter Horse5, or Thoroughbred bloodlines.
Many broncs come from specialized breeding programs to produce horses that want to buck.
Alternatively, they are unruly riding horses that persistently buck off their riders, making it difficult to eliminate this undesirable behavior through training.
One horse from Canada remains a legendary bronc horse to this day.
Midnight, the Greatest Bucking Horse
Probably the world's greatest and wildest bucking horse was a black horse called Midnight with thoroughbred Persian, and Morgan bloodlines.
During the 1920s, cowboy after cowboy tried to ride Midnight, with most only being able to stay on his back for no more than 3 seconds. Afterward, he would often buck in a circle around his fallen rider!
He defeated the best bronc riders, and his remains are at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City.
But is Bronc riding cruelly?
Animal Welfare at Rodeos
Animal welfare6 is a top priority at bronc riding events.
Vets inspect and evaluate the horses before they can compete to ensure they are in good health. They check the livestock pens and arenas for any sharp objects that could injure the animals.
The rider's spurs must be dull and roll freely, and flank straps for horses are fleece or neoprene-lined; anyone abusing a horse must be disqualified from the event and fined.
All of these measurements help to ensure that bronc riding events are not only exciting and entertaining but also safe and ethical for all involved.
FAQS
What makes a horse a bronco?
A bronco is a type of horse that tends to buck when somebody rides them. They can be any breed.
Can you ride a Bronco horse?
Broncos do not make good riding horses because of their desire to buck their rider off immediately.
Can female horses be Bronco?
It's not limited by gender, so both male and female horses can be broncos if they exhibit behavior that makes them challenging to handle or ride. Female horses can certainly be broncos if they display the characteristics that make them challenging to handle or ride.
Conclusion
Now that we have gained a better understanding of what a Bronco Horse is, it is also good to note that even though they are now primarily bred in domestic settings, they are still recognized for their bucking prowess and are frequently featured in rodeo competitions.
They are a fascinating and essential part of cowboy culture and rodeo history.
Resources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucking_horse
- Buffalo Bill Center of the West
- Bonnie McCarroll - National Rodeo Hall of Fame
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draft_horse
- https://www.aqha.com/history-of-the-quarter-horse
- How Rodeo Veterinarians Keep Animals Healthy - Vetstreet