Angering Bulls

August 16, 2004 1:17 PM

Regarding rodeo: How do they make bulls angry enough to want to kick and jump and run around to get a guy off his back? Specific method or general torture?
posted by bob sarabia to pets & animals (10 comments total)

Bulls are generally cantkerous and don't like to be messed with. Putting a rider on them alone is usally enough to piss them off, but I've seen hands throw a quick slap on the ass to rile them up.
posted by nathan_teske at 1:24 PM on August 16, 2004

From here:

Flankstrap
The flankstrap is the rope that goes around the bull's midsection. Its purpose is to enhance the natural bucking motion of a bull and to encourage the animal to extend its hind legs when trying to get his rider on the ground. The rope is fleece-lined and does not hurt the bull. A common misperception is that this strap somehow irritates or is tied to the bull's testicles! This is simply not true. That would cause the animal pain and discourage him from bucking or even moving - exactly the opposite of the desired behavior. The flank strap never covers or goes around a bull’s genitals, and no sharp or foreign objects are ever placed inside the flank strap to agitate the animal. Furthermore, a flank strap cannot be too tight around the bull’s flank or the bull will be too uncomfortable to perform. Pulling the flank strap too tight would restrict a bull’s motion, resulting in an inferior performance by the bull and quite possibly a reride for the bull rider. The flank strap is designed for quick release and is removed immediately after the bull exits the arena.
posted by some chick at 1:32 PM on August 16, 2004

They breed the bull for general aggression...the "flankstrap" is like what you would place on the engine of your kids go-kart to only allow a certain speed but in reverse....Breeding is the main ingrediant.
posted by BMF at 1:39 PM on August 16, 2004

Specific question or general trolling?

no, this is a real question. I know a bull gets pretty pissy when you stab him repeatedly with a spear (bull fighting) and was just wondering if they do the same thing in rodeo.
posted by bob sarabia at 1:43 PM on August 16, 2004

well i guess it's really more of a "dart" than a spear. it's a really big dart though
posted by bob sarabia at 1:47 PM on August 16, 2004

I know a bull gets pretty pissy when you stab him repeatedly with a spear (bull fighting) and was just wondering if they do the same thing in rodeo.

Don't worry about the bulls too much --- after having seen people seriously injured, paralyzed, and even killed at high school level rodeo performances, I'd be far more worried about the health and safety of the riders.
posted by nathan_teske at 1:47 PM on August 16, 2004

Don't know specifically, but it's probably worth remembering that most animals which are unaffected by human breeding would be very, very upset to have riders. The farm animals we're familiar with are the results of thousands of years of human breeding and selection for docility (among other qualities).
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 1:57 PM on August 16, 2004

In the interest of equal time and troll-feeding, here's a PETA page called "Buck the Rodeo" and here's a factsheet of theirs on the rodeo called "Cruelty for a Buck." I found both in about 10 seconds of googling, so I stand by my initial troll call.
posted by ChasFile at 2:11 PM on August 16, 2004

I tried "bull anger" "angry bulls" "how to anger a bull" and lots of other stuff. Couldn't find anything with google. Its not actually my question either, my best friend asked and I had no idea. So i'll be sure to tell him he's trolling, chas. all else, thanks for the answers!
posted by bob sarabia at 2:42 PM on August 16, 2004

Additionally, outriders/'wingmen' remove the flankstrap after the 8 seconds, after the rider has fallen or the animal kicks it off(rare). The animals become more rideable almost instantly. The same device is used to incite broncos to buck.
posted by mnology at 3:10 PM on August 16, 2004