# Horse roping????



## BellaMFT (Nov 15, 2011)

Okay I usually don't get involved in the debates on animal cruelty since the definition can vary from person to person. But when I read this blog and saw this video it was horrifying. I am not against a rancher needing to rope a young horse to vaccinate it or brand it but this is ridiculous. 






Utah Equestrian News: Controversial horse roping competition held in Tremonton

And maybe I am totally off base and if so please enlighten me as to why this is entertaining. 

Keep in mind that I attend rodeos and I am in no way against a well ran rodeo or the cowboys that participate.


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

Wow...that's sick. I'm all for a good roping event, don't get me wrong, but really? 

I don't think the horse needs to fall that many times. And they drag it out by its neck?

I can see how it'd be entertaining if say, the entire event consisted of roping it in the fastest amount of time, getting both ropes around it's neck and then calling it good or, after roping it, have one rider dismount and halter it, but that seems a little morbid for my tastes.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

The problem is your seeing 4 runs out of 160 teams. 
It's no different than drawing a bad steer team roping. The bald face horse was just a bad draw. The roper didn't choke the horse down, he flopped around and soon as he fell the roper faced then the rope was slack, that was not roper error.

I personally have no issue with horse roping it is a part of what we do to maintain our horse herds just as team roping or calf roping has came from real life ranch work.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Its a sick sport. Before I got my arab she was used for this and horse tripping. It took me over a year but now I can swing a rope over her back and head and swing a lead rope and 'rope' her legs without a melt down. She no longer tries to jump out of her stall or strike out in fear. She used to ether kick or sit down if you went near her back legs. Now she is an angel and loves people.

I lived in an area where allot of charros lived and they are NOT nice to livestock of any type (not all charros/Mexican cowboys fall under this but 95% of the ones i have seen/met do). This "sport" should be banned. Calf roping has its place and WAS used on ranches. Also a horse's legs are much longer and easier to brake than a cow's. Horse roping in Argentina is worst (I saw a clip and out of 10 horses 4 died). 

Also that horse looks like a 2 year old! poor thing is going to be terrified of humans and end up dog food because hes so far gone.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Horse roping is more humane than this though (and THIS is what my mare was mostly used for before her last owner)


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## BellaMFT (Nov 15, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> The problem is your seeing 4 runs out of 160 teams.
> It's no different than drawing a bad steer team roping. The bald face horse was just a bad draw. The roper didn't choke the horse down, he flopped around and soon as he fell the roper faced then the rope was slack, that was not roper error.
> 
> *I personally have no issue with horse roping it is a part of what we do to maintain our horse herds just as team roping or calf roping has came from real life ranch work.*



Neither do I. It's apart of ranch life and needs to be done but that involves get them rope taking care of what needs to be done and letting them go. I also don't have a issue with roping a horse you are training. 

What bothers me is, yes, it was only 4 runs out 160 but it turns out each horse got roped 8 times each. Also I these horse are so young and to be put through the stress of being roped multiple times. That seems a bit extreme.


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## BellaMFT (Nov 15, 2011)

KigerQueen said:


> Horse roping is more humane than this though (and THIS is what my mare was mostly used for before her last owner)
> 
> Horse Tripping in Nevada - YouTube


Wow that is terrible. I've never even heard of this before. I'm not a touchy feely kind of girl. I don't baby my animals, I treat them like horses. This is just cruel.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Im ok with roping horses for ranch work, And they have to rope babies, but its NOT done often and they at that point take them in for training so this type of roping stops. Making a sport out of an animal that is 'easy' to brake is not ok. I would rope my horse if i had no other way to grab her but i would NOT go for the legs. 2 ropes around the neck being held by 2 stocky horses would be enough to stop a young horse.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Bahhhh. Both of those videos were awful.

I think that horse roping has its place on the ranch... But I don't know about in the arena, and with babies no less.
And the horse tripping? Are you kidding me? Then again, that culture isn't exactly known for its humane treatment of animals...

I think I'm going to cry x.x


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I am basically going to copy and paste the same reply as I posted on the other thread that was started by the author of the article linked in the original post. (she was also the one who put together the YouTube clip)

I will admit to be 'on the hook' about the subject as it something that hits very close to home. I deal with livestock everyday, it is my job, it is how we make a living. Livestock well being dictates my life and my well being.
We use horses to take care of cattle. They are a valuable tool to get a job done. With that said, you said in the above quote(_a quote by UtahEquine from the other thread_) - horses that are used as roping stock are difficult to make into riding horses. This is very untrue. Think about it, why are horses roped? They are roped so they can be castrated, vaccinated, branded and halter broke. After that they are started to become ranch horses. All of our current horses have been roped and handled in the same manner. All these horses are ranging from 2-15 years old, healthy, strong and willing. 
We rope our horses to catch them in the morning to go to work, not front footed, but roped around the neck. They have learned to give to it exactly like you teach a horse to give to the halter. Yet if it is so traumatizing I wouldn't be able to walk up to pet them in a several hundred acre pasture. 

All I ask is not to judge a lifestyle or sport on a 4 minute YouTube clip.














KigerQueen said:


> I would rope my horse if i had no other way to grab her but i would NOT go for the legs. 2 ropes around the neck being held by 2 stocky horses would be enough to stop a young horse.


 That is the wrong way to rope a horse, that is a sure fire way to hurt one. That is why a horse is roped around the neck then front footed, it is the safest way to rope a horse.


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## BellaMFT (Nov 15, 2011)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I am basically going to copy and paste the same reply as I posted on the other thread that was started by the author of the article linked in the original post. (she was also the one who put together the YouTube clip)
> 
> I will admit to be 'on the hook' about the subject as it something that hits very close to home. I deal with livestock everyday, it is my job, it is how we make a living. Livestock well being dictates my life and my well being.
> We use horses to take care of cattle. They are a valuable tool to get a job done. With that said, you said in the above quote(_a quote by UtahEquine from the other thread_) - horses that are used as roping stock are difficult to make into riding horses. This is very untrue. Think about it, why are horses roped? They are roped so they can be castrated, vaccinated, branded and halter broke. After that they are started to become ranch horses. All of our current horses have been roped and handled in the same manner. All these horses are ranging from 2-15 years old, healthy, strong and willing.
> ...


 I am no judging a lifestyle. I completely understand the reasons for roping horses on the ranch. I think I stated that before. I also don't have a problem with roping a horse during training. 

I am against using this young horses for entertainment and roping them time after time. 

This isn't a rancher roping a horse to vaccinate it or castrate it. This is a group of people getting together an roping these horses up to 8 times each. 

I don't know maybe I am wrong. Seems like this really doesn't bother anyone and that's okay. I'll admit I everyone one is in titled to their opinions. This is the reason why I usually don't post stuff like this. Every person has their own definition of cruelty.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

BellaMFT said:


> I am no judging a lifestyle. I completely understand the reasons for roping horses on the ranch. I think I stated that before. I also don't have a problem with roping a horse during training.
> 
> I am against using this young horses for entertainment and roping them time after time.
> 
> ...


BellaMFT, the post wasn't directed to you I was just copying and pasting rather than rewriting. You have been clear on your opinions and respectful, honestly I wasn't singling you out or trying to attack you.

I didn't go to this event as we couldn't make it given our schedule but know quite a few folks that were there and roped. They are cowboys/ranchers like us and excellent ropers. I don't know all the people that attended and there might have been some team ropers who wanted to rope a horse, I don't know. The video posted showed some crappy runs and some poor roping (as stated by an interviewee in the article linked, not just my personal opinion) so I would assume that may have been the case for some of the teams that participated. That is why I ask for it not to be judged on a couple of runs. A lot like posting a picture of a Dressage horse in rollkur and saying that all Dressage is bad.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

this so called sport is disgusting. Cattle roping is done on the horns , and there is guard usually on the steers head. Calf roping was done to vaccinate,brand and castrate .There are accidents where it does kill a calf. 
The mexican horse tripping is a sadistic sport, just as bad as cock fighting, bull fighting ,and dog fighting. I dont care if its part of a culture or not, its cruel.


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## PastureSongs (May 27, 2013)

Torturing animals for entertainment.

Cute.

I find roping of any type entertaining. On a working ranch, it's got a purpose and a place.
I see no reason to do it for sport and find nothing about it entertaining. Watching young animals get roped, strangled and/or tied down is not entertaining. I don't really understand how anyone can find it such.


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

In my opinion they shouldn't do horse roping.
One, cattle are mroe durable for being roped and for this kind of 'fun.'
Two, what happens to them afterwards when they are done being used? My guess is that they are too frightened and possibly abused to be ridden or used, so wouldn't they just be sent off to a killer buyer?
Three, I just don't think it is right to do horse roping, IMO.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Here is the link to the other thread if your interested http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/controversial-horse-roping-event-324162/


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