Forget football, forget rugby. The real man's sport is the Rodeo. If you want to risk every bone in your body in a completely chaotic environment, riding and wrangling is the right pastime for you. It is one of the roughest, toughest sports to engage in, and serious injuries are as common during a rodeo as fancy cowboy hats.
Rodeos usually consist of a few main events. Timed events include roping, which involved catching and roping the legs together of a calf. There is also barrel racing, in which a competitor takes turns around a obstacle course without knocking down barrels, and steer wrestling in which a rider jumps off his horse and onto a steer and attempting to wrestle it to the ground. Then there's rough stock competition, which is the bull riding and bronc riding (the latter of which can be bareback or with a saddle).
These events require agility, athleticism, and the right equipment.
Bronc and Bull Riding Gear
If you are going to be practicing or competing in riding, there are some basic things you are going to need to have a safe ride.
* Bareback pads: These are going to make your bareback riding much more comfortable. It'll keep you from getting sore from the backbone of the horse.
* Bareback gloves: These gloves with protect your hands from sores, burns, and even breaking a finger.
* Spurs: Spurs are used to guide a horse to move forward and backwards or laterally. Bareback spurs will differ than saddle riding spurs.
* Saddle and Stirrup: A saddle is the most important piece of equipment in saddle riding. It's going to give much needed support. The stirrups are the metal pieces that hold your feet.
* Face Helmet: These are full helmets that also have a caged face to keep you protected in case you should take a bad fall.
Timed Event Equipment
* Rope Reins: You are going to need a good grip on your horse whether barrel racing or steer wrestling, and rope reins do the job.
* Ranch Rope and Rope Cans: Rope of course is the most important thing for, well, roping. There are also cans to store your rope in that come in different designs to express your personality.
* Barrel Saddle: These saddles are specifically designed for barrel racing.
* Gear Bag: These bags are made specifically with pockets that will fit your gear perfectly.
