Bareback Riding
Bareback Riding
Bareback riders endure more abuse, suffer more injuries and carry away more long-term damage than all other rodeo cowboys.
To stay aboard the horse, a bareback rider uses a rigging
made of leather and constructed to meet PRCA safety specifications. The
rigging, which resembles a suitcase handle on a strap, is placed atop the
horse's withers and secured with a cinch.
Bareback riding has been compared to riding a jackhammer
with one hand. Jason Jeter can probably attest to that definition. As the bronc
and rider burst from the chute, the rider must have both spurs touching the
horse's shoulders until the horse's feet hit the ground after the initial move
from the chute. This is called
"marking out." If the cowboy
fails to do this, he is disqualified.
As the bronc bucks, the rider pulls his knees up, rolling
his spurs up the horse's shoulders. As the horse descends, the cowboy
straightens his legs, returning his spurs over the point of the horse's
shoulders in anticipation of the next jump.
Making a qualified ride and earning a money-winning score
requires more than just strength. A bareback rider is judged on his spurring
technique, the degree to which his toes remain turned out while he is spurring
and his willingness to take whatever might come during his ride.
It's a tough way to make a living, all right. But, according
to bareback riders, it's the cowboy way.
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