BAREBACK RIDING
Bareback riding, originating in the rodeo arena, is one of the most bone-jarring events of the rodeo and is often the toughest on the cowboy's body with immense stress placed on the arm and back...but to score high points the cowboy has to look good while he's punishing his body! The cowboy holds onto the bucking Bronc with one hand in a rigging that resembles a suitcase handle on a strap. He has to hold on for eight seconds while spurring the horse. As with saddle Bronc riding, as the Bronc bucks the rider pulls his knees up dragging his spurs along the Bronc's shoulders and as the horse's front feet come back to the ground, he straightens his legs so the spurs connect above the horse's shoulders, ready to do it again for the next jump. As is the case with saddle Bronc, the rider must mark out his horse and his free hand must not touch his horse, equipment or body for the eight seconds. Bareback Bronc riders tend to receive more violent and less fluid and controlled rides than Saddle Bronc riders, and as a result they tend to do more long-term damage to their bodies than most other rodeo cowboys.