Question about animal abuse!

[Texasgal]

Last year I was invited by some friends to attend a concert at the Austin annual rodeo event. I wanted to see the band so I decided to go, before the show which ( is located in the same building they do the rodeo events ) I watched helplessly horses being rode on with leather straps under their bellies and essentially their male parts in a vice grip. I was told that this is how they get the horses to "buck".

I was so ashamed of myself that I was sitting there watching these poor animals being exploited and hurt. I began to get REALLY bothered by, so much that I had tears running down my face, I started to cheer LOUDLY when the rider fell off, much to the dismay of the mostly male audience.

Later I was chastised by a friend of a friend telling me that I was "stupid" and to "emotional" that the horses are better cared for than regular farm horses and that the grip doesn't hurt them.

I have been invited yet again for another concert, ( the rodeo is here again ) I am so afraid to go. My friends say I am being silly.

Am I?

[flvegan]

1. Silly? Nope. Stand up for your conscience.

The rodeo is horribly abusive. Steve Hindi and SHARK have done tons of research on the rodeo. Show your friends this website: http://www.sharkonline.org/rodeocruelty.mv

[Texasgal]

2. Ohhhh...my....

Thank you. I am NOT going now, I will NOT stand by selfishly and watch these poor animals being EXPLOITED.

Thank you flvegan for the link, I am now quite convinced that what I was feeling and witnessing was not a "silly" response.

[flvegan]

3. You're welcome, and thank you for

deciding to sit out the rodeo. Now do me a favor...drop an e-mail to the crew over at SHARK and tell THEM that you'll not be attending a rodeo, and that their site/footage/hard work helped you make up your mind. Folks that put as much work into their campaigns (like SHARK) really need that kind of feedback.

[Texasgal]

4. No problem.

I'd be happy to do it!

[smbolisnch]

5. Oh I hate rodeos.

As ashamed as I am to admit it, I find myself pleased when a rider gets thrown or kicked when they show it on tv.....karma you know. That being said, my karma has more than likely suffered for my attitude towards the riders, but I'll have to work on that.

It is a shameful practice and makes me sick. Keep standing up for your convictions. You are doing the right thing!

[Maru Kitteh]

6. Grab their nuts REALLY HARD and ask them

if they are comfortable.

Your friends are the ones being stupid, not you. If it didn't hurt, why would they buck? That's dumb, to say that's how they get them to buck and then turn around and say it doesn't hurt them. Bullshit.

Don't ever be afraid of standing up for your convictions. Don't be a follower. They are telling themselves lies so they can feel better about watching animals being abused while they enjoy the "show".

Here is some literature on the rodeo from peta you can print out. If they make fun of you, just hand it to them and tell them to read it first, then you'll talk about it.

http://petaliterature.com/ProductImages/Lrodeo.pdf