ISSUES

HORSE TRIPPING FACT SHEET

Background

Charreadas are Mexican-style rodeos featuring ten events, involving horses and bulls.

Charreadas are abusive, cruel and terrifying for the animals involved, many of whom sustain multiple injuries resulting in death.

Cowboys are called charros; horses are called caballos.

Events

There are ten individual competitions -- nine for men; one for women.  Each team is awarded points by experienced judges based on performance (time and success of achieving the objective) as well as style.

The second, seventh and eighth events are the ones often the target of animal rights groups.  These events involve what is commonly referred to as "horse tripping." 

  • The first event is the Cala de Caballo where a charro puts his horse through various exercises to demonstrate the ability of the charro and the caballo.
These exercises include a controlled slide, half, full and triple turns, a reverse walk among others.

The rider enters the ring with his horse running at a full gallop for 60 meters. The horse is then brought to a complete, abrupt stop, leaving a mark in the sand from his two back legs.

The horse's head is violently jerked back causing excruciating pain as the bit digs deeply into the mouth. The charro next turns his horse both directions to show the judges how well his horse can back up.  The charro should be able to back his horse out of the ring in a straight line.

  • The second event is the Piales en Lienzo where a charro must throw a lariat, let a wild mare run through the loop, catching her by her rear legs.  Three opportunities are given. Points are awarded for distance needed to stop the mare.
-- The third, fourth and fifth events involve bulls, and equally cruel and barbaric.
The sixth, seventh and eighth events are centered on horses.


  • The sixth is the Jineteo de Yegua where a charro rides a wildly bucking horse with only a rope. The charro must ride until the horse stops bucking, and then properly dismount.
  • The seventh event is the Manganas a Pie where a charro on foot has three chances to rope a mare by her front legs, causing her to fall and roll.
  • The eighth event is the Manganas a Caballo where a charro on horseback has three chances to rope a mare by her front legs causing her to fall and roll.
  • The ninth event is the El Paso de la Muerte where a charro riding bareback, with reins, attempts to leap from his own horse to the bare back of a wild horse without reins and ride until the horse stops bucking.

-- The tenth and final event is a women's event.

 

 

More About Horse Tripping and Charreadas

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