How to Train Bucking Bulls

Folks who know the trade will tell you that you don't train a bull to buck; if the bull is any good, it just comes naturally. But you do need to nurture the animal. You also need to acclimatize it to rodeo life, getting it used to loading a cowboy on top and to the process of opening the gate so that the bucking can begin. Before any of that happens, you should attend to bloodlines and proper nutrition, much as you would with a Kentucky Derby-class racehorse or a top-flight show dog. With money, hard work, and a little luck, you can raise a whirling dervish that will send every cowboy flying.

Instructions

    • 1

      Feed your bulls only the best hay, feed, grain, vitamins and proteins. Good nutrition will ensure the development of top-flight muscles and bone mass, enhancing its strength and agility.

    • 2

      Practice with a bucking rig before the bull reaches age 2. These mechanical devices simulate the weight of a cowboy on the bull's back. An internal timer releases the weight from the bull's back after eight seconds, simulating a rodeo environment.

    • 3

      Check the bloodlines. American Bucking Bull, Inc. maintains the DNA registry for bulls in the United States with more than 100,000 entries as of June 2011 (see Resources). A carefully documented genealogy is key in determining whether your animal has the potential to become a bucking bull.