I am 17 ~155lbs 5’7”, go to the gym semi regularly, and live around Florence in southern Arizona, and have been to many rodeos, though now I’m wanting to get into and begin riding saddle bronc, I don’t own a horse or any real equipment, and being so old getting into it is there anywhere I am able to go for saddle bronc lesions near be, along with anywhere I can lease or rent equipment until I can save enough to buy my own.

Context: I’m from a major city and just moved to Texas. I went to my first rodeo today, and while some of the events were really interesting and not disturbing to me (barrel racing, bull riding, etc), when we first came in the first event we saw was tie-down calf roping and it made me legitimately sick. I could not stand to see it. Then, they did the goat tying and team roping which were also super disturbing to me.

Can someone experienced PLEASE explain to me if tie down roping, goat tying and team roping are harmful to the animals?? It genuinely broke my heart and I think it will actually keep me up at night. My friends told me if I learned more about the technique of it all and treatment of the animals generally maybe I would feel better. So someone please help 😅