Nevada SB 364 – Horse Tripping has now been introduced
Sometimes it feels like we are being attacked from every direction – at the risk of sounding paranoid – the fact is, we are.
Now is the time for every horse person who has any hope of raising their children and grandchildren in a horseback culture…any chance of making a living with the animals we all love…we have to stand together. We have to remain vigilant. And we have to be much more pro-active than we have ever been before.
If you are not already a member, DO IT NOW, by clicking on this box and going to our “Join” page. We need your time, your resources, and your passion, if we hope to have a chance.
Below is a piece by Nevadan Linda Bunch with some specifics on who to contact at the Nevada legislature, and the main points to make.
Stand up! Speak out! Be heard!
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Nevada SB 364 “Horse Tripping”-Getting A Foot In The Door – Linda Drown Bunch
SB364 which was introduced into the Nevada State Senate on March 21, 2011, seeks to outlaw the practice of horse tripping throughout the state and making the engaging in or promoting such an event a criminal offense.
AN ACT relating to cruelty to animals; prohibiting a person from engaging in horse tripping for enjoyment, entertainment, competition or practice; prohibiting a person from knowingly organizing, sponsoring, promoting, overseeing or receiving admission money for a horse tripping event; repealing a requirement that any ordinance passed by a board of county commissioners creating an offense relating to horse tripping must impose a criminal penalty for the offense; providing a penalty; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.
- Horse tripping is an event usually associated with Mexican rodeos called charreadas, and involves two cowboys on horseback chasing a horse, causing the animal to run. When the horse has reached full speed, a third horseman lassoes one of the horse’s front legs, then stops and pulls back on the rope, causing the horse to trip forward and fall to the ground. The Charro Rodeo Association banned “horse tripping” voluntarily in 1995.
- According to the Legislative Digest, existing law authorizes a board of county commissioners to enact an ordinance prohibiting cruelty to animals, and requires any such ordinance relating to horse tripping to impose a criminal penalty for the offense. (NRS 244.359). The proposed legislation as currently written would wrest that authority from local governments and transfer it to the state.
- A clear distinction needs to be drawn between horse tripping as previously defined and horse roping which is a popular event throughout the northern Great Basin. Drawing its roots from the ranching traditions of the West, this is a timed event involving two ropers. The horse is released and one roper ropes the animals around the head, he sets the animal and moves it forward, allowing his partner to lasso the animal around the front feet. The two ropers face each other and time is called when the slack is out of the ropes. Most of the organized competitions such as the Jordan Valley Big Loop have strict rules regarding the handling of the horses where “tripping” a horse, that is roping by the front feet first and throwing the animal down, results in an automatic disqualification. Handling unbroken horses in this manner was common practice in the days when ranchers ran larger bands of horses for ranch work and usually didn’t halter break them as weanlings as most do now. Colts never felt the touch of a human hand until they were at least yearlings or possibly two-year olds. This method of handling them was not only practical but resulted in fewer injuries than running them through a chute, for example, for purposes of branding, castrating, and getting a halter on them for the first time. Many ranchers still use this method with their young horses; however, it is less common than earlier days mainly because handling horses in this manner requires a lot of skill and most breeders employ more hands on approaches than in the past. Ironically, this would appear to be the safest, quickest, and most cost-effective way of handling the BLM horse herds when they are gathered for purposes of administering fertility drugs, medications, etc.
- Legislation such as SB364 is a common HSUS and other animal rights organizations tactic to “get a foot in the door” so to speak. Their ultimate target is the outlawing of all rodeo events short of queen contests and trick riding; they will leave those areas to the feminist groups! By attaching the “horse tripping” provision to a bill dealing with leaving dogs tethered on a short leash is an attempt to equate horses to the family pet. It is also playing to the wild horse advocacy groups who in their overly-sentimentalized and romanticized view of the mustang are targeting the state of Nevada with its overpopulation of wild horses.
SB364 has been referred to the Senate Natural Resources Committee where it will be debated. The time-frame is unknown due to the fact that when a bill is brought up for debate is a committee chairman’s decision; however, I would urge people to contact members of the committee expressing your feelings on the proposed legislation. E-mail addresses are as follows:
John Jay Lee – lee@sen.state.nv.us
Mark Manendo, Chair – mmanendo@sen.state.nv.us
David Parks – dparks@sen.state.nv.us
Michael Roberson – mroberson@sen.state.nv.us
Dean Rhoads – drhoads@sen.state.nv.us
Another neat way to voice your opinions on any legislation in the current sessions was recently brought to my attention. Go to this website and follow the directions. It is super easy. (FYI: Madeline Pickens instructed her followers on her Facebook page to use her Wells, NV address when submitting comments. Then they look like Nevada constituents!!) Try it, you’ll like it. Don’t sit on your hands, take action, don’t wait for someone else to do it. Remember people, Confucious say: ” Man who sit on hands has no leg to stand on.”(or something to that effect. lol)
