Bulls are commonly characterized as being angry and aggressive animals, especially when a rider attempts to sit on their back. There are a few key reasons why bulls become so enraged during events like bull riding competitions. Understanding bull behavior and psychology can help explain this phenomenon.
The Stress of Captivity
Bulls are naturally roaming animals that value having freedom and control over their environment. When bulls are captured for entertainment events like rodeos, they are confined to small spaces like holding pens and chutes which are very stressful and unnatural for them. Bulls are very territorial and protective of their personal space. Being trapped in an enclosed area makes bulls feel threatened and defensive. This can cause them to be more reactive and aggressive when released into the rodeo arena.
Bulls are social herd animals meant to live in open pastures. But animals used for bucking events are isolated from other members of their species. This goes against their natural instincts. Bulls rely on relationships with other bulls for security and companionship. They communicate through body language and vocalizations. When they are deprived of social contact with other cattle, it can cause distress. The bull may act more violently as a result.
The noisy, chaotic environment is also very frightening for bulls. The loud music, rowdy crowds, and flashing lights are highly unnatural stimuli. This sensory overload adds more stress on top of confinement. The bull’s only instinct is to escape the uncomfortable situation.
Unnatural Equipment and Restriction of Movement
To prepare a bull for bucking events, multiple pieces of equipment are attached to the bull which further aggravate it:
- A flank strap is tied around the bull’s abdominal area to encourage bucking. This applies uncomfortable pressure that the bull wants to get rid of.
- Spurs are attached to the rider’s boots to prod the bull’s skin, causing pain that also provokes bucking.
- Ropes are used to restrain the bull’s body parts and head movement.
All of this equipment is foreign to the bull and highly unnatural. The flank strap applies pressure to the flank area that bulls are very sensitive about. Restricting head movement also causes panic since bulls use their heads and horns instinctively for self-defense. Spurs digging into their hide are also very aggravating. The bull associates all these pains and constraints with the rider on their back, making them even more motivated to eject the rider.
These devices force the bull to buck more violently than they would naturally. Their desire to get the rider off their back and regain freedom of movement is what makes them appear fiercely aggressive. The bull’s natural instincts are being suppressed by restraints and discomfort, creating a desperate urge to break free.
Fear Response and Self-Preservation
When confronted with frightening or painful situations, most animals will go into “fight or flight” mode. Bulls use aggression as a self-preservation mechanism when they feel threatened. Although humans use bulls for entertainment, the bulls don’t understand that. They interpret the pain and confinement as a threat to survival.
Since flight is not an option when equipment and fences trap the bull, their instinct is to fight against the perceived threat. The rider is seen as the source of their discomfort. So the bull uses bucking and head thrusting to knock the rider off. The vigorous muscle contractions and violent body movements are the bull’s attempts to protect itself and regain security.
Humans mistake this aggravated state as “meanness” or random anger. But the bull’s reactions have a clear purpose – to escape harm. Bulls don’t exhibit the same level of aggression when living in comfortable low-stress conditions among other cattle.
Certain bulls are selectively bred and trained to accentuate bucking reactions. However, all bulls will become distressed and protective in that unnatural rodeo environment.
Pain and Physical Exertion
The strenuous physical activity required for bucking events also causes pain and exhaustion for bulls. Bulls are not built to be ridden and endure weight on their backs. They sustain physical wear and tear like:
- Strained muscles, tendons, and ligaments from excessive bucking
- Back and hip injuries from unnatural twisting motions
- Sprains and joint issues in legs from landing hard after bucking
- Horn damage from banging head against fences and gates
The pounding hooves and tight spinning motions required for high-energy bucking lead to hoof problems and leg injuries over time. Bulls may suffer from issues like cracked hooves, hoof infections, joint swelling and arthritis.
Bucking with a heavy rider on their back requires immense exertion. Lactic acid buildup causes muscle cramps, fatigue, and metabolic stress. Their lungs and cardiovascular system are under intense pressure to supply oxygen to working muscles. After just a few seconds of strenuous activity, bulls experience exhaustion and pain.
These painful physical effects combined with existing stress, fear, and confinement provoke the bull’s frustrated reactions. The bull desires to end the suffering, so increased aggression is their natural response.
Handling Methods and Negative Past Experiences
How bulls are treated behind the scenes can also impact their demeanor. Harsh handling methods are sometimes used to make bulls more aggravated before they exit the chute and have a rider on them.
Examples include:
- Tightening the flank strap excessively to cause extra discomfort
- Using irritants like electric prods to agitate the bull
- Depriving the bull of food and water to make them weaker and more frantic
- Confinement in narrow stalls that restrict movement
Physical abuse like punching, kicking or whipping the bull also causes fear and pain that makes the bull resent humans even more. If bulls have been treated badly throughout their lives, they are likely to exhibit more aggression.
Bulls have long memories and can retain painful experiences for years. Even if the current event handlers treat a bull kindly, past abuse from other humans can make bulls more prone to act out due to fear and mistrust.
Breeding and Hormonal Factors
Certain bull breeds like the Brahman are known for being notoriously difficult to ride. Through selective breeding, their physical traits and behaviors naturally make them more predisposed to bucking:
- More muscle mass and strength to generate power
- Natural jumping and kicking instincts
- More territorial, defensive temperaments
However, even less athletically inclined breeds will still buck under distress. The uncomfortable situation triggers their self-preservation instincts no matter their size or genetics.
Bulls with higher natural testosterone levels are more territorial and quick to defend themselves. Castrated steers and oxen are calmer since they lack testosterone.
If a bull has not been recently castrated before an event, their testosterone will be high. This can contribute to increased reactivity when they feel threatened or challenged.
Inability to Understand Human Actions
Importantly, bulls lack comprehension of human motives and the context around their actions. Bulls have no concept that bucking events are “just for entertainment” or that the discomfort is “temporary”.
To a bull, the pain and distress seem like a life-threatening situation. The rider on their back seems like a predator, not an entertainer. All they know is their survival instincts telling them to escape.
While humans label bulls as “angry”, we must remember bulls are not humans. They do not think or experience emotions the same way people do. What appears like unjustified aggression is actually just a bull relying on its natural instincts to cope with a highly unnatural and frightening experience.
Conclusion
Bulls display aggravated bucking behavior in riding events due to a complex mix of factors – not inherent random anger. Their reactions arise from fear, the inner drive to protect themselves, and distress from an environment completely unnatural to their species. Understanding the bull’s perspective helps explain why forcing bulls into entertainment through pain and confinement inevitably provokes their survival-based aggressive responses.