<P> The bareback rider does not use a saddle or rein, but uses a rigging that consists of a leather and rawhide composite piece often compared to a suitcase handle attached to a surcingle and placed just behind the horse's withers . The rider leans back and spurs with an up and down motion from the horse's point of shoulder toward the rigging handle, spurring at each jump in rhythm with the motion of the horse . </P> <P> Bareback bronc riding began to develop as a professional rodeo sporting event around 1900 . The riding equipment used during that era varied . In some cases, the rider simply held onto the horse's mane, called a mane - hold . Others held a loose or twisted rope tied around the horse's girth, and other methods involved using multiple handhold leather riggings based on a surcingle . In the early 1920s, when the old rodeo rules allowing two handed riding were being phased out and replaced with the newer rule of riding with one hand in the rigging and one hand in the air, Earl Bascom invented, designed and made rodeo's first one - hand bareback rigging . The original one - handed rigging was made by Bascom from a section of rubber belting discarded from a threshing machine, with the entire rigging - the handhold and the body - all made as one piece . The handhold was folded back and riveted to the main body of the rigging, with a' D' ring riveted on each side for tying the latigos . This rigging was first used at the Raymond Stampede in Alberta, Canada in July 1924 . Bascom then refined the design, making his second one - handhold rigging out of leather and rawhide . Sole leather was used for the rigging body . Strips of leather, with rawhide sewed between, were used for the handhold with sheepskin glued under the handholds to protect the knuckles; this arrangement became known as "Bascom's Rigging". Honored in several Halls of Fame, Bascom is now known as the "Father of the Modern - day Bareback Rigging". Variations of Bascom's rigging are still used in rodeos today . </P> <P> The bucking horse is usually a gelding, a castrated male horse . Because bucking horses usually travel in close quarters and are housed in a herd setting, geldings are generally less disruptive and more prone to get along with one another . However, mares are also used, and while a mixed herd of mares and geldings is a bit more prone to disruptions, they can be kept together without great difficulties . Stallions are less common, because they can be disruptive in a herd and may fight if there are mares present . </P> <P> The modern bronc is not a truly feral horse . Most bucking stock is specifically bred for use in rodeos, with horses having exceptional bucking ability being purchased by stock contractors and fetching a high price . Most are allowed to grow up in a natural, semi-wild condition on the open range, but also have to be gentled and tamed in order to be managed from the ground, safely loaded into trailers, vaccinated and wormed, and to load in and out of bucking chutes . They also are initially introduced to bucking work with cloth dummies attached to the saddle . Due to the rigors of travel and the short bursts of high intensity work required, most horses in a bucking string are at least 6 or 7 years old . </P>

What makes the horse buck at a rodeo