In the last two days, my mailbox has been inundated with Rodeo Donkey Roping information.
What? Donkey Roping? Seriously?
Seriously.
Yup. Cowboys of some persuasion seem to think that even though they are riding an equine and would never let anyone rope and pull apart their trusted mount, they are more than happy to rope another equine and pull it apart.
Hmmmmm.
Seems a bit illogical to me and totally inhumane.
DONKEY ROPING.
Basically, donkeys are cheap. You can find them everywhere and they are very docile. I know, I have one. Her name is Norma Jean and she is the smarted equine on my ranch. She is also the most sensitive.
I couldn’t even imagine how frightened she would be to be run down and roped – not to mention the damage to her limbs.
The thought of these bad-ass cowboys picking on donkeys really infuriates me.
A DESCRIPTION FROM ANOTHER BLOGGER.
Another blogger sent this to me. She wrote it and asked me to publish it so that my readers could hear the news as well.
Donkey Roping (here is the link to the original post from this blogger)
Donkeys do not handle this kind of abuse well at all, especially when it is repeated over and over and over again. Unlike calves, who are never roped more than a few times because they are too valuable to damage, donkeys in Texas have no monetary value. Because of this, these donkeys are roped over and over again until they either shut down completely from terror and trauma or are too maimed to continue.
DONKEY PULLING ROPING HAPPENING JUNE 23/24
BEST IDEA YET…
For me, the best idea yet is to write a letter or email to the local paper, the Van Horn Advocate.
It seems that the Van Horn, TX Chamber of Commerce has been enlightened about this event and wishes to stop it. But, they don’t have the power and ask that we let the media know how we feel about it…
The Van Horn Chamber of Commerce requests that (and PULEEEZE keep your emails and letters civil… crazy doesn’t help the cause.) we email the local paper:
Please start by sending a civil email to Larry Simpson, editor at The Van Horn Advocate: lsimpson@vanhornadvocate.com.
*Remember, he isn’t promoting this event – it is happening in his city and we need him to be on our side. So, be kind.
Snail mail:
Van Horn Advocate
701-A West Broadway
P.O. Box 8
Van Horn, Texas 79855-0008
READ TEXAS PENAL CODE OPINION ON ‘HORSE TRIPPING‘ CLICK HERE.
ALL THE BURROS AND DONKEYS THANK YOU.
HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

I’ll go ahead and be the lion with the lambs here….
I own a burro. He’s a good burro. I feed him, trim him, care for him. My eight-year-old nephew rides him around the pasture bareback.
But I regularly rope said burro and am not ashamed of it. He is a valuable part of my training program for young performance horses. I agree that it is negligent to rope a burro to the point of serious injury (as pictured.) I also agree that the use of a Hot-Shot on a burro is unnecessary. Yet, many team ropers and trainers utilize their burros with no harm done to the animal and no malicious intentions.
Where do we draw the line in anthropomorphizing other critters? If, as the author states, roping an “equine” is wrong then why is it ethically acceptable to ride them? You wouldn’t tack shoes to another human’s feet and ride them around.
Hi, Just wanted to bring to your attention that we are fighting another donkey roping in Texas – this time Eden, TX. Please check out the info here: http://donkeysdeservedignity.weebly.com/1/post/2012/09/urgent-help-stop-donkey-roping-in-texas.html
It sounds like the donkey roping event may have been cancelled.
Has anyone heard this from the chamber, city, sponsors, etc?
From THE LOVE OF DONKEYS…”The sheriff’s office in Culbertson County, Texas, at 12:50 p.m. Mountain time today confirmed the donkey roping event on June 23 has been cancelled because of public input and the number of complaints received.”
Donkeys are listed under the Texas Cruelty to Animals Code. The man responsible for this event is refusing to stop it. It looks an injunction is needed. Anyone know who is sponsoring this horrid event?
Anyone know who the “sponsors” are that is being thanked, on the poster for the event?
Anyone know who the “sponsors” are that they are thanking, on their poster?
My sweet old man, Festus, was a victim of donkey roping. I bought him for only $75 and was not told of his past except he was broke to ride. Once we got him home, after a long hour of trying to load him, he wouldn’t let us touch him or come near him for 6 months. Once he did start to trust us we discovered his scars and unhealed rope burns all over his body. It was clear he was roped and the injuries were not just physical. He also suffered perm injuries to his hooves that left them deformed but manageable.
He will never have to endure that again. He has a home for life with the only expectation is to be happy. He has horsey friends, good graze and feed, water, and treats. He now also has three mule foals that are just as loved and will have a home here for life as well.
His plight opened my eyes as well. I had no idea these events took place. It breaks my heart to see this happen to any animal. I signed the petition and sent my email as well.
Lets put a stop to this, now!
this donkey and goat roping is done by cowards and not real men.
This donkey and goat roping is absolutely sick and done by complete cowards. No real man would ever do this.
This is despicable and inhumane. This should never be permitted in a civilized society.
You want to rope something? Use someone of your own species!
opps ment tripping inn the previous post
Oscar E. Carrillo, Sheriff
(432) 283-2060
culbersoncounty@msn.com
It might be helpful to call the local sheriff or write him since roping an equine is illegal in the state of texas and he has the power to at least enforce the laws.
Thank you for helping spread the word of this. In Texas, seems cruelty laws specify “horse” and these donkeys don’t qualify. Texans, band together, get wording changed to EQUINE instead and that will include mules and donkeys!
Do all these donkeys have a current negative coggins? Is that law in TX for events?
If everyone who reads of this would write a letter to Editor, email, call, sign the petition- and ask your friends to do the same we could have a resounding show of support to end this cruelty. Thanks to all who are helping.
Stupid doesnt even come close to what this is!! OMG, friggin neanderthals..This has to be stopped!!! Yes thank you for spreading the word..This was just shared on my FB page.
Makes me sick. Hate the goat roping, too.
Thanks so very much for helping raise awareness of this barbaric event.
Thank you, Dawn, for spreading the word about this horribly cruel practice. I can’t even imagine this happening to my little Samson and Noah. And thank you to my friend and neighbor, Kris, for writing such a heartfelt letter to you!
Plz to read the Mugwump blog.. Same subject,different outcome.