Optimum spurring action begins with the rider in control, his heels at the horse's neck. He then pulls his feet, toes turned outward, back to the horse's withers until the cowboy's feet are nearly touching the bareback rigging. The horse is flanked with a fleece-lined leather strap that increases his natural urge to throw his rider. A rider is disqualified if he touches his equipment, himself or the horse with his free hand or when riding. The rider is judged on his control during the ride and on his spurring technique.
Different horses have different bucking styles, some being much more difficult to ride than others.
In addition, the horse's performance accounts for half of the potential score. When the ride is finished, the rodeo pickup men ride in alongside of the contestant and lift him off the bucking horse and deliver him safely to the ground. Calf Roping Calf roping is an event born of the old West, when the wide open spaces demanded that a person had only his horse and himself to rely on to catch and doctor cattle. Today, calf roping is poetry in motion, as a cowboy and his horse work together as a team to rope, catch and tie a calf in the fastest time possible. The rider and his horse start from behind a barrier, which is a piece of equipment designed to give the calf a head start and to ensure that all contestants begin their competition run at the exact same point.