Traces the history of the rodeo and describes rodeos in small towns and big cities

Crossbreeding folklore, myth and history, Carson, who has a flair for cultural oddities (The Polite Americans, 1966; The Social History of Bourbon, 1963), offers an arresting account of how men have treated their beasts from the Stone Age to the 20th century pet shop.

Follows the evolution of rodeo from the range to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show to the extravaganzas in modern times.

"What would rodeo look like if we took it as a record, not of human triumph and resilience, but of human imperfection and stubbornness?” asks animal historian Susan Nance. Against the backdrop of the larger histories of ranching, cattle, horses, and the environment in the West, this book explores how the evolution of rodeo has reflected rural western beliefs and assumptions about the natural world that have led to environmental crises and served the beef empire. By unearthing behind-the-scenes stories of rodeo animals as diverse individuals, this book lays bare contradictions within rodeo and the rural West. For almost 150 years, westerners have used rodeo to symbolically reenact their struggles with animals and the land as uniformly progressive and triumphant. Nance upends that view with accounts of individual animals that reveal how diligently rodeo people have worked to make livestock into surrogates for the trials of rural life in the West and the violence in its history. Western horses and cattle were more than just props. Rodeo reclaims their lived history through compelling stories of anonymous roping steers and calves who inspired reform of the sport, such as the famed but abused bucker Steamboat, and the many broncs and bulls, famous or not, who unknowingly built an industry. Rodeo is a dangerous sport that reveals many westerners as people proudly tolerant of risk and violence, and ready to impose these values on livestock. In Rodeo: An Animal History, Nance pushes past standard histories and the sport’s publicity to show how rodeo was shot through with stubbornness and human failing as much as fortitude and community spirit.

Animals have been with us since the state of existence or being. The bible tells us God created the animal kingdom for his pleasure. When God created the heaven and earth and all life that exist, he obviously saw a need for animals or they would not be here. Why God created them in the shapes and forms as they were we do not know; the choice was his and as I mentioned "He chose to do so in a way that pleases him." Animals have a mind that gives them the ability to think and have feelings. Animals have a certain intelligence we do not possess such as an internal guidance system. Both dogs and cats have this ability and I would imagine there are other animals as well. God created everything with a purpose and a need; the animals kingdom is one such example. Many people believe God's purpose for animals is to serve humankind, and upon death they are to perish with no possible chance for eternal life. However, does the bible teach this? In the first chapter of the book of Genesis the bible tells us God considered the animals a creation that was very good; he was pleased with them. Many people consider the life of an animal as having a very small worth. To them an animal just lives and dies. Many people have the attitude of so what. The bible tells us God doesn't care for an attitude such as this because he values the life of his animals very much. Throughout the entire bible the information found pertaining to the animal kingdom is very precise. The bible tells us the animals are to be forever. God had this intention when he created them and this application of thought remains today and forever. The bible never mentions mankind alone is to receive eternal life. How different would our lives be without animals? There would be no pets for those who are lonely and without family. There would be no zoos for family outings. There would be no circus acts with animals. There would be no dog as a best friend. There would be no Seeing Eye dogs. There would be no animals to alert their owners of an ever-present danger during the night such as fires, burglars etc. I believe we simply overlook the fact there is a purpose for all of God's creatures. The purpose for this book is to reveal the truth in what the bible tells about the animal kingdom. We need to know God's purpose for them. The bible explains in detail God's plan for his animals even after death. God wants us to know about them or he would never have emphasized their importance in his word. Many people are reluctant to discuss the animal kingdom from a biblical point of view. I find this strange to say the least. God has included them in his written word but many ministers will say very little if anything about them. The scriptures in this book are from the King James Bible. What the bible tells us is 100% accurate and lest we never forget, God simply made no mistakes in his word. The bible is never contradictory. We will read scriptures that clearly explain that animals will be in heaven and why God wants them to be there with us. If we had the power to give our pet(s) eternal life would we want the life of our animals to be temporal? If God loves his animals more than we could ever love them shouldn't this type of love indicate his love for them is tremendous? Since we know God can give animal's eternal life could be there any single reason to give them life that would be only temporary. First we should know the bible is not dull, dismal or neutral. The bible is not an area between two extremes having mingled characteristics of both of them: a situation in which there are no clear-cut distinctions. The interpretations of scriptures have been defined several ways over the years and this has cause confusion in many churches. We will read scriptures about the animal kingdom that many of you may not know are in the bible. We will read scriptures that are clearly stated to mean one thing and one thing only, and that is, "Animals are to be in heaven." By the time you have finished this book you will have a better understanding for the purpose of the animal kingdom. You may then decide if the scriptures do indeed tell us animals have a soul: do they have a spirit: did God create them with a purpose in this life: is he going to give them eternal life? With God's help you will decide. For more information please visit: www.dutchman3d.com