This year, Colorado officials had the chance to ban the practices of steer-tailing and horse-tripping, especially cruel events found in some rodeos. Steer-tailing is the practice of chasing a running steer on a horse, and grabbing its tail until it stops, often resulting in serious injury, sometimes requiring euthanasia. Horse tripping involves lassoing a running horse's front legs, bringing it crashing to the ground, often with injuries.

In January, a Colorado House committee voted to postpone a bill making these practices illegal acts of animal cruelty, effectively killing the bill for this year.

Colorado legislators missed their chance in 2011. Act now and tell the members on the Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources to support a ban on steer-tailing and horse tripping in rodeos.

Photo credit: Charles & Clint