A bronco horse is a type of horse with a propensity to buck, meaning it kicks out its rear legs, especially when someone tries to ride it. The term "bronco" comes from the Spanish word "bronco," which means "rough" or "gruff". In modern usage, the word "bronco" is seldom used for a "wild" or feral horse, because the modern rodeo bucking horse is a trained animal. Broncos are used in rodeo "roughstock" events, such as bareback bronc riding and saddle bronc riding. Some dictionaries define bronco as untrained range horses that roam freely in western North America, and may associate them with mustangs; but they are not necessarily feral or wild horses. Here are some fun facts about broncos:
- A bronco is a type of horse, not a species or a breed.
- American cowboys borrowed the term "bronco" from the Spanish word "broncos".
- The largest bucking horse in rodeo history was named "Midnight" and weighed 1,900 pounds.
- The word "bronco" is commonly dropped in modern English, particularly in the American West, and the animal is simply called a "bronc".
