LET'S GO BULL RIDING WITH BUBBA DUNN

Bubba Dunn, a nationally known bull rider on the Professional Bull Riders Association (PBRA) circuit, proudly wears Mossy Oak chaps when he rides. I know I'll take a fall on a bull ride. When I sit down on a bull's back in the chute, the first thing I do is grip the rope in my hand. I run my rosin-covered glove back and forth across the rope to get the rosin sticky, give me a better grip on the bull rope and hold on tighter. Next I'll wrap my hand with the rope to tie myself onto the bull.

The minute I get my hand wrapped, I'll nod to open the gate. I don't want to sit on the bull for long or think about the ride. When I get locked down, I want to let the bull go. As soon as that gate opens for the bull's first jump out of the chute, I'm thinking about climbing out over the head of that bull. When that bull blows out of the box, I try and pull myself down and lock my legs around him. As the bull lands, I'll attempt to stay tight on his back and push forwards on my arm to keep my seat.

If I ride a bull I've ridden before or if I know some of the history behind this bull, I'll also know the next move he'll make. I'll watch the bull's head to determine which way he'll go next. Wherever the bull's head goes, the rest of his body will follow. When the bull ducks down, I want to lean back and push against my arm that's holding onto the bull rope because I know the bull's back end is on the way up. When the bull's head comes up, I'll pull against the rope and lean out as far as I can over his head, while stretching my body to get up over the bull. When a bull starts spinning, you must determine what he's trying to do to you. Most spinning bulls are trying to throw you off by using centrifugal force, which you can lean to the inside of to stay on the bull. A really bad bull will try to spin you as tight as he can to cause you to fall inside the spin where he can stomp on you to hurt you. With some bulls, you have to lean to the inside of the spin and chance falling off. On most bulls, you have to sit in the middle of their backs when they're spinning.

The worst bulls are the ones that spin and drift across the arena. As they spin along, turning inside, they're jumping away from you. A bull like this is deliberately trying to put you in the inside of his spin so he'll have the opportunity to hurt you. The first time the bull turns and begins his spin you won't have time to think. To ride him, you must depend on your instincts and years of riding experience. You just grab hold of the rope and hopefully hold on until the whistle blows.

Come Back Throughout the Week for More Free Tips From Bubba Dunn...

Day 1 - Let's Go Bull Riding

Day 2 - How To Get Off

Day 3 - Why I Became A Bull Rider

Day 4 - Riding A Bull Is 90% Mental, 10% Physical

Day 5 - I Want To Be A Bull Rider