Mental Health in Western Sports
Photo by Kaycie Timm
It’s no secret that rodeo and other Western sports often come with a high risk of injury—and those injuries don’t just take a physical toll. Rodeo athletes often face mental health challenges linked to their injuries, from concussions leading to depression, to chronic pain driving anxiety or even substance use.
Traditionally, a “cowboy up” mentality has made it hard to talk about these struggles. However, along with many of our friends and partners in the Western industry, Western Sports Foundation is shining a light on mental health and opening the door for athletes to get the help they need to thrive.
The Physical Toll
In rodeo, getting thrown, kicked, or slammed against the wall are frequent occurances. Roughstock events have especially high injury rates, but even timed event athletes are at risk of major injury. Bull riding alone has an injury rate of about 32 injuries per 1,000 rides, while the injury rate in professional football is around 5.8 per 100,000 players—a fraction of the risk involved in rodeo.
Youth and collegiate rodeo riders are not immune, either. High school and junior rodeos see plenty of injuries, too. From youth leagues up to the pros, getting hurt is part of the game in rodeo.
How do these injuries connect to mental health? Head injuries, like concussions, can lead to symptoms like memory loss, mood swings, depression, and even degenerative brain conditions.
Beyond concussions, wrecks and injuries can wear on an athlete’s mental state. Broken bones, blown knees, and torn shoulders come with severe pain and time away from the arena. An injury like that can spur worries about your career, finances, and even your identity, adding to the stress of dealing with an injury.
It’s not uncommon for injured athletes to feel depressed or anxious during recovery.
This hints at a cycle where getting hurt frequently can sap a person’s psychological resilience over time. Sometimes the trauma of an injury itself can haunt athletes for years. Getting in a horrific wreck is a traumatic event. Sports medicine experts note that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur in athletes after severe injuries, just like after car accidents or combat incidents.
One review found that up to 50% of athletes who suffered a trauma (like a serious concussion or injury) showed PTSD symptoms later on.
Getting badly injured isn’t just a physical ordeal; it can be a mental and emotional one too.
“Cowboy Up” Culture
Despite the clear links between the physical wear and tear of rodeo and the mental struggles that can follow, talking openly about mental health has long been considered taboo in cowboy culture. Rodeo athletes (and many folks in Western ranching communities) are raised on a creed of toughness and self-reliance.
In the Western world, you’ll often hear the phrase “cowboy up,” meaning to push through the pain and not show emotion. This mentality creates a stigma around seeking help for anything emotional or psychological—as if asking for help means you’re not tough enough.
Many rodeo athletes feel pressure to always appear strong and unbothered, even when they’re hurting inside. Showing vulnerability can feel like breaking the cowboy code. This stigma is especially strong among men in the sport, but it affects cowgirls, too.
For example, rather than talk to a doctor or therapist, an athlete might hide his depression, stay on the road, and tell everyone he’s fine—meanwhile self-medicating with substances or other unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Organizations like the Western Sports Foundation are actively working to break the stigma. The rodeo community is beginning to embrace the idea that real toughness can include talking about your feelings and asking for help when you need it.
It’s worth noting that youth and women in rodeo may experience stigma in specific ways. Young riders often absorb the “cowboy up” attitude from an early age. And for women, being competitor in a male-dominated arena can add pressure. Some cowgirls might feel they have to be “one of the boys” and not show emotion, lest they be seen as fragile.
It’s a big culture shift, but more cowboys and cowgirls are realizing that mental health is health. Even the grittiest cowboy needs to talk to someone or get support from time to time. At WSF, we believe that emotional and mental wellness are just as important as physical health for a rodeo athlete.
That’s way we offer confidential counseling, including help for substance abuse issues, at little or no cost to qualifying athletes. This support crucial, because it gives cowboys and cowgirls a place to turn before things spiral out of control.
Changing the Conversation
The intersection of injury and mental health in rodeo is now out in the open, and that’s a good thing. The high injury rates—especially head trauma—in rodeo clearly pose risks not just to the body but to the mind. We’ve seen how concussions can contribute to depression or even degenerative brain disease, how chronic injuries and pain can lead to anxiety or PTSD, and how the stress of the sport can weigh on athletes’ mental well-being. The “cowboy up” philosophy might help you grit through an eight-second ride, but it’s not a healthy lifelong motto when it comes to mental wellness. The stigma around mental health has started to crack as more riders speak out and organizations step up with resources.
Key takeaways to remember:
Injuries and mental health are closely linked: A hard knock on the head isn’t just a bruise – it can alter your mood, cognition, and emotional balance. Many rodeo athletes face depression or anxiety related to concussion effects or the strain of repeated injuries. Serious accidents can even trigger PTSD symptoms if not addressed.
Stigma has been a big barrier: The rodeo community has traditionally valued stoicism. Admitting you’re struggling has been seen as weakness, especially among men. This has kept a lot of folks suffering in silence. However, attitudes are changing with high-profile advocacy and education, reinforcing that seeking help is not only OK – it’s smart and courageous.
Support is growing: Today, there are mental health hotlines, counseling services, and foundations tailored for rodeo athletes. From college rodeo programs to pro circuits, more organizations are partnering with mental health professionals. For example, the Western Sports Foundation provides confidential counseling for everything from performance anxiety to substance abuse to relationship struggles.
There’s also a sense of community responsibility emerging – cowboys keeping an eye on their traveling partners, urging a concussed friend to sit out, or lending an ear to a buddy going through a hard time.
The world of Western sports is confronting some hard truths. You can’t separate the mind from the body, and the unseen injuries can be just as dangerous as a wreck in the arena.
By acknowledging the link between physical injuries and mental health, breaking the stigma of seeking help, and offering resources at little to no cost through organizations like WSF, the rodeo community is aiming to create a healthier, more supportive environment for athletes.
Cowboys and cowgirls are known for their grit – and now that grit is being applied to facing mental health challenges, supporting one another, and ensuring that no rider has to suffer alone. As the slogan goes, it’s okay to not be okay. Reaching out for help when you need it might just be the modern embodiment of “cowboy up.” After all, there’s nothing more courageous than taking care of both your body and your mind.