Trick riding has a very interesting story. It has not always been an American entertainment act. It was once used as a weapon for the Ukrainian Cossacks who adopted it from the people of Caucasus and called it dzhigitovka. Cossacks were nearly unconquerable because they could easily hide from their enemies. When communism overtook Russia, the Cossacks were forced to leave the country. Many moved to America, where they used their talents for money. They became part of the entertainment community and soon Americans started catching on. Trick riding even became a rodeo event where the hardest tricks earned the most points. Trick riding as a competitive rodeo event came to an end in the 1940s. Trick riding became more dangerous and the horses became a lot faster as the trick riders became desperate for the prize money. Rodeo producers deemed trick riding too dangerous for competition and trick riding then became a specialty act in rodeos.