The whole truth about cowboys, ranching, and the Wild West is about to be revealed. Yee-haw!
The Cowboy Lifestyle
The first American cowboys lived on the plains of Oklahoma and Texas with large plots of empty land for their livestock to roam free. Their houses were small and they lived mostly alone in the wild. Today, cowboys live with their families in large houses out west with advanced technology (like computers and iPads) just like the rest of us. They still occasionally use horses to herd cattle, but more often they drive trucks. Although they live a more modern life than the cowboys of yesterday, ranchers still have the same ideas about how to live: relaxed and easy.
Home On The Range
A ranch hand has many jobs. Usually he is responsible for feeding the cattle, branding livestock (see designer brands), mending damaged fences, checking water to make sure it is safe for the animals to drink, and tending to any injuries that his horses or cows picked up while outside. A working cowboy also has a small group or “string” of horses that he is required to take care of (rain or shine). These horses spend most of their time outside, and are in charge of helping the rancher “roundup” or gather the barn’s cattle. The cows are moved to different pastures, herded into corrals, or chased into trucks for transport. On a large ranch, known as a “big outfit”, sometimes ranch hands also train horses or break them in.
“Ranching is a gamble when you look at it, but it is a great life.” – Montana Cowgirl Floydena Garrison
Designer Brands
A branding iron is a hot metal tool that will burn a symbol onto a cow or horse’s hindquarters so that the fur there dies, leaving a sort of tattoo. They are like ranching serial numbers, identifying which animals belong to which farm. Each ranch has its own brand.
Western Wear
The clothes ranchers wear are known as “western wear”. Here are some things that are commonly seen.
A cotton bandana or silk neckscarf has many purposes: it can wick away sweat, protect the face from dust storms, and wrap wounds if a rancher doesn’t have a first aid kit with him on the trails.
A wide-brimmed cowboy hat or Stetson protects a rancher’s face from the sun, as well as strong wind, rain, and overhanging bushes.
Cowboy boots have high sides to protect the lower legs, pointed toes to help guide the foot into the stirrup, and low heels to keep the foot from slipping out of the stirrup.
Chaps or chinks protect a rancher’s legs while riding on horseback. They are worn over jeans made of canvas or denim. Proper cowboy jeans have flat seams along the inside so they don’t rub when worn in the saddle.
Deerskin or leather gloves are an essential piece of western wear. They are thin enough that the rancher can fasten and unbuckle things while wearing them, but thick enough to handle barbed wire.
Metal spurs with a spiked shank on the end can be attached to boots. Their main purpose is to urge the horse forward, since ranchers usually don’t carry whips.
A lariat is a rope that ranch hands, also known as cowboys, use to lasso cattle.
Ranchers always carry a pocket knife and firearm with them to protect from danger. Most live in the American frontier, a land also known as the “wild west”, and come across many dangerous creatures such as mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and coyotes.
A cotton bandana or silk neckscarf has many purposes: it can wick away sweat, protect the face from dust storms, and wrap wounds if a rancher doesn’t have a first aid kit with him on the trails.
A wide-brimmed cowboy hat or Stetson protects a rancher’s face from the sun, as well as strong wind, rain, and overhanging bushes.
Cowboy boots have high sides to protect the lower legs, pointed toes to help guide the foot into the stirrup, and low heels to keep the foot from slipping out of the stirrup.
Chaps or chinks protect a rancher’s legs while riding on horseback. They are worn over jeans made of canvas or denim. Proper cowboy jeans have flat seams along the inside so they don’t rub when worn in the saddle.
Deerskin or leather gloves are an essential piece of western wear. They are thin enough that the rancher can fasten and unbuckle things while wearing them, but thick enough to handle barbed wire.
Metal spurs with a spiked shank on the end can be attached to boots. Their main purpose is to urge the horse forward, since ranchers usually don’t carry whips.
A lariat is a rope that ranch hands, also known as cowboys, use to lasso cattle.
Ranchers always carry a pocket knife and firearm with them to protect from danger. Most live in the American frontier, a land also known as the “wild west”, and come across many dangerous creatures such as mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and coyotes.
History of the Cowboy
Cowboys have always been a symbol of American spirit, but did you know that the first ranchers were actually French? Back when France owned Louisiana, European riders called Gardiens captured and tamed the American wild horses to herd cattle with. Western people noticed this and quickly began taming wild horses as well, and the term “cowboy” was put into use.
Three most popular ranch horses: 1. Quarter Horse 2. Paint Horse 3. Appaloosa
Rancher Vocabulary
Bronc: noun. An unbroken (untrained) horse that likes to buck.
Buckaroo: noun. A cowboy that “bounces” from job to job, usually with a bushy mustache.
Dude: noun. A person who tries to dress or speak like a cowboy and fails miserably.
Leppy: noun. A motherless calf, usually with a thin body and scruffy hair
Buckaroo: noun. A cowboy that “bounces” from job to job, usually with a bushy mustache.
Dude: noun. A person who tries to dress or speak like a cowboy and fails miserably.
Leppy: noun. A motherless calf, usually with a thin body and scruffy hair
This information is taken from the Autumn 2012 article Behind the Scenes: Ranching.