How to Be a Cowboy Read online

  Character Hats

  In addition to the hat style itself, the way it is worn defines the wearer: whether high on his head, pulled low over his eyes, rolled up in a taco brim, or creased like the “Montana Peak,” these personal touches make a statement about the wearer’s personality.

  There are as many cowboy hat variations as there are individual cowboys. Each wearer reshapes it, bends it, creases it, curls it and decorates it to match his own trademark style.

  American cowboy hats connote the essence of the American West and may be the most recognized symbol of the United States after the Stars and Stripes.

  Donna Martell and Tex Williams.

  Photo courtesy of the Jerry West Collection.

  Gene Autry, America’s Favorite Singing Cowboy, c. 1935. © Autry Qualified Interest Trust and Autry Foundation.

  Cowboy Hat Etiquette

  A courteous cowboy tips his hat:

  When he greets anyone, particularly a woman.

  When he wants to say thank you for a kindness shown by a stranger, such as giving directions to the nearest Wal-Mart or pointing out that his pickup has a flat tire.

  When he excuses himself from a conversation with a woman.

  A smart cowboy:

  Never tips his hat to a man, because that would be like calling him a sissy.

  Removes his hat in a theater or auditorium to avoid blocking someone else’s view.

  A real cowboy removes his hat and keeps it off:

  During the National Anthem or when the flag is passing by in a procession.

  While in a restaurant (he can keep it on at the counter or in a café where the good old boys gather for breakfast and coffee).

  When entering a room of a public building, especially a courtroom. (It’s probably okay to leave it on in the library or post office.)

  While being introduced to someone, especially if it is a woman.

  At a funeral.

  In places of worship where head coverings are not required.

  While in anyone’s home but his own.

  Photo from Singing Cowboys.

  Hat Fact

  When you take off your hat, you shouldn’t set it right side up on the brim, as that will ruin the curl and cause the brim to flatten. You should set your hat upside down, on the top of the crown. At night, hang it on a hat rack or a hat block.

  The X Factor

  Cowboy hats are made of fur, felt or straw. Originally, X referred to the amount of beaver fur that was in the felt hat, and hats were rated from 1X for a little fur to 10X for 100-percent beaver. Nowadays, manufacturers have their own methods for assigning the X factor to their hats, and it often has little to do with the amount of beaver fur. You can use the number of Xs to compare hats from a single manufacturer and ascertain whether the hat you’re considering is one of its lesser quality, medium quality or higher quality hats. But you can’t compare Xs between companies, because they don’t use the same standards to assign the Xs.

  Lesson 5: The Spur

  The Spanish conquistadors introduced spurs to the North American continent in the 1500s. Luckily the styles have changed since then—the rowels on those early spurs could reach a circumference of six to eight inches! The Spanish influenced the Mexican spur makers, who became masters of the craft. Additionally, many a cowboy crafted his own spurs, with others being made in shops, factories or even prisons.

  The spur is designed to fit on the heel of riding boots. The spur is secured with a spur strap, the buckled leather strap that attaches over the top of the foot. And the spur’s use is generally to direct a horse, along with other commands.

  Earn Yer Spurs

  Like belt buckles, fancy spurs can be awarded to rodeo champions.

  In his winning event, he has “earned his spurs”!

  Western-style cowboy spurs have rowels, or spinning wheels or discs, on the tail end of the spur shank. Rowels are basically round but can be in the shape of a flower, four-leaf clover or star or just have a bunch of pointy ends. Silver dollars have also been used. Some cowboys attach a pair of jingling pendants known as jingle bobs to the rowel pins to make a little music when they walk.

  The shank (the slightly curved piece of steel between the rowel and the heel band that wraps around the back of the boot) can either be plain or have a more interesting shape, such as a snake or the classic “gal leg.” On the outside of the heel band is where the adornment usually goes. But also on the button that the spur strap hooks onto. The button might also be replaced with a slot for the leathers. Decoration can even be on the chap guard, which is a small protrusion that keeps the chaps from getting entangled in the rowel.

  Spurs can be simply utilitarian to meet the needs of the working cowboy, or they can be beautifully artistic, dictated by the taste of the cowboy and the skill of the maker. Inlaid and overlaid (meaning layers of metals laid over or under other layers for the sake of design) longhorns, stars and moons, hearts, brands and initials are popular for spurs and for the leather spur straps that attach them to the cowboy’s boot. Hand-forged steel spurs can be inlaid with copper, brass, silver or gold and may include turquoise and other precious or semiprecious stones.

  Spurs are standard equipment for the working cowboy, as integral and personal a part of his gear as are his boots, hat and saddle. Once the cowboy is mounted, a nudge from his spurs on the horse’s flank helps direct the animal. Giddyap!

  Spurs are no longer merely a working tool but have become collectible works of art, whether they are the classic spurs of yesteryear or today’s custom masterpieces.

  Lesson 6: The Rodeo

  Rodeo cowboys live their own lifestyle, have their own culture, and talk their special lingo. Competitors “ride the shows” or follow the rodeo circuit. Each has a specialty event or two: calf roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, or saddle or bareback bronc riding. The cowgirl competitors’ main event is barrel racing, an amazing feat of human/equine coordination and skill.

  Today’s cowboys may wish they were paid performers like Annie Oakley or Buck Taylor in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows. Instead, they pay entry fees for the privilege of getting bucked around and broken up. They don’t make a penny if they don’t win their event.

  These rodeo contests developed from the 1800s working cowboy’s duties, though somewhat modified for a competitive event. Most early rodeo cowboys were working cowboys who daily practiced their skills; then when a roundup or rodeo was staged, they participated to show off their stuff to the other cowboys.

  William F. Cody, Pawnee Bill, and Buffalo Jones. Photo from Denver Public Library.

  With strength, skill and spirit, rodeo cowboys jam their hats on their heads, grip a rein in one hand and hold the other hand overhead. When the gate opens on the bucking animal, it is man versus beast, danger and brute power versus glory and prize money. For eight seconds, the bull or bronc rider summons all his strength and courage to stay atop the animal while the spectators hold their breaths that the cowboy will survive not only the eight seconds but with life and limb. Many a stoic cowboy has gotten up from the dust, grimaced while his broken ribs were being taped, and then climbed in the chute for the next ride.

  Cowboy Up!

  The rodeo circuit today, governed by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), is big business. Rodeos such as the Cheyenne Frontier Days, the Pendleton Roundup, the Calgary Stampede and even small county rodeos promote tourism. The crowd-pleasing acts are breathtaking not only because of the dangers involved but also the showmanship.

  The wardrobe of the rodeo cowboy is similar to that of the cowboy working cattle on the range, but also derives from the “fancy” cowboy clothing of television and movies. Maybe it’s more like the working cowboy’s “goin’ to town” clothes. The fancy style with brightly colored shirts and leather chaps makes a flashier looking ride. Adding to the bright colors are fringes, sequins or rhinestones, and silver. This is even more evident on women performers, especially the rodeo queens.

  The
rodeo clowns/bullfighters also aim to entertain, although their challenging job is to keep an angry Brahma from stomping on and seriously injuring a fallen rider.

  Lesson 7: The Ranch

  Before the invention of barbed wire, cattle by the millions roamed free in western and southern Texas, grazing the open range. Drovers (and industrious cattle rustlers) herded them north to the Kansas railheads of Abilene and Wichita for shipping to the East. The cattle lost weight and their meat toughened on these drives, hundreds of miles long.

  In 1874, Joseph Glidden was granted a patent on the type of barbed wire still used today. With the introduction of this type of fencing, cattle that had roamed wild could now be owned, contained and grazed, and thus ranches were born. Cattle barons developed ranches over thousands of acres, choosing acreage with clean water and abundant grass.

  Since a ranch’s acreage was vast, it meant that in order to tend to all of it—mend fences, gather cattle, etc.— cowboys had to go on some very long horseback rides and spend some nights under the open stars.

  The ranch today bears a remarkable resemblance to those of the early days. Even with modern technologies, the cowboys contend with dust, excessive heat, thunderous rainstorms and bitter blizzards. Their workday lasts from sunup to sundown. The open range is their office. A good string of horses, a saddle and a lariat are still the tools of the trade. Astride their horses, cowboys round up livestock that are straying or in trouble. They brand them. They mend fences. They follow the foreman’s orders.

  A working ranch can consist of thousands of acres. Or a smaller “ranchito” can be more of a home than a business. The important factor here is that, however small, it is yours. Whatever its size, as the proud owner, you think, act and dress like a cowboy. Your ranch has a name that reflects your persona. You have a brand that incorporates your initials or your ranch name. The interior decor of your ranch house probably includes a longhorn skull, rustic log furniture, an antler lamp, Pendleton camp blankets, an antique saddle and a horseshoe—for luck—over the door. Add to that a fire in your massive stone fireplace and you will know that you are “home on the range.”

  A key ranch hand, usually called Cookie, went along to set up a cow camp for the cowboys, moving the camp from day to day, wherever the cowboys went. Cookie hauled the necessaries in a chuck wagon. His main job was to fix the grub. Cookie was the King of the Range, the most important and resourceful man in camp. Cow camp was not only the cowboy’s diner but also his “home on the range,” where he returned each evening for his meal, his bedroll and camaraderie—the song-singing, tale-spinning nights around the campfire.

  Hey, Cookie!

  Did Ya’ Knows

  From the Urban Dictionary, www.urbandictionary.com

  Cowboy Breakfast— A leak and a look around. “We were in a hurry, so we only had time for a cowboy breakfast.”

  Cowboy Coffee— Making a great cup of coffee in the backcountry is easy when you prepare it the way cowboys have done for over a century. Simply pour the coffee grounds into a cup of hot water and stir. Most of the coffee will dissolve in the water. The remaining grains are then sifted through the front teeth. This is also a great solution for people who cannot afford a $5 cup of joe from Starbucks. “That homeless guy must have just had a cup of cowboy coffee. His teeth are full of coffee grounds!”

  The Gourmet Cowboy

  Courtesy of Texas Bix Bender

  Mud— Coffee

  Sinkers— Biscuits

  Whistleberries— Beans

  Hen Fruit— Eggs

  Shoe Soles— Pancakes

  Gut Robber— Cook

  Skunk Eggs— Onions

  Sheepdip— Coffee

  Eggs Bright-Eyed— Eggs Sunny Side Up

  Punk— Bread

  Lead Snowballs— Biscuits

  Grease Hungry— Wanting some meat

  A Cowboy’s Best Friends:

  A Trusty Steed . . .

  A Faithful Companion . . .

  A Pickup Truck . . .

  Decorated or Not.

  Lesson 8: The Music

  Cowboy music reflects the poetry of his days—trailing cattle, thwacking through sagebrush, bracing against howling winds, mending fences and riding in solitude.

  Gene Autry on Movie Lobby Card of Tumbling Tumbleweeds, 1935.

  © Autry Qualified Interest Trust and The Autry Foundation.

  Charles Starrett and Elton Britt.

  Photo from Singing Cowboys by Douglas Green.

  Leaning on their bedrolls around a campfire, cowboys shared their folklore in poetry and music. At the campsite, the music of the harmonica or jaw harp might accompany an old ballad or a brisk and lively boot-stomping jig. Occasionally a cowboy camp might hear the music of a fiddle or banjo. And an enterprising musician might easily become a drummer by turning a bucket upside down and tapping out the rhythm with a utensil or a stick—rounding out a sort of frontier band!

  Photo from Singing Cowboys.

  Hard-luck stories (and humorous ones!), adventures, tall tales and lost loves were common themes. Friends—human and equine—who died tragic deaths on the prairie were memorialized in song. Trail drives, stampedes and outlaws were also reflected in the lyrics. A cowboy’s sense of humor was apparent in songs that poked fun at himself, and, with no ladies present, the language could be colorful, lusty or profane!

  Photo from Singing Cowboys.

  With film and television westerns of the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s, the popularity of all things cowboy, including music, exploded. Everybody knew the singing cowboys—Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Rex Allen, Hank Williams, Tex Ritter, Bob Wills, Marty Robbins and Sons of the Pioneers. They popularized old cowboy verses and ballads and also wrote their own signature lyrics and melodies.

  The guitar became their instrument of choice and remains so today. Early songs included “The Old Chisholm Trail,” “O Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie,” “Home on the Range,” “Red River Valley,” “My Darling Clementine,” “Home Sweet Home,” and “Git Along, Little Dogies.”

  Photo from Singing Cowboys.

  Photos above and near right from Singing Cowboys.

  Gene Autry, c. 1940. © Autry Qualified Interest Trust and Autry Foundation.

  Did Ya’ Know?

  Bing Crosby was a Singing Cowboy!

  Photo from Singing Cowboys.

  Photo from Singing Cowboys.

  Today there are still many singers performing cowboy music and entertaining audiences in performance halls and gymnasiums, such as Riders in the Sky and Sons of the Pioneers, singing the old classics and writing some new cowboy western songs of their own. There’s Wylie Gustafson making audiences happy with his singing, yodeling and contemporary sound, and revered singers the likes of Ian Tyson and Don Edwards pleasing crowds with their mellow tones. But in the mainstream, country & western music is a widely popular outgrowth of the original cowboy music. Stars such as Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, George Strait, Dwight Yoakam, Marty Stuart, Randy Travis and Brooks & Dunn wow their millions of fans with music ranging from pure country to redneck to rockabilly.

  Photo courtesy of Riders in the Sky.

  No matter how old you are, cowboy country music is good medicine for a mood change, whether you’re tapping your toes to the rhythm, singing along to your MP3 player or gliding across the dance floor in a classic two-step to the sound of good honky-tonk or a Western fiddle band!

  Fuzzy Knight, Tex Ritter and friends. Photo from Singing Cowboys.

  Photo from Singing Cowboys.

  Lesson 9: The Buckle

  Ways to hold up your trousers:

  a) bib overalls

  b) suspenders

  c) a leather belt

  How your belt shows the world you’re a cowboy: leather tooling and a big silver concho or rodeo champ buckle—so big it cuts into your gut when you sit down!

  The Ranger

  The Navajos learned silversmithing from the Mexicans, who learned from the Moors. The Navajos’ silver conchos inspire
d early buckles. Today’s cowboy buckles are generally of two styles: the ranger and the trophy. The ranger set is comprised of a C-shaped buckle with a keeper or two (to keep the tail end of your belt from flopping around) and a corresponding tip on the belt’s opposite end.

  The Trophy

  The trophy buckle can be rectangular, oval or practically any shape—heart, cross, star or whatever the buckle maker can dream up. It began as a rodeo prize, inscribed with the name of the rodeo, event, date and the winner’s name. The pride associated with a cowboy winning a rodeo buckle is comparable to an actor winning an Oscar.