  Call him bronco buster, cowpuncher, cattleman, or just plain ranch hand ... the western cowboy to those who know him best, has always been “just a plain, everyday upstandin’ man!” He is courageous and fearless ... loyal to his outfit and to his friends, and does his best to live up to the code of his colorful calling. An oldtimer might tell you that the cowboy’s code calls for “courage and loyalty, uncomplaining cheerfulness, laughter at danger and hardships, lack of curiosity regarding another’s past, and respect for womanhood.” The cowboy may change with the times, but so long as the West raises cattle he’ll be with us ... riding the range, testing his skill at the rodeo ... “doin’ his job” as he upholds the proud traditions of the West and one of its greatest industries ... the cattle business. ON THE MOVE Cowboy and lariat The cowboy and the horse he rides are the result of a way of life. The man and the animal have developed together, adapting themselves to a type of life and work unfamiliar to millions of our present generation. The dime-novel, two-gun characters of fiction, the movies built around these stories, and the occasional rodeo performance, are the basis for the average person’s impressions about the Western cowboy. Overlooked are the real life and the important daily tasks of these men on horseback who provide the meat for the nation’s tables. The cowboy knows no hours. From sunup to sundown, in blizzard, rain and sunshine, he watches and cares for his herd. The pioneers who built the cattle business into a tremendous industry used the saddle for making history. The modern cowboy following in their path is still using a saddle for a throne from which he upholds a tradition ... and never will he forsake that saddle for a jalopy to help him over the rough places. ON GUARD Probably no other American spends a greater part of his time outdoors than the Western cowboy. Certainly no other form of activity is so dependent upon the whims of Nature and animals. A calf may stray among jagged rocks, and a horse break a leg in recovering him. Rider and horse are always flirting with danger! Sickness in a herd or among the horses calls for expert knowledge and kindness. Broken fences, storms, mountain lions and the elements themselves present problems which to many of us would seem insurmountable. Gopher holes lurk in hidden places to throw both horse and rider; turbulent streams with their slippery boulders must be forded; high ledges and snowy precipices must be traversed under varying conditions. Yes, it’s a rugged life and one which calls for strong men with clear eyes and steady hands. Under these men must be sturdy, sure-footed horses. This combination of man and horse has contributed greatly to the romantic history of America; and, even today, typifies a way of life unlike any other. Boots and spurs It’s no wonder that this Western life has developed a strange and flavorful language of its own ... distinctly different from that used in other walks of life. It’s natural, too, that special clothing should be worn. Above all, it is essential that the cowboy’s greatest asset, the horse, should be specially bred and trained. There are many of the words of the trail and cow camp in these pages. You’ll become familiar with the type of clothing worn by the Western cowboy. Most of all, you’ll see and learn about the magnificent horses that he rides. At work, at play and in the show ring ... the horse is dominant! HIGH PLACE “A RANCH IS NO BETTER THAN ITS HORSES” FRIEND AND SERVANTA good cow horse must possess strength and intelligence, and be well trained to use both. He has a natural instinct for sensing direction and detecting danger, both by day and by night. He is game and brave and will drop dead in the performance of his work, if need be. He is well adapted to his place ... tough and inured to the hardships of his life. His lightness of foot and quickness of motion fit him better for this work than any other type of horse. Saddle He must have good feet, good limbs, a strong heart and strong lungs to meet the demands of his work. The cow horse soon learns to know his rider as they work together, and his good sense is his outstanding characteristic. CLOTHES ARE WORN FOR A PURPOSE THE COWBOY’S CLOTHESA generation ago the East knew the cowboy as a bloody demon of disaster, reckless and rowdy, weighted down with “six guns,” wearing a ten-gallon hat, bright silk shirt, woolly chaps and clanking spurs. Today, except for his hat, high-heeled boots and spurs, you’ll find few cowboys in complete regalia except on show days at the rodeo. Nowadays, the cowboy wears each garment “a-purpose.” For example:
A cowboy’s working clothes usually consist of sturdy Levis, high-heeled boots, “Stetson” hat, heavy shirt, and chaps when needed. CALF ROPING A COWBOY’S WORK IS ALSO HIS FUNThe rodeo is purely and exclusively a cowboy’s sport. In fact, it is a popular sport which originated in America. At first it was simply a demonstration of the cowboy’s skill, usually performed before other cowboys. Contesting naturally followed and, of course, such thrilling exhibitions of skill and courage soon attracted more and more spectators. Today, rodeos are national and international events. Experts in bronc riding, calf roping, steer wrestling and bull riding often pocket prize money amounting to as much as $35,000 in a year. Bucking bronco Now, regularly scheduled events, staged by popular demand, rodeos are attracting larger and larger crowds. Be they big or small, a thrilling performance is assured the spectators. Bronc riding is one of the most exciting of rodeo events and is always popular with the cowboy himself. A man who follows the hazardous trade of horse-breaking as a steady business has to be good. He must have courage, experience and unusual ability; a good one is hard to find. The best cow hands can ride the “snuffy” ones, but won’t. Good bronc riders stay with their horses. When they feel themselves going they do not throw away the reins, start relaxing and look for a soft spot to land. With skill, muscle and grim determination they will wage a desperate battle to stay aboard. A “RARE” OCCASION More and more cow horses are being broken to ride by patience and gentleness. Today’s horse is rarely a wild mustang caught on the prairie and broken by a “buster.” Usually he is of special breeding, intended to develop him for his particular type of work. The bucking horse, seen in rodeos, is trained to buck; many of them such as “Midnight” and “Five Minutes To Midnight” have become world-famous for their skill at throwing riders. Usually bucking horses or “broncs” are part of a “string” provided for rodeo use. Many of these “wild” horses live to a ripe old age and have many peaceful years grazing in lush pastures long after their bucking days are over. “TWISTIN’ HIM DOWN” BULL DOGGINGThis breathtaking feat consists of a dive from a horse at full gallop to the horns of a full-grown steer and throwing the animal by hand. One of the most dangerous stunts in the rodeo business, it also requires extraordinary strength and agility on the part of the cowboy. The bull dogger must stop the animal and “twist him down” so that all four feet are off the ground on the side in which the head is pointed. The record time for this event is three and two-fifths seconds. Cowboy and bull Bull dogging is purely an exhibition trick, but it has developed into a regular rodeo event, with many outstanding bull doggers contesting for the large prize money offered for it. A “ROLLIN’” HORSE BAREBACK BRONC RIDINGActually, this is less dangerous than riding a bronc with a saddle, but more difficult to stay aboard. Balance is all-important, since the cowboy is without benefit of stirrups or saddle and must depend upon his knees for controlling his position on the horse. One hand holds the halter and the other must swing free, never touching the horse. Even the good bareback riders are often thrown, but the fall as a rule is “clean” and results only in the cowboy being thoroughly jarred. BIG BRAHMA AND COWBOY PART COMPANY BULL RIDINGThis is an extreme test of balance and courage. Bull riders are usually “top hands” and represent the cream of fancy riders. Brahma bulls are ridden with only “bull rigging,” which consists of two ropes, one around the flank and one serving as a cinch with a bell to irritate and infuriate the animal. They are always unpredictable and hard to ride. The Brahma bull’s skin is very loose, like that of a dog, and the rider must stay on by sheer balance. Oftentimes the bulls become mean and dangerous unless distracted by a man in the arena. A so-called “clown,” actually an expert at distracting the bulls, is a part of the rodeo performance, and it is he who prevents the animals from turning on thrown cowboys. Adding to the excitement at these events is the fact that Brahmas can and do quite often leap an eight-foot fence. MORE TRANQUIL MOMENTSMountain lake Not all of a cowboy’s life is rough, back-breaking work or exhibitions. There are long hours of pleasant sunshine and companionship with friends, including his “best friend,” his horse. Moving the cattle to new pastures often brings long, leisurely rides beneath brilliant sunshine, over sage-scented prairie or along verdant trails amid the world’s most beautiful scenery. Large ranches now operate with plenty of help and many modern conveniences. Good food is essential to a cowboy’s health and happiness, and the wise rancher provides plenty of it. Comradeship and loyalty are predominant characteristics of ranch life, and few real cowboys would exchange it for any other way of life. “THE PAUSE THAT REFRESHES” “BEAUTY AND PRIDE” ALWAYS ... THE HORSEThe very existence of the cowboy revolves around his horse. Proudly he poses on him, for to be pictured without him would make the cowboy feel “naked.” Ranch conversation is mostly of horses; horses do the work, provide the transportation and the amusement; horses cause many of the trials and sorrows. Thus the breeding of these intelligent animals is an ever-interesting, never-ending process. Most popular among stockmen and cowboys today is the “quarter horse”; however, there is an increasing demand for horses of part Arabian blood which are the result of the breeding of purebred Arabian horses to the native stock. With only around 3500 living Arabs today, it is a lucky cowboy who gets to own or ride one. The Arabian blood brings to the cattle pony the spirit, the sturdiness, the courage and, above all, the great intelligence of the Arab, combined with the “stockiness” of the range animal ... priceless ingredients in the making of a fine cow horse. You’ll be particularly interested in the world-famous TRINIDAD ranch where these gentle Arabians are bred pure. |
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