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Show The cowboy life was totally different from the interpretation presented in western novels and movies. Most cowboys rode company horses, which were rank, half-tamed broncos. These company or ranch-owned broncs were 25 to 30 dollar mustangs, half-wild and plenty ornery. Small, tough, wiry and sturdy, these cowboy equines averaged about 700 to 900 pounds and stood only about 12 to 14 hands high. Most descended from the native Spanish mustangs that roamed free, wintering on sparse rations of native grass and snow balls. Economics dictated that the broncs be broken cheaply, and broken they were. Drifters and "bronc stompers" contracted to "break" horses for 5 to 15 dollars per head. Come spring, the remuda, or spare horses, were gathered and corralled and slammed through a traumatic, nerve shattering four to six day basic training. The object of the training was to literally "break" the pony's wild spirit by teaching him fear and respect for the cowboy. Many ranches also employed a buckaroo to "rough out" the five-year-olds that had been on "vacation" in the hills since the spring or fall roundups. The most rank were given to the better riders who sometimes got more pay for riding rough strings. With wages of only 25 to 40 dollars a month, the uniform of the cowboy had to be serviceable and durable. The basic head gear was a broad brimmed hat that served as shade from the hot sun, stopped the rain from running down his neck, protected him from hail stones and low flying branches, and served to fan afire or carry water. A cowboy's hat was his proudest possession. He rarely took it off, and superstition would never allow him to put it on a bed. Though somewhat ornamental in appearance, the cowboy's "scarf served various functions. He used it as a mask to keep trail dust out of his mouth and nose; wadded it into the crown of his hat to serve as insulation against the hot sun; covered his ears with it in the cold; used it to tie his hat on in the wind; used it as a tourniquet for snake bite or wounds; used it as a wash cloth; and put it inside the collar of his shirt to keep it from getting caked with sweat and dust so he only had to wash a shirt every few weeks. His pants were woolen or denim. He rarely wore a belt or suspenders for they chaffed him and because of the lack of these supports, the cowboy stored heavy items in the pockets of his vest. His boots were strong and tough, with high heels to prevent his feet from slipping through the stirrups. A cowboy's greatest fear was to get "hung-up" |