Cowboy facts for kids
A cowboy is a person who takes care of cattle on large farms called ranches, mostly in North America. Traditionally, cowboys worked on horseback and did many jobs around the ranch. The idea of the American cowboy from the late 1800s came from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico. This figure became very important in stories and legends. A special type of cowboy, called a wrangler, focuses on caring for the horses used for cattle work.
Besides ranch work, some cowboys also perform in or work for rodeos. Cowgirls are women who do the same tasks as cowboys. They have earned great respect for their skills and achievements. People who handle cattle in other parts of the world, like South America and Australia, do similar work to cowboys.
The cowboy's history goes back to Spain and the first European settlers in the Americas. Over many years, different lands, climates, and cultures shaped the tools, clothes, and ways of handling animals. As cowboys adapted to the modern world, their equipment and methods also changed, but many classic traditions are still kept alive.
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Discover the World of Cowboys!
Who are Cowboys and Cowgirls?
The word cowboy comes from older terms about age and cattle work. It comes from the Spanish word vaquero, which means "cowherd" or "cattle-herder." Vaca means "cow" in Spanish.
The word "cowboy" was first used in English in 1725. From 1820 to 1850 in the British Isles, it described young boys who looked after family cows. The older English word "cowherd" was used for cattle herders, often young boys who worked on foot.
By 1849, "cowboy" meant an adult cattle handler in the American West. Other names for cowboys in America include buckaroo, cowpoke, cowhand, and cowpuncher. Buckaroo is an English version of vaquero.
Today, "cowboy" is common in the West, especially in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. "Buckaroo" is mostly used in the Great Basin and California. "Cowpuncher" is often heard in Texas and nearby states.
Learning to ride horses and work with cattle takes time and skill. Historically, cowboys often started as teenagers, sometimes as young as 12 or 13. They earned wages once they were skilled enough. Boys and girls on ranches today learn these skills early, usually with adult help. By their late teens, they often take on full "cowboy" responsibilities.
Different Meanings of "Cowboy" in History
The word "cowboy" had other meanings in the past. During the American Revolution, some American fighters who opposed independence were called "cowboys." They would take oxen, cattle, and horses from colonists.
In the 1880s, around Tombstone, Arizona, "cowboy" was sometimes used to describe men involved in illegal activities. One group was called "The Cowboys." They made money by illegally moving cattle, alcohol, and tobacco across the U.S.–Mexico border. Calling someone a "cowboy" in that area could mean they were a thief or an outlaw. Ranchers were usually called herders or ranch hands.
Where Did Cowboys Come From?
The cowboy tradition began in Spain with the hacienda system of cattle ranching. This way of raising cattle spread across Spain and then to the Americas. Both places had dry climates, so large herds needed lots of land to find enough food. This need for people to cover long distances led to the horseback-mounted vaquero.
Spanish Vaqueros: The First Cowboys
Many parts of Spanish horse riding traditions came from Islamic rule in Spain. This included using Oriental-type horses and a riding style with shorter stirrups and a strong saddle.
In the 1500s, Spanish explorers and settlers brought their cattle-raising ways, along with horses and cattle, to the Americas. This started in what is now Mexico and Florida. The Spanish traditions changed because of the new land, environment, and cultures in New Spain.
Horses were especially important because they had been gone from the Americas since the prehistoric ice age. Horses quickly grew in number and became key to the success of the Spanish and later settlers. The first horses were from Andalusia, Barb, and Arabian breeds. Over time, new American horse breeds developed, like the mustang. These "wild" horses are actually feral horses, meaning they are descendants of once-domesticated animals.
Cowboys in Early America
The traditional cowboy started with the Spanish vaquero in northern Mexico and the charro in other Mexican regions. Many early vaqueros were Native Americans trained by Spanish missions to care for cattle. Vaqueros moved north with livestock. In 1598, an expedition brought 7,000 cattle into New Mexico. From there, vaqueros drove cattle from New Mexico and Texas to Mexico City. Mexican traditions influenced horse riding from Argentina to Canada.
As English-speaking settlers moved west, English and Spanish cultures mixed. Before the Mexican–American War in 1848, American traders met hacendados (ranch owners) and vaqueros in California and along the Santa Fe Trail. This mixing of lifestyles and languages created what became known as the American "cowboy."
English-speaking settlers arrived in Texas in 1821. After the American Civil War, there was a huge demand for beef. This led to the need to drive cattle from ranches to railheads, which were often hundreds of miles away.
Black cowboys made up a large part of the cattle industry from the 1860s to 1880s, possibly 6,000 to 9,000 workers. Many were former slaves or their children who had cattle handling skills and moved West after the Civil War.
By the 1880s, the cattle industry grew, needing more open land. Ranchers moved into the northwest, where there were large grasslands. Texas cattle were herded north to the Rocky Mountain west and the Dakotas. Cowboys adapted their gear for colder weather. This movement also mixed traditions from California to Texas.
Mustang-runners, or Mesteñeros, were cowboys who caught, trained, and drove mustangs to market. They worked in the Great Plains and other areas from the 1700s to the early 1900s.
Life on the Cattle Trails
Before the mid-1800s, most ranchers raised cattle for their own needs. They sold extra meat and hides locally. After the Civil War, Philip Danforth Armour opened a meat packing plant in Chicago. This greatly increased the demand for beef. By 1866, cattle could be sold for good prices in northern markets. This made it profitable to drive cattle long distances.
The first big effort to drive cattle from Texas to a railroad happened in 1866. Ranchers tried to take their cattle to Sedalia, Missouri. But farmers in eastern Kansas worried about cattle diseases and trampled crops. So, the 1866 drive failed.
In 1867, a cattle shipping center was built in Abilene, Kansas. It became a major hub, shipping over 36,000 cattle that year. The route from Texas to Abilene was called the Chisholm Trail. It went through what is now Oklahoma. Later, other trails led to places like Dodge City and Wichita, Kansas. By 1877, Dodge City shipped out 500,000 cattle.
Cattle drives needed to balance speed with keeping the cattle healthy. Driving cattle too fast made them lose weight. Usually, they moved about 15 miles (25 km) per day. This pace meant a trip from a ranch to a railhead could take two months. The Chisholm Trail was about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) long.
A typical herd on a drive had about 3,000 cattle. It needed at least 10 cowboys, with three horses for each cowboy. Cowboys worked in shifts, watching cattle 24 hours a day. They guided them during the day and prevented stampedes at night. The crew also had a cook with a chuck wagon and a horse wrangler for the extra horses. The cook was a respected member, in charge of food and basic medical care.
The End of the Open Range Era
Barbed wire, invented in the 1880s, allowed ranchers to fence off their land. This stopped overgrazing and kept cattle in specific areas. In Texas, more people meant ranchers had to fence their lands. In the north, too much grazing led to cattle starvation, especially in the harsh winter of 1886–1887. This caused the cattle industry to collapse in some areas.
By the 1890s, barbed-wire fences were common. Railroads reached most of the country. Meat packing plants were built closer to ranches. This made long cattle drives from Texas to Kansas unnecessary. The era of the open range and huge cattle drives ended. Smaller cattle drives continued until the 1940s, moving cattle to local railheads. Ranches grew across the West, keeping cowboys employed, though often with low pay.
Cowboy Culture and Community
Diverse Backgrounds of Cowboys
American cowboys came from many different backgrounds. After the American Civil War, soldiers from both sides and many other white men moved West looking for work. Many African-American freedmen also became cowboys. The West had less racial discrimination than other parts of America at the time. Many Mexicans and American Indians already living in the region also worked as cowboys.
Later, some Indian boarding schools taught ranching skills. Today, some Native Americans in the western United States own ranches or work as cowboys. The "Indian Cowboy" is also a part of the rodeo world.
About 15% of all cowboys were African-American, and about 15% were of Mexican descent. In some areas, these numbers were even higher. Most cowboys came from lower social classes and earned about a dollar a day, plus food and a bed in a bunkhouse.
The Cowboy's Image in Stories and Movies
Over time, cowboys developed their own culture. It mixed frontier life with values like honesty and self-reliance. This was often shown in songs and poetry. Cowboys often worked in all-male groups, especially on cattle drives.
The image of the cowboy became very powerful in the 1870s and 1880s. People saw cowboys as hard-working, honorable, and independent. They were seen as people who protected themselves and didn't ask much from the government.
Wild West shows in the late 1800s and early 1900s helped make the cowboy famous. These shows romanticized cowboy life and featured skilled performers. Starting in the 1920s, Western films further popularized the cowboy. Sometimes, cowboys in movies were shown as violent gunslingers. However, actors like Gene Autry promoted a "cowboy code" of honorable behavior and patriotism.
In movies, cowboys often fought with American Indians. In reality, most armed conflicts were between Native people and the U.S. Army. Relations between cowboys and Native Americans varied. Native people sometimes allowed cattle herds to pass for a fee. But they also raided cattle drives and ranches during conflicts or food shortages. Cowboys carried guns to protect livestock from wild animals and thieves.
Working ranch hands, both past and present, had little time for anything other than the constant hard work of maintaining a ranch.
Amazing Cowgirls: Breaking Barriers
The history of women in the West, especially those on cattle ranches, is not as well known as men's. Organizations like the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame now work to document their contributions.
Few records mention women driving cattle on the old trails. However, women did a lot of ranch work. Sometimes, they even ran ranches when men were away. Women, especially wives and daughters on small ranches, worked alongside men. They rode horses and did many related tasks. Western states were leaders in giving women the right to vote, starting with Wyoming in 1869. Early photographers like Evelyn Cameron showed the lives of working ranch women.
The sidesaddle allowed women to ride horses in public. After the Civil War, Charles Goodnight created a Western-style sidesaddle. Traditional charras in Mexico still ride sidesaddles in charreada shows.
"Cowgirls" truly became famous with Wild West shows. These skilled women performed riding, expert shooting, and trick roping for audiences worldwide. Women like Annie Oakley became very well known. By 1900, split skirts for riding became popular. This allowed women to compete without shocking Victorian audiences. Films also expanded the cowgirl's role in popular culture.
The growth of rodeo also brought about the rodeo cowgirl. In early Wild West shows and rodeos, women competed in all events, sometimes against men. Cowgirls like Fannie Sperry Steele rode dangerous horses and took the same risks as men.
Rodeo competition for women changed in the 1920s. Women were often excluded from men's events, and many women's events were dropped. Also, people were concerned about women getting seriously hurt. The death of Bonnie McCarroll in 1929 led to the end of women's bronc riding in most rodeos.
In today's rodeos, men and women compete together in team roping. In all-women rodeos, women compete in bronc riding, bull riding, and other traditional events. In open rodeos, cowgirls mainly compete in timed events like barrel racing.
Boys and girls often compete together in high-school rodeos and O-Mok-See events. Outside of rodeo, women compete equally with men in almost all other horse riding events, including the Olympics.
Today's working cowgirls wear clothes and use tools just like men. They usually prefer a flashier look in competitions. Sidesaddles are mostly seen in exhibitions. A modern working cowgirl wears jeans, shirts, boots, a hat, and sometimes chaps and gloves. They do the same chores as cowboys on the ranch.
Cowboy Traditions Around the World
Different ways of handling cattle and equipment developed across the United States due to geography, climate, and culture. Between 1840 and 1870, English and French settlers met Spanish settlers west of the Mississippi River. Today, two main cowboy traditions remain: the "Texas" tradition and the "Spanish," "Vaquero," or "California" tradition. Other traditions also grew in Hawaii and Florida. These traditions have mixed over time, but some regional differences still exist.
California's Buckaroos
The vaquero, a Spanish or Mexican cowboy, arrived in the 1700s. They thrived in Alta California during the Spanish Colonial period. American settlers came to California later, after the Mexican–American War. Most were miners, leaving ranching to the Spanish and Mexican people. The California vaquero, or buckaroo, was a highly skilled worker. They often stayed on the same ranch for their whole lives.
California's geography and climate were different from Texas. This allowed for more intense grazing and less need for long cattle drives. So, horse and livestock handling in California kept a stronger Spanish influence. The words vaquero and buckaroo still show the differences between California and Texas riding styles.
Some cowboys in the California tradition were called buckaroos by English speakers. The words "buckaroo" and vaquero are still used in the Great Basin and parts of California. Elsewhere, "cowboy" is more common. "Buckaroo" is thought to be an English version of vaquero.
Texas Cowboy Style
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In the 1700s, people in Spanish Texas began herding cattle to sell in Louisiana. By the early 1800s, Spain and later Mexico offered land grants in Texas to non-citizens, like settlers from the United States. In 1821, Stephen F. Austin led the first English-speaking Mexican citizens. After Texas independence in 1836, more Americans moved to Texas ranching areas.
These settlers were greatly influenced by Mexican vaquero culture. They borrowed words and clothing but also kept some livestock-handling traditions from the Eastern United States. The Texas cowboy was often a single man who worked for different ranches each season.
After the American Civil War, vaquero culture mixed with cattle herding traditions from the southeastern United States. This happened as settlers moved west. New influences came from Texas as cattle trails were made to meet railroads in Kansas and Nebraska. The new settlers needed more horses, trained faster, and brought bigger, heavier horses. This changed how horses were bridled and bitted. So, the Texas cowboy tradition grew from many cultures and the need to adapt to West Texas's land and climate.
Florida's Cracker Cowboys
The Florida "cowhunter" or "cracker cowboy" of the 1800s and early 1900s was different from Texas and California cowboys. Florida cowboys did not use lassos. Their main tools were bullwhips and dogs. Many did not use Western saddles because they didn't need a saddle horn for a lariat. They often wore inexpensive wool or straw hats and ponchos for rain.
Cattle and horses came to Spanish Florida in the 1500s. They thrived throughout the 1600s. The cattle introduced by the Spanish still exist today as rare breeds like Florida Cracker cattle. The Florida Cracker Horse is also descended from Spanish horses. Spanish ranches operated in northern Florida to supply St. Augustine and markets in Cuba. Most vaqueros were Mexican, Indigenous Floridians, and black slaves.
In the 1700s, Creek, Seminole, and other Indian people moved into Florida. They began herding the cattle left from Spanish ranches. In the 1800s, white settlers and the U.S. government pushed most tribes south or west. By the mid-1800s, white ranchers ran large herds in central and southern Florida. Florida cattle were vital for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. A unit called the Cow Cavalry protected herds from Union raiders. After the Civil War, Florida cattle were shipped to Cuba from ports like Punta Rassa.
The Florida cowhunter tradition slowly became more like the Western cowboy tradition in the 1900s. Pests like Texas tick fever and the screw-worm arrived in Florida. This forced cattlemen to separate and treat individual animals, leading to the use of lassos. Florida cowboys still use dogs and bullwhips.
Hawaii's Paniolo Cowboys
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The Hawaiian cowboy, called a paniolo, also came directly from the vaquero of California and Mexico. Experts believe "Paniolo" is a Hawaiian way of saying español (Spanish). The Hawaiian language doesn't have an /s/ sound, and words must end in a vowel. Paniolo, like mainland cowboys, learned their skills from Mexican vaqueros.
Captain George Vancouver brought cattle and sheep to Kamehameha I, the Hawaiian monarch, in 1793. For ten years, Kamehameha forbade killing cattle. As a result, their numbers grew too large and caused problems. In 1832, Kamehameha III invited three vaqueros from California to teach Hawaiians how to work cattle.
The first horses arrived in Hawai'i in 1803. By 1837, John Parker, a sailor, got permission to lease royal land and built a ranch.
Hawaiian ranching first involved catching wild cattle by driving them into pits. Once calmer, they were tied to tame steers that knew where food and water were.
Even today, traditional paniolo dress and some Hawaiian formal wear show the Spanish heritage of the vaquero. The traditional Hawaiian saddle, the noho lio, and many cowboy tools look Mexican/Spanish. Many Hawaiian ranching families still have names from the vaqueros who married Hawaiian women and made Hawai'i their home.
Cowboys in Other Countries
Many places with large, open grazing lands need horse riders to guard herds. In the French Camargue, riders called "gardians" herd cattle and horses. In Hungary, csikós guard horses and gulyás tend cattle. In Italy, herders are called butteri.
The Spanish shared their horsemanship and ranching knowledge with South America. This led to traditions like the gaucho in Argentina and Brazil, the llanero in Venezuela and Colombia, and the huaso in Chile.
In Australia, ranches are called stations. Cowboys are known as stockmen and ringers. Australian droving was influenced by American and Mexican traditions. This created a unique Australian tradition, also shaped by Indigenous Australians whose knowledge was key to successful ranching in Australia.
What Do Modern Cowboys Do?
On a ranch, a cowboy feeds livestock, brands cattle, and cares for injured animals. They regularly patrol the rangeland to check fences, look for predators, and ensure water supply.
Cowboys also move livestock to new pastures or herd them onto trucks for transport. They may do many other jobs depending on the ranch's size and location. On smaller ranches, cowboys are generalists. They repair fences, maintain equipment, and do various tasks. On very large ranches, cowboys might specialize in tasks related only to cattle and horses. Some cowboys specialize in training horses.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics does not count "cowboys" separately. They are included in a broader category of "Support activities for animal production." This group includes about 9,730 workers, earning around $19,340 per year. This category covers ranch hands, rodeo staff, and people working with other livestock like sheep or pigs.
Cowboy Gear: Hats, Boots, and More
Most cowboy clothing, called Western wear, came from practical needs. Many items were adapted from Mexican vaqueros. Native Americans and mountain men also contributed ideas.
- Bandanna; a large cotton neckerchief used for wiping sweat or covering the face from dust. Today, it's often a silk scarf for decoration and warmth.
- Chaps (pronounced "shaps") protect a rider's legs, especially in thick brush or when working with livestock.
- Cowboy boots; tall boots protect lower legs. Pointed toes help guide the foot into the stirrup. High heels keep the foot from slipping through the stirrup.
- Cowboy hat; a tall hat with a wide brim protects from sun, branches, and weather. Many styles exist, influenced by John B. Stetson's Boss of the Plains.
- Gloves, usually leather, are soft for work but protect hands from barbed wire or brush.
- Jeans or other strong, close-fitting pants protect legs and prevent snagging. Good cowboy jeans have smooth inner seams to prevent rubbing while riding.
These items often vary by region to suit different environments.
Essential Cowboy Tools
- Lariat; from the Spanish "la riata" (the rope), also called a lasso or simply a "rope." It's a stiff, twisted rope, often nylon today, with a small loop called a "hondo." It forms a sliding loop to catch animals.
- Spurs; metal devices on boot heels with a small wheel. They help a rider give stronger or more precise signals to a horse.
- Firearms: Modern cowboys might use a rifle to protect livestock from wild animals. Rifles are carried in a scabbard on the saddle. Some riders carry a pistol. Today, firearms are often in a pickup truck or ATV.
- Knife; cowboys traditionally use a pocket knife, like a folding cattle knife. It has multiple blades, often including a leather punch.
Cowboy Horses: Their Best Friends
Horses are still the main way cowboys travel, even today. Horses can go where vehicles cannot. Horses, mules, and burros also carry supplies. The most important horse on a ranch is the everyday working ranch horse. It can do many tasks. Horses trained for only one skill, like roping or cutting, are rarely used on ranches. Because riders often need a free hand, the horse must neck rein and have good cow sense. This means it instinctively knows how to react to cattle.
A good stock horse is usually under 15.2 hands (62 inches) tall and often under 1000 pounds. It has a short back, strong legs, and powerful muscles, especially in the hindquarters. A horse for steer roping might be larger to hold a heavy animal. But a smaller, quick horse is better for herding, cutting, or calf roping. The horse must be smart, calm, and have "cow sense" to anticipate cattle movements.
Many horse breeds make good stock horses. The most common in North America today is the American Quarter Horse. This breed developed in Texas from Thoroughbreds, mustangs, and other Iberian horses.
Horse Tack: Saddles and Bridles
Equipment used to ride a horse is called tack.
- Bridle; a Western bridle usually has a curb bit and long split reins. This helps control the horse in many situations. It usually doesn't have a noseband, unless a tiedown is used. Young ranch horses learning basics often use a snaffle bit. In areas with strong vaquero traditions, young horses might use a bosal style hackamore.
- Martingales are used on horses in training or with behavior issues.
- Saddle bags (leather or nylon) attach to the saddle to carry supplies.
- Saddle blanket; a blanket or pad is needed under the Western saddle for the horse's comfort and protection.
- Western saddle; designed for long hours of work and rider safety in rough land. It has a deep seat with a high pommel and cantle for a secure ride. Deep, wide stirrups offer comfort. A strong saddle tree spreads the rider's weight, allowing longer rides without harming the horse. A horn in front lets a lariat be tied.
Modern Ranch Vehicles
The most common vehicle for ranch work today is the pickup truck. It's strong, roomy, has high ground clearance, and often four-wheel drive. Its open "bed" can haul supplies or pull trailers. It transports cattle and horses. Motorcycles are sometimes used for small tasks. The most common smaller vehicle is the four-wheeler. It quickly carries a cowboy around the ranch. In snowy areas, snowmobiles are common. However, some jobs, like working cattle in rough areas, are still best done by cowboys on horseback.
Rodeo: A Cowboy Sport
The word rodeo comes from the Spanish rodear (to turn), meaning roundup. In the past, there was no difference between a working cowboy and a rodeo cowboy. The term working cowboy didn't appear until the 1950s. Early cowboys worked on ranches and showed their skills at roundups.
Professional rodeos allowed cowboys to earn a living by performing their skills for an audience. Rodeos also provided jobs for many working cowboys who handled livestock. Many rodeo cowboys have experience as working cowboys.
Rodeo cowboy clothing is similar to a working cowboy's town clothes. Snaps on shirts, instead of buttons, help a cowboy escape if caught by a steer's horns. Rodeo styles were often influenced by early movies. Some rodeo competitors, especially women, add sequins, colors, and fringes for show. Modern riders in "rough stock" events like saddle bronc or bull riding might wear safety gear like kevlar vests. However, safety helmets are not yet widely accepted instead of the cowboy hat, despite injury risks.
See also
In Spanish: Vaquero para niños
 | Laphonza Butler |
 | Daisy Bates |
 | Elizabeth Piper Ensley |
