The Cowboy and His Gear:
BRAND ARTIST: A person that burns over a brand creating an entirely new design which is identical with some registered brand.
BUCKAROO: (vaquero) A cowboy.
CHAPS: (las chaparreras) Leather or hairy leggins worn by cowboys as protection against the brush and weather.
(Shotgun): Fringed chaps used in Nevada and California. Pulled on as trousers, having no snaps and rings.
(Batwing): With big extra flaps of leather, rings and snaps.
(Angora): Finished with long Angora hair used up in Wyoming and Montana and open prairie country.
CIRCLE RIDERS: Cowboys starting at a designated point, widely separated as soldiers in a skirmish line gather the cattle and driving them to the round-up grounds for branding and tallying for ownership.
COCINERO: Chuckwagon cook, they receive extra pay, and are relieved from guard duty and other work that falls on the cowboy during a round-up.
COWBOY BOOTS: Are made with high heels to keep them from slipping through stirrups and as a brace in roping, and easy riding.
COWMAN: A ranch owner that makes a living raising cattle.
COW-PUNCHER: Also called Buckaroo, Cow Poke, Waddie, Cowboy, and in Spanish a (Vaquero).
(DALLE VUELTA): "Dally" rope by taking turns around the saddle horn.
DAY WRANGLER: Cowboy that takes care of the remuda in the daytime.
GO HEELED: To carry a six-shooter, also packing iron.
HAWG'S LEG: An old long barrel Remington or Colt's six-gun.
HOLSTER: (la funda) A case, usually of leather, to carry a pistol or a rifle, on a person or saddle.
HOSS-WRANGLER: A cowboy that cares for the remuda or saddle horses on a round-up.
LARIAT: (el lazo) A long rope (also called "lasso" or "riata"), of braided rawhide or hemp, with a loop or eye in one end (honda) through which the other runs.
LEAD RIDERS: Two cowboys that ride on each side of the 'lead steers' in a trail herd. They swing the steers in the general direction they wish to follow.
LONG-ROPE COWBOY: A cattle rustler that ropes and burns over brands.
MACARDY: (el mecate) A rope of braided horsehair.
MAKINGS: Smoking tobacco and papers.
MUSTANGERS: Men who trap, catch and break wild range horses.
NIGHT HERDERS: Cowboys that constantly ride around the herd at night, holding the cattle under a spell by singing to them until they bed down for the night, keeping a close watch in fear of a stampede.
NIGHT WRANGLER: A cowboy that herds and cares for the saddle horses during the night.
OUT RIDER: A cowboy commissioned by the range boss to roam the open range or holdings to give watchful care to all livestock.
QUIRT: (la cuaria) Short, leather strap(s), often attached to a handle, to whip the horse for speed.
(REATA): braided rawhide rope.
(RODEO): roundup.
ROUND-UP: The spring and fall gathering of cattle on the ranges in order to brand and ear-mark the calves, cut out for ownership and those wanted for shipment to market.
ROWEL: (la rodaja, la estrella) the pointed disk or star set in the end of the spur's shaft or post, which turns as the rider's heel rakes the horse's flank.
RANGE BOSS: Manager of a cow outfit out on the range.
RANAHAN: A top hand. A good all-around cowboy.
RUSTLER: A horse or cattle thief.
SHADOW RIDING: A cowboy that rides along while admiring his shadow.
SOOGANS: Old comforts (blankets) used in camp beds sometimes spelled 'suggans' or 'Sougans'.
SPUR: (la espuela) U-shaped device attached to rider's heel to goad the animal to greater speed, or to make a horse buck, also called gut hooks.
STAMPEDE STRINGS: A long buckskin string run half way round crown of sombrero then through a hole on each side and ends knotted, placed under chin or around back of head which keeps hat in place in windy weather or when riding a bucking broncho.
STETSON: A cowboy's hat, generally a sand color, sometimes having an extra high crown and a four to six-inch brim...Acts as an umbrella in stormy weather, a shade for the eyes in hot weather, the brim when grasped between the thumb and fingers and bent into a trough makes a good drinking cup.. It is also used to fan in to activity camp fires.
SWING RIDERS: Are the cowboys that keep the main body of the trail herd together and keep them moving.
TAIL RIDERS: Cowboys that follow the trail herd and keep the cows and young calves a-movin ... Especially those that are tired and draggy.
TALLY-MAN: A cowboy that stands beside the branding-fire at a round-up and makes a tally mark for each animal branded and ear-marked showing to whom it belongs.
TIE-MAN: A cowboy roper that ties the end of his rope to his saddle horn while roping horses or cattle.
WADDIE: A cowboy, puncher, buuckaroo, or vaquero
Saddles And Tack:
BIT: (el brocado del freno) - metal mouthpiece.
BLIND: (tapojo) blind for broncos.
BOSAL: (la jaquima) noseband with headpiece.
BREAST BAND: (la antepecho, la pechera, el pretal) - leather strap that passes around the animal's chest and is attached to the front sides of the saddle.
BRIDLE: (la brida, el freno) the head harness for a horse, basically consisting of the headstall, bit and reins, but at times including also a brow band, nose strap, and throat latch.
CANTLE: (la teja) arched, often dished portion of saddletree connecting rear of sideboards.
CINCH: (la cincha) a leather or fabric band (or girth) that is the portion of the girthing system that passes under the horse's body; usually it is fastened to leather straps (latigos) that hang from the rigging on each side of the saddle.
CINCH TYPES:
double rigged (rim fired) - two cinches, one forward and one (flank) behind the seat.
single rigged (center fired) - one cinch, center rigged cinch suspended under the center of the seat.
CONCHO: (la concha) a metal disk, often of silver, set on a leather rosette that secures saddle thongs.
FENDER: (el alero) leather piece projecting back from stirrup leather to protect the rider's legs from the animal's sweat and dirt.
FORK: (el fuste) saddletree, bows of saddletree.
GULLET: (el interior del arzon) inside of the pommel or the front edge of the forward arch of the saddle.
HACKAMORE: (la jaquima) a band or rope that fits over the horse's nose with a strap behind its ears, as part of a bridle or halter.
HALTER: (el cabestro) rope or strap, usually with a headstall, for holding an animal.
HOBBLES: (manellos) straps around a horses legs to keep it from wandering off.
HORN: (la cab ezal) the projection, often bent forward, above the pommel.
JOCKEYS: separate leather pieces, front and rear, that lie over the larger skirts of western saddles; attached to the saddletree, side jockeys cover the upper stirrup leather.
KEEPER: (Fiador) keeper or safety latch.
LATIGOS: (el contraenreatado) leather straps to which the cinch is secured, each suspended from a latigo ring (or rigging ring), one on the near or on-side (el latigo) and one on the off-side (el contrala-ti go) of a single rigged saddle; on a double-rigged saddle there is also a flank cinch.
MARTINGALE: (la gammara) strap from the (front) cinch to the bridle, or ending in two rings through which the reins pass, to keep the horse from throwing the head.
NOSEBAND: (bozal)
PACKSADDLE: (la albarda) simple wooden framework with crossed ends placed on animal's back to carry loads.
POMMEL: (la campana) forward, arched portion of saddletree linking the sideboards.
REIN: (la rienda) strap or cord (in pairs) that runs from the bridle bit around the horse's neck, held by the rider.
RIGGING RING: (la argolla) latigo ring.
ROSETTE: (la roseta) a circular design; on western stock saddles, a small leather disk with two slits for thongs or ties to pass through, securing skirts to saddletree.
SADDLE: (la silla) seat type device set on an animal to facilitate riding it.
SADDLE BAGS: (las cantinas) large leather piece with attached pockets, placed over the rear extensions of the saddle.
SADDLE PAD: (el cojin, el baste) heavy, blanket-like piece placed under the saddle to protect it from dirt and to fit it to the animal's back.
SADDLE STRINGS: (los tientos) narrow strips of tanned leather, usually in pairs, that lace through the saddletree or coverings, and are held on surface by rosettes; the long ends are decorative and also serve to tie on ropes, and other pieces of equipment.
SADDLETREE: (el fuste de silla) framework, often of wood covered with rawhide, consisting of two side-boards connected by two forks for the pommel and cantle; the conformation of these parts gives the saddle its characteristic shape and name.
SIDEBOARDS: (las tablas) two horizontal pieces, also called "side bars," under and joining the two forks to form the saddletree (el fuste).
SKIRTS: (las faldas) large leather panels attached to the saddletree, under the jockeys on Western U.S. saddles, to protect the rigging and give form to tbe saddle.
STIRRUP: (el estribo) a device hung from each side of a saddle to receive the rider's foot. wooden stirrup (el estribo de lomo)
STIRRUP COVER: (tapadero) also called taps
STIRRUP LEATHERS: (los arciones) adjustable straps that suspend the stirrups from the saddletree
SWELLS: bulging of the shoulders of the pommel
TASSELL: (Mota)
THROATLATCH: (Ogadero)
TWO REINS: (dos reindas)
The cowboy:
Cowboy life in fiction:
Plains Indian life in fiction:
home || paintings || decorative art || about jerry || cowboy poetry || cowboyup defined || politics Rare Western Americana Book Collection © jerry england 1989 - 2004
jerry@cowboyup.com