What are cowboys?

Question

What exactly is a cowboy?

Did cowboys really existed or did they only exist in the movies? Are you considered a cowboy only if you ride horses and carry revolvers?

Do cowboys still exist today?

Why do some people so unkindly brand George W Bush a cowboy? Why is it other people are not branded as such? Is it also true just because you are an American, you are a cowboy?

How about the people who fought in the war of independence? Are they considered cowboys?

What about the people who fought in the civil war? Are they also cowboys?

After all, they all dressed in big hats and robes. At least in the movies.

Answer 1

Yes there really were cowboys.

Most working Cowboys ride a horse to this day, and they may carrie a gun for shooting rattle snakes, or putting a hurt animal down. We also have people who like to dress like cowboys and have never worked as one.

Yes we still have cowboys today.

George W Bush is from Texas and owns a ranch. If people are calling him a cowboy that is one of the nicer things they say about him.

Other people get called that because they either dress like a cowboy, act like a cowboy or are a cowboy.

No not everyone in America are cowboys.

A cowboy (Spanish: vaquero) tends cattle and horses on cattle ranches in North and South America. The cowboy is normally an animal herder most commonly in charge of the horses and/or cattle, whereas the wrangler's work is more specific to horses. In addition to ranch work, some cowboys work in and participate in rodeos, and many cowboys work only in the rodeo.

Modern working cowboys

On the ranch, the cowboy is responsible for feeding the livestock, branding and earmarking cattle (horses also are branded on many ranches), plus tending to animal injuries and other needs. The working cowboy usually is in charge of a small group or "string" of horses and is required to routinely patrol the rangeland in all weather conditions checking for damaged fences, evidence of predation, water problems, and any other issue of concern.

They also move the livestock to different pasture locations, or herd them into corrals and onto trucks for transport. In addition, cowboys may do many other jobs, depending on the size of the "outfit" or ranch, the terrain, and the number of livestock. On a smaller ranch with fewer cowboys—often just family members, cowboys are generalists who perform many all-around tasks; they repair fences, maintain ranch equipment, and perform other odd jobs. On a very large ranch (a "big outfit"), with many employees, cowboys are able to specialize on tasks solely related to cattle and horses. Cowboys who train horses often specialize in this task only, and some may "Break" or train young horses for more than one ranch.

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics collects no figures for cowboys, so the exact number of working cowboys is unknown. Cowboys are included in the 2003 category, Support activities for animal production, which totals 9,730 workers averaging $19,340 per annum. In addition to cowboys working on ranches, in stockyards, and as staff or competitors at rodeos, the category includes farmhands working with other types of livestock (sheep, goats, hogs, chickens, etc.). Of those 9,730 workers, 3,290 are listed in the subcategory of Spectator sports which includes rodeos, circuses, and theaters needing livestock handlers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboys#Modern_working_cowboys

Answer 2

During the American Civil War most every MAN that was physically fit was away from his home fighting in the war. This left a vacuum in the local work force. That vacuum was filled by pressing into service just about any young boy that could ride a horse. The greatest need for these very young workers was the job of herding cattle. There was an extremely small and scattered population density out WEST. The COW part of the name COWBOY came from herding these cattle. The BOY part of the name COWBOY came from the fact that these herdsmen were all very young. Sometimes 8 or 10 years old. They were just BOYS. You should rent a copy of the old JOHN WAYNE movie" The Cowboys"

Answer 3

Cowboys work in the cattle industry. Historically they rode horses and managed great herds of cattle. Obviously, that is not as prevalent now as in the past, but the job DOES still exist. At the risk of being stereotypical, many cowboys do where cowboy hats, bandanas, blue jeans and flannel shirts....all for practical reasons. George Bush is called a cowboy for his Texas background and tendency to wear a cowboy hat in the presence of way too much media.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, Americans in general are viewed as being cowboys or having a "cowboy mentality" by many civilized people throughout the world. They have this opinion of us because:
1) We tend to be arrogant.
2) We seem to shoot first and ask questions only after it is already too late to use our brains.
3) We show little regard for the rest of the herd.
4) We seem to make the same mistakes over and over - why aren't we learning from history?
5) We prefer strapping on a gun to using diplomacy.

These aren't my views, but I have traveled and I know how we are seen by our fellow humans. Suppose one of us has a showdown with a Canadian? Who would win? See? You can't wait to dash down to the betting parlor and place a bet on the American, can you?

Answer 5

When people think of cowboys, they think of gun slingin' free spirits of the past that took care of ranches and did alot of very hard work. Some people think of lawless crazy drunks looking for gold or chasing some sort of scheme in american past.
So, whether you consider a cowboy somebody who takes care of cows and other animals on a ranch or as someone who is free spirited chasing some sort dream, then yes there are still cowboys today.
People call George Bush a cowboy because he has a Texas accent and they consider him a gunslinging "sherrif" because of his decision to go to war on terrorism and against Iraq. Is he one? Maybe, I guess.
I don't think that you could paint any one nation with such a wide brush to call them any one thing. So, not all americans are cowboys.

I think of cowboys as hardworking honest people doing what they really like to do. Work with their hands and provide a service to others. So, I consider myself a cowboy. Maybe I'm just still living like a little kid playing cowboy.

Answer 6

I suppose they call Mad Dog Bush a cowboy because stories relate back to the days when cowboys would try and shoot up anyone who pissed them off.

A bit like George does at present.

I don't think it's unkind to call him a cowboy,
just ask the families of all the brave American/British soldiers who have been bought back in body bags from Iraq.

Answer 7

Yes America has the cowboy brand but here in Australia we have adapted similar job titles but we call a man a jackaroo
and a girl a jillaroo.

Answer 8

I met real cowboys in Wyoming this year. They spent their summers driving cows up the Big Horn mountains to get at green grass and vegetation. There are still true cowboys.

Answer 9

A cowboy is like a cow guardian, they existed and still exist of course

Answer 10

All it takes is a wide brim hat and a mini truck. Oh yeah, a bumper sticker that says " Cowboy butts drive me nuts" helps.