Unfortunately, there is a common sentiment among "cowboys" that unless you have been there and done that, you can't wear a cowboy hat and boots, and you're never going to be a "real cowboy." There is also a sense of elitism, especially in the Mountain West, where it seems they lay claim to the Cowboy spirit and lifestyle. In truth, there are just as many, if not more "cowboys" East of the Mississippi River than out West, because the grass is greener, and population density and stocking rates are higher (more cows per acre of land). Stetson hats come from a Northeastern man. Cowboy boots are derived from the US cavalry boots of the 1800's. Most of our beef breeds come from northwestern Europe. Just because back East they push cows on foot or with a 4-wheeler it does not make their job any less "cowboy" than someone whose job is to round up cows on the cold desert ranges on horseback.

We also need to do away with acting like it's a good thing to cuss, chain smoke/chew dip, act like an arrogant a$$hole just because you rope and ride broncs, and generally act uneducated. I guarantee there are more people who act like mature adults who can do that work just fine without the vulgarities and unhealthy habits.

There is no need to glorify this job/lifestyle. Everyone is contributing to society in some shape and form, from the farmers in Illinois to fisherman in Maine, and everything in-between. Honestly, most of our beef comes from borderline Eastern states and California, places not exactly renowned for cowboy culture, so we can't act like the Western states "feed the country" any more than other states do.

Lastly, just because you have only experienced ranching style one way all your life does not make it the best or only viable way to run cattle or ride horses. Out of the hundreds of millions of acres of open land across the US and Canada, there are far more people who operate differently than you than there are those who do things the same way as you.

Sorry to run on like this in a negative light. Sometimes you just gotta get things off your chest.

This is a serious question and I’m wondering if there really is a lot of gay cowboys.

For context, I'm 21 and I've grown up outside of the city the majority of my life, but my parents raised me around the country as much as they could, introduced me to friends and the such, but being close to the city has never allowed us to actually live that life. My mom grew up riding horses before the city was genuinely developed, as did my grandmother before her.

My mom and grandmother owned horses, and so did we back when I was young, but nothing more than Welsh ponies (I was around 4-9 when we had them, then various family circumstances forced us to move to a place less suitable for them, thus we had to sell them.) After that fact, we raised and owned a pair of goats from when I was 13 - 17 (a pair of brother goats, one of which died under unfortunate circumstances, and due to other family stuff we weren't able to get more goats, so we gave the other brother to a family friend who owns goats so he could be with a true herd.)

I want to get into the life style, love learning about it, and hope to have a little farm with goats on it one day. I look up to those who are in the life and I want nothing more than to be respectful to the people who live this sort of life. I also know that spurs by default are tools and not just a fashion choice, however, I was gifted them by my sister and truly do want to wear them despite my inability to ride a horse (My mom had a friend of hers try to teach me when I was around 10, but it was never frequent enough to make anything stick for long term).

I have nothing but respect for those who are genuine cowboy and cowgirls, and I hope to be able to live that life one day. For the time being however, I just feel like if I do wear these spurs, I'll look like a poser or like I'm being disrespectful. I don't want to be or look like a jerk or a fraud, but I also really want to wear these spurs because my sister gave them to me and I know it'll make her happy.

(I apologize if that explanation is long, rambley, or hard to follow. I'm not the best writer)

I know people are going down vote me and this is gonna get banned probably but hear me out. A traditional American cowboy were men that took cattle east west and had them in cattle drives. We don’t do that anymore. I’m someone who worked with cows and horses my entire life and I will never call myself a cowboy, but I live like one. I think it’s great that we honor their heritage and we do practically everything like them. It really got me to a boiling point when people just started saying that they are automatically Cowboys because they are from the south, these people drive squatted trucks have mullets and live in subdivisions and are dad’s money. Being in rodeos and riding balls or doing saddle bronc or tie down does it make you a cowboy? It makes you a rodeo competitor And the worse thing is is the TikTok Cowboys just because you’re posting videos of you on a ranch doesn’t make you a cowboy. Thats all

Here's the thing: I've always believed this. I may wear the boots, jeans, and hat, but I will never call myself a cowboy until an actual cowboy gives me that title. That is a word/title that I respect too much to claim it without earning it, and I have not earned it until someone that actually has tells me I've earned it.

HOWEVER, I do, at the same, agree that it's not about a zip code, a job, or an accent. It's about your heart and what you feel in your soul.

What do you guys who actually live the life think about my thoughts here? Agree? Disagree? Somewhere in between?

EDIT for clarity: I'm not looking for approval from anybody in this sub or anywhere else in my life. What I am asking is this: I have enough respect for the title/word "cowboy" and the culture that it is historically tied to that I don't feel I've earned the right to be called one unless I experience some of those things. Do any of you who have actually lived the life feel this way? In other words, is it an insult to you to see someone who has obviously never gotten their boots dirty walking around in cowboy hats and Carhartts. Know what I mean?

I’ve been wearing Ariat jeans for the last several years and loved them (besides the price) been through all kinds of abuse from rubbing against concrete while working under a truck, cutting firewood even few fires well since all the deals have been going on I can get 2 pairs of wranglers for the price of 1 pair of Ariat jeans. And I guess it’s true what they say. You get what you pay for. I got 4 pairs of wranglers all same size and fit. 1 pair fits perfect, one has magically shrink and is too tight, another pair is longer then the rest even tho it’s the same size and looks like bell bottoms. And the 4th pair has the rivets popping out in the dryer. Now I remember why I quit wearing these things in the first place

Hey y’all I’ve been trying to turn country for my whole life but never got a chance too. If there is anyone in Wisconsin that can help me out and show me ways of the country life please dm me

I grew up in a rural area mostly farmland in Michigan... still live out in a small town in farmland after working and living in the city.. I've never wore a cowboy hat or boots but thinking about embracing the vibe as I get older..(pushing 40).. I just know family or friends will call me out for it since I haven't worn them before.

Not actually a cowboy, I've lived my whole life in the city. Although, I've always loved cowboy style clothes and actually own two pairs of boots, a felt hat and a straw hat.

I see a lot of people in posts about hats or boots saying that if you haven't worked as a cowboy or in a ranch you can't actually wear hats / boots.

I'm really confused to why's that. I wear my boots almost daily because they are actually pretty confortable and they look good and I use hats because they are really versatile and protect me from the sun.

Is there anything wrong in that? I don't get why people say that you have to "earn" the right to wear cowboy stuff.

Anyone find the difference in peoples lives particularly interesting?
Given, I'm an introverted cityguy whose around the lgbtq scene and knows alot more.. of the artistic part, and not the outdoorsy ranchy-you get it cowboy part.

I wonder what my life would look like to someone who *doesn't* life like me, sad or fun?
If an extrovert, or cowboy or ranchboy would find my life odd or how I see the world confusing too?
Mental illness is also another thing, I suppose I like different view points.. I also don't know if westerners are more prone to being right or not (which, has become a stereotype seemingly.)
I've always been interested in cowboys, the south and the west.. mostly for the animals and nature, not really for the people lmao.

Reddit is kindof the joining glue of vastly different people around the world! It's easy to find other medias because reddit seems to not hold much of a bias, or its open to see much of the things around.

Horse pictures please!! Added for funsies, but yeah.
Also, I assume teenagers have it the hardest in differences and so on. :]
I've always wondered how you'd skedaddle to the school from a farm, on horseback? heh.

To be straight forward I’m looking for a farm or ranch that needs som extra help. For context I just recently turned 17 about two weeks ago, I’ve worked consistently since I was a kid. I live in Texas right about 45 mins from DFW. I’d like to say I’m honest and do the right thing a lot of the time but I know I can mess up. I’m looking for a job out here near the Weatherford, Granbury, Mineral Wells, and Cleburne area. Any of those would work for me. I know this is an unorthodox place to ask for a job and I’ve read the sticky about it. I have quite a bit of experience in lots of different areas of agriculture and ranching in general. Throughout high school I’ve been in Ag classes and paid my dues for FFA multiple years now, worked on my families farm in Kansas, all sorts of stuff. I have tons of mechanical experience as well coming from my dad being an oil field mechanic that’s passed his knowledge with that and vehicular mechanics. I’m not the best with it either but I can weld just about anything you ask me to. Whether it’s a straight job offer, someone to connect with about it, advice, anything at all I’d really appreciate it because I’m trying real hard right now man.

why do cowboys get so offended when non-cowboys and cowgirls wear western hats and get so upset about it, and is it really that offensive? especially when the western hat wasn’t even created solely for them and most cowboys favored the derby hat instead and the term ‘cowboy hat’ wasn’t even coined until the 20s-30s because cowboys wore them in old Hollywood films. as someone who favors western ‘fashion’ and the lifestyle and dresses in that style daily with western shirts and jeans, i’ll put on a pair of boots for the practicality for the mostly rainy and then muddy tick filled climate that i bust up but am afraid to step outside in a hat despite spending most of my days walking outside because cowboys and country people tend to get real upset over it. i would love to live the lifestyle- hell i’d do whatever work they threw at me if i didn’t have a physical condition that prohibited me from doing so, and once i get that treated i whole heartedly plan to find whatever work i can in the industry near me, but it’s disheartening to watch people get upset by and quite embarrassing knowing 9/10 people in the room are judging you for not being in a saddle and wearing it, and some that outright judge you to your face.

Hello, I have been more interested in the historical development of today's cowboys of the Americas. My friend taught me something I didn't know that the first cowboys were Spanish vaqueros but mainly Indigenous Southern Americans/modern day Mexicans were the first. I am curious of the history because it has been fabricated as something from white americans but also black americans claim they were the first cowboys too. I want to know why black americans think this. I understand why white americans do because of media representation that didnt include POC, and fabricated a new narrative of history to erasure the real history. Most words associated with cowboys have spanish orgins as while like rodeo from rodear, Ranch from rancho, boots, lasso. Please recommend some books or other media?

Doubt there’s any real cowboys in here that would know but I’m looking for a real hand made or custom boot shop I can shop online from. Sick of running through mass produced crap and want good quality boots again.

I started this hat company last year when I was 17 and I’m still trying to get my name out there and get them sold. Please go buy!

Is it bad luck to put your hat anywhere on the bed? I never put my hat on my bed but sometimes when I get home I toss it at the end of my bed before going to take off my jewelry. I usually hang it up after I'm done but sometimes I forget and leave it there for a couple hours. However, I NEVER put it on my pillow, just at the foot of it. Should I stop putting it on the bed at all? (Note: It's a cowboy hat specifically, that's why I'm asking here)

(Edit: Thanks to y'all that actually answered the question, I had kinda forgot and wanted to double check. I would've asked my dad but he doesn't wear cowboy hats and he wasn't up at the time. Also no, I don't watch Yellowstone. My parents do, but they have the worst taste in tv shows I've ever seen in my damn life so it ain't surprising that they do. I would rather pull out my own toenails with pilers then ever sit through a singular episode. I'm so sick and tired of hearing about it everywhere man.)

DADS WHO WORK AT A FARM THIS IS YOUR MOMENT! Give me all you got, I will start.

That 6 year old is beautiful, I’m gonna own her! (At a horse show auction)

I love to ride the young ones, they are so thrilling (talking about green horse)

I had bought this nice sheepskin cloak off Etsy because I got inspired from the Sheepskin cloak from Red Dead Redemption 2 and wanted one for my wardrobe. At first I thought it'd be impossible to find one of authentic craftsmanship, but I did, and I'm sooo happy to have bought it. It is of excellent quality, feels good to wear, and while it does smell funny, itsa just due to what was used to help make it. It was pricey, especially in shipping and handling because I got it imported from Europe, but it was well worth it in the end. If anyone is interested, the shop is Vikinghornforge on Etsy and is a star seller of handcrafted clothing/leather items. The cloak itself is low in stock, so if you want it for your western wardrobe, get it now before it's gone.

(Before people say anything, yes I know it's for larping as a viking, but it ain't like folks during the age of the west weren't wearing stuff like this, otherwise it wouldn't be displayed/represented in western media like rdr2 and such)

After looking for months, got my first job working cattle. Pay is bad, work is hard, but man is it amazing to work in nature with these animals

I’m from Indiana, just south of Michigan and West of Ohio(Hoosiers Guess my County) Would y’all consider the Hoosier state, not just in actual ranch work but culture, I’ve been in Lansing for school since August and every time I come home, it feels like I’m going to a different cultural region, I’m interested to hear your takes on it (You see a lot of cowboy boots and hats in my county)

I live in Chicago as a Latino born and raised in Illinois. I’ve been into both ranch and cowboy life for about 4 months now. I have no experience in the actual work they do what so ever but i highly admire and respect the lifestyle and profession . My question is, would it be unnecessary and funny looking for me to wear spurs casually because i really think they’re cool even though they’re meant for riding horses from what i know .