Tools
Cowboys all needed different tools based on the area that they inhabited. However there was always a base to these tools. That is, a cowboy will never be without the following items:
Lariat; from the Spanish "la riata," meaning "the rope," a tightly twisted stiff rope with a loop at one end enabling it to be thrown to catch animals (sometimes called a lasso, especially in the East, or simply, a "rope").
Spurs; metal devices attached to the heel of the boot, featuring a small metal shank, usually with a small serrated wheel attached, used to allow the rider to provide a stronger (or sometimes, more precise) leg cue to the horse.
Rifle; a firearm used to protect the livestock from predation by wild animals. A pistol might also be carried. The 19th and 20th century American cowboy favored repeating rifles with inexpensive, fairly low powered, centerfire cartridges such as the .44-40 Winchester and .25-20 Winchester. The pistol often used the very same cartridge on a dual-use basis. Modern cowboys may carry a .22 caliber "varmit" rifle for modern ranch hazards, such as rattlesnakes, coyotes, and rabid skunks. In areas near wilderness, a ranch cowboy may carry a higher-caliber rifle to fend off larger predators such as mountain lions.
Knife; cowboys have traditionally favored the pocket knife, specifically the folding cattle knife which evolved into the stock knife which is still popular today. The knife has multiple blades, usually including a leather punch and a "sheepsfoot" blade.
Other weapons; while the modern American cowboy came to existence after the invention of gunpowder, cattle herders of earlier times were sometimes equipped with heavy polearms, bows or lances.
Cowboys all needed different tools based on the area that they inhabited. However there was always a base to these tools. That is, a cowboy will never be without the following items:
Lariat; from the Spanish "la riata," meaning "the rope," a tightly twisted stiff rope with a loop at one end enabling it to be thrown to catch animals (sometimes called a lasso, especially in the East, or simply, a "rope").
Spurs; metal devices attached to the heel of the boot, featuring a small metal shank, usually with a small serrated wheel attached, used to allow the rider to provide a stronger (or sometimes, more precise) leg cue to the horse.
Rifle; a firearm used to protect the livestock from predation by wild animals. A pistol might also be carried. The 19th and 20th century American cowboy favored repeating rifles with inexpensive, fairly low powered, centerfire cartridges such as the .44-40 Winchester and .25-20 Winchester. The pistol often used the very same cartridge on a dual-use basis. Modern cowboys may carry a .22 caliber "varmit" rifle for modern ranch hazards, such as rattlesnakes, coyotes, and rabid skunks. In areas near wilderness, a ranch cowboy may carry a higher-caliber rifle to fend off larger predators such as mountain lions.
Knife; cowboys have traditionally favored the pocket knife, specifically the folding cattle knife which evolved into the stock knife which is still popular today. The knife has multiple blades, usually including a leather punch and a "sheepsfoot" blade.
Other weapons; while the modern American cowboy came to existence after the invention of gunpowder, cattle herders of earlier times were sometimes equipped with heavy polearms, bows or lances.
