Cowboy

"The last time somebody pointed out that cowboys ride horses, not tricycles, I shot him. Of course, I waited until another gunslinger gunned him down, but nevertheless, I still shot him."

- Jarod Kintz

Central to the myth and the reality of the West is the American cowboy. The cowboy has for over a century been the iconic American image, recognized worldwide and saluted as an authentic hero by Americans. The cowboys today have become a cultural icon in modern times, and are an image of the American people abroad and of American warrior culture.

Before a drive, a cowboy's duties included riding out on the range and bringing together the scattered cattle. Alcohol was everywhere in the West (outside Mormondom), but on the trail the cowboys were forbidden to drink it. As open range ranching and the long drives gave way to fenced in ranches in the 1880s, by the 1890s the glory days of the cowboy came to an end, and the myths about the "free living" cowboy began to emerge.

Many of the cowboys were veterans of the Mexican-American War, Civil War and various Indian Wars, particularly coming from both the Confederacy, and the Union, who returned to their home towns and found no future, so they went west looking for new opportunities. Many even joined the Rough Riders lead by fellow cowboy Theodore Roosevelt. To protect their cattle from wild animals, Indians and rustlers, cowboys also carry with them firearms such as revolvers, rifles and shotguns. Many cowboys, such as Wild Bill Hickok, John Wesley Hardin, Tom Horn, Luke Short, Billy the Kid and others, became known for their quickness with a pistol draw. Indeed the quickdraw was an important skill in the violent American West. Qualifications to become a cowboy during on the job trainings include self-reliance, hardwork, perseverance and independence. Many of these are heavily admired as true Americans values.