What Is It About A Cowboy?

There’s a certain mystique to a cowboy – that image in our mind of the ‘Marlboro Man’. He’s tall, dark, and handsome, strong, silent, and well-mannered. He lives by the code of the west. He can’t be fenced in and he lives for riding the open range.

I think most of us know, keep down inside, that our fantasy of the cowboy is just that – a fantasy. Especially those cowboys from the heyday (1800s) of western romances. They were dirty, stinky, unshaven, and wore loose clothing which allowed them to effectively do their jobs.

Today’s modern cowboy tends to be a bit more on the romantic side. If you’ve watched PRCA on television or attended a rodeo or even just spent some time in one of the many fascinating small towns in the southwest, you’ve probably seen a cowboy who made you go nuts for Wrangler butts. Tight jeans, hat, boots, belt with a big silver buckle, a velvet voice that says “thank you, ma’am”: these are the cowboys who live in our fantasies. Stoic and enigmatic, these cowboys exemplify the appeal of the west. Put him on a horse and oh my! Yum!

When I was growing up in New Mexico, there was a code of conduct, and a code of ethics whereby people lived. For instance, cowboys were always polite; they didn’t cuss in front of women, and always held open a door for her. By the same token, a western woman was expected to act just as respectful to others and work just as hard as her man without complaint. In fact, the woman who could be tough as nails and take hardship with a smile and a swing of her cute butt was one most coveted by a cowboy. And if you took a cowboy’s hat from his head, you better be prepared to face an angry man or go to bed with him (depending on how interested he was).

No matter if it’s today or yesteryear, women will always be fascinated with cowboys. And I certainly hope I can continue to entertain all those women who love them, or even just love the thought of them!