• If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Cowboy Hat Or Baseball Cap?

Help Support Ranchers.net:

I am a baseball cap guy. Even wore it in every country I served in.

I do however have my original cowboy hat that was bought for me by my wife many, many years ago.

It still hangs off the corner of the mirror on the dresser. Wife looks at it from time to time and tells me it is old, dirty and not as sleek as it once was.

I always tell her that I am not as sleek either! LOL

Best to all.
 
I wear them both and I don't like to judge a person by what they wear. Some top ranch hands wear a ball cap and running shoes when they aren't riding. Who knows maybe a bronc fell on their foot that a runner just works for them when they are fencing ect.
Well, believe it or not, Big Muddy, we all judge people, whether we want to admit it or not. All of us do.
 
Yes we do but better to do it on ability or character then outward appearances.

True, but ability and character can have a lot to do with outward appearance. Don't know just how old you are, but at 72, I've seen, and heard, a lot dealing with ability, character, language and outward appearance.

Know what I mean?
 
True, but ability and character can have a lot to do with outward appearance. Don't know just how old you are, but at 72, I've seen, and heard, a lot dealing with ability, character, language and outward appearance.

Know what I mean?
I disagree respectfully and say appearance has nothing to do with character or ability as applied to ranch folks. I have known Wranglers, Cowfolks, and Shepherds that are very hard to look at, take no pride in the way they dress but are of amazing ability and honorable character. Weathered faces, most teeth missing, and mangled bodies, but they wouldn't tell a lie if their life depended on it. They didn't become all beat up because of lack of ability.
 
I disagree respectfully and say appearance has nothing to do with character or ability as applied to ranch folks. I have known Wranglers, Cowfolks, and Shepherds that are very hard to look at, take no pride in the way they dress but are of amazing ability and honorable character. Weathered faces, most teeth missing, and mangled bodies, but they wouldn't tell a lie if their life depended on it. They didn't become all beat up because of lack of ability.
Funny, but, Faye, somehow/someway, I knew you would disagree! LOL
 
I can say our best friend, who is a great stockman, would never describe himself as a 'cowboy' but he is. He goes around needing a haircut, shirt tail hanging out....best guy on earth. Only wears a cowboy hat at a rodeo or a roping. He's busy helping the neighbors, so who cares if he needs a haircut or wears a cowboy hat. If you need something, anything, just give him a call. He's so knowledgeable about most everything. He doesn't know the meaning of 'Quit'. He's great to his family, his neighbors and anyone that needs help of any kind. He is wise, kind, funny, a deep thinker. He's genuine to the core.

We attended a team roping once, the young fella who worked for us said "I wish XXX would come, he'd win the roping". It was for a saddle. Now XXX doesn't ride a horse much, or rope much any more, but he's a hand, regardless. So day of the roping, lots of teams entered. XXX didn't show up. Roping was over, saddle won, when he does show up. He comes in his pickup, with his wife. We decide to have another roping. Same people there. XXX borrows a horse, borrows a rope and wins the roping. Now tell me he isn't a cowboy because of his appearance.
 
I can say our best friend, who is a great stockman, would never describe himself as a 'cowboy' but he is. He goes around needing a haircut, shirt tail hanging out....best guy on earth. Only wears a cowboy hat at a rodeo or a roping. He's busy helping the neighbors, so who cares if he needs a haircut or wears a cowboy hat. If you need something, anything, just give him a call. He's so knowledgeable about most everything. He doesn't know the meaning of 'Quit'. He's great to his family, his neighbors and anyone that needs help of any kind. He is wise, kind, funny, a deep thinker. He's genuine to the core.

We attended a team roping once, the young fella who worked for us said "I wish XXX would come, he'd win the roping". It was for a saddle. Now XXX doesn't ride a horse much, or rope much any more, but he's a hand, regardless. So day of the roping, lots of teams entered. XXX didn't show up. Roping was over, saddle won, when he does show up. He comes in his pickup, with his wife. We decide to have another roping. Same people there. XXX borrows a horse, borrows a rope and wins the roping. Now tell me he isn't a cowboy because of his appearance.
Sounds like a really, really cool guy. And, obviously, he really knows how to rope.
 
True, but ability and character can have a lot to do with outward appearance. Don't know just how old you are, but at 72, I've seen, and heard, a lot dealing with ability, character, language and outward appearance.

Know what I mean?
I'm 65 so I've been around just about as long as your and have ranched my whole life other then gone to Ag college.
 
I'll tell another story about XXX. We were taking pairs to another pasture that was far enough away that we had to haul them. I was pretty sure there was a mix-up but no one paid any attention (guys can be like that, you know.) So next day, sure enough, one pair wasn't right. So Mr FH went to the pasture we had hauled to while I stayed home to find the mix up. XXX came 30 miles from his home to help me. We had trouble getting the mixed up pair in, cow wanted to find her own calf, calf wasn't having any of her and wouldn't stay with her, of course. I didn't know XXX very well at the time, but finally I told him to rope the calf. (Later I found out, he wasn't sure it was okay until I said, "rope him." He didn't know me very well either. 😊) He was on another borrowed horse that belonged to his brother. He kicked up to catch the calf when...the horse blew up with him. Didn't buck him off and he caught the calf.......one loop on a broncy acting horse......it was impressive.
 
I'm 65 so I've been around just about as long as your and have ranched my whole life other then gone to Ag college.
I have to agree with Big Muddy. I am 69. My Dad gave me a calf when I was 8. I have owned cattle ever since then with just a few exception (college and working in Alaska). The wife and I were just talking about talking about ones self. We decided that we could brag on the barn cat. Clyde the cat is a great cat. Very few can measure up to him.
 
Well, just don't know what to say. Wife and I love wearing our western clothing to the local livestock auction (to watch), to a rodeo, having dinner and listening to band at local country-western nightclub and to fairs. Our cowboy hats/baseball caps, Wrangler jeans and Ariat Boots are just a part of our lifestyle. But, when it comes to powerboat, it's t-shirt, tennis shoes and cargo shorts for me.

We love going to the livestock auction, fairs to look at livestock and, of course, to local rodeos. And, not that we no longer live in Florida, and have returned to Colorado, we can wear our cowboy hats whenever we want.

Now, just why did I join this forum, and financially support it (like it says under our name), because I find it easier to talk to rodeo and farm/ranch folks than it is to talk to those that have absolutely no interest in what we like. Neither of our families (hers/mine) have the interests we do.

Not to get off of my topic here, but my 73 yr old wife has her own Smith-Wesson 9mm handgun and knows how to shoot it. Her family doesn't understand why she would own a gun, let alone shoot one.
Also has her own rifle.
 
We have one cat. Mr. Magoo. He is 18 1/2. He runs the place. He was a serial killer most of his life.
Now he sleeps alot, eats only what he likes, which is evaporated milk and Science diet cat food. He has lost his hearing, or pretends he has...dogs have masters, cats have staff. 😊
Clyde moved in here on his won accord. My sister from Seattle was here several years ago. She can't see stars at her house. So we were out in the driveway looking at the stars. Suddenly there was something behind us. Not good in this neighborhood to have something behind you in the dark. It was Clyde. He would have liked to have been a house cat but the wife said no house cats. He lives in the barn or the garage. I feed him half rations and he is a mouse killing machine. He wanders far and wide. My son saw him up in the sagebrush half a mile from the house. I see his track at the end of the driveway which is a quarter mile and across the river from the house. He is a survivor. We have no shortage of predators that would love to dine on cat. From our front window we have seen coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and a mountain lion. Plenty of eagles and owls too. He disappears at times. Normally for a day or two but once for a week. Makes me wonder if something got him but then one morning there he is on the back porch wanting his half rations.
 
Mr Magoo was found in a sagebrush Thanksgiving 18 years ago last November. Friends daughter heard him crying and finally found him under a sagebrush. He was so weak he couldn't hold his head up. They nursed him back to health and then they were allergic to cats, so they brought him to us, in a pretty box with a red cushion. I didn't want him really, we had a big black cat we called Baxter Black. But somehow, he managed to stay so here we are over 18 years later. He's never been hungry since and like I said, he's a serial killer. He hunts and kills everything, even though he is declawed in front. He has killed weasels even. Any rodent is fair game. Oh man, the moles and voles he has killed, let alone mice. We won't let him kill a rabbit, but he manages to from time to time. So nice that he brings every thing to the door for US. They say they 'gift' us with those things. I'd rather he didn't. He has brought a woodpecker into the house and then turned it loose because I scared him so bad. That was real interesting getting it caught and back outside. He had to so some wiggling around because his cat door is smaller than the woodpecker. 🤣
 
I don't care what color a man/woman's skin is. I don't care if they have tattoos and piercings. I don't care if they wear 501's or Wranglers. I don't care if they wear a feed store cap or a new Stetson. I CARE about the content of their character and their work ethic. I CARE about their honesty and their ability to work cattle the right way. I know guys who are maestros with horses and guys who ride four wheelers to move their cattle. One of the coolest things about this website is to see how we all do things differently in our little part of the world. 100 ranchers May work cattle 100 different ways- none are wrong. (Although some do work smoother than others)
The old adage that ya can't judge a book by its cover has never been truer.

With all that being said- I'm not a fan of cats 😂
 
AN OLD COWBOY'S LAMENT
By Steve Moreland, July 19, 2019

A few months ago I was sitting at the sale barn with an old friend, who has been a cowboy and rancher all his life. In our conversation he lamented that he needed a new hat, but hesitated in buying one because they were so expensive. I told him he was looking at it all wrong. I explained that he can't take any money with him on the final ride, and that he couldn't hook a U-Haul to the hearse. There would also not be any stock trailers following behind, with favorite critters along. Then I said, "But you can take along a hat. They can lay it on top of your chest in the coffin, and it can go with you on the final ride. Go ahead, buy yourself a new hat."

I saw this gentleman just yesterday at the sale barn. He said he had bought a new hat, and it cost more than what he had paid in the past for a good horse. At least now he can go out it style!
 
During Army National Guard basic training in 1972, at Fort Ord, California, my ears got sunburned very badly wearing the army-issued baseball-type caps. That is the only time in my life I've ever worn a cap that didn't have ear flaps, but it was a requirement at the time. The sunburned ears hurt badly enough that it was a lesson well learned. Since then ranching all the rest of my life, it's been a felt hat most of the time, occasional straw hat in the summer time, or a warm cap with ear flaps during the cold part of the winter. So far this plan has worked fairly well except that no purveyors of bull(s) have been able to advertise using my head for a billboard.
 
I don't care what color a man/woman's skin is. I don't care if they have tattoos and piercings. I don't care if they wear 501's or Wranglers. I don't care if they wear a feed store cap or a new Stetson. I CARE about the content of their character and their work ethic. I CARE about their honesty and their ability to work cattle the right way. I know guys who are maestros with horses and guys who ride four wheelers to move their cattle. One of the coolest things about this website is to see how we all do things differently in our little part of the world. 100 ranchers May work cattle 100 different ways- none are wrong. (Although some do work smoother than others)
The old adage that ya can't judge a book by its cover has never been truer.

With all that being said- I'm not a fan of cats 😂
That last line cracked me up! 🤣

But do I recall that you like goats??😉
 
Soapweed, Good point about a cap not protecting the ears from the sun. My Arizona ranch cousins of yesteryear always had their hats with 5" brims and fairly flat. The one that was a famous bronc rider always steamed and rolled up the sides for rodeo but never wore it that way on the ranch. The story is the rolled-up brim sides helped the hat to stay on better for bronc riding, although in every old bronc riding photo of him, his hat has already bit the dust. I always wondered why he didn't just have two hats. It was explained to me that just like his Levi's he felt the ones he used for work should also be the ones to go to rodeo. He rolled up his Levi's above his boots for bronc riding, but on the ranch, they were always over his boot shafts to fool the rattlesnakes.

104742730_138049444989.jpg
 

Latest posts

Top