Idaho's Cowboy Supply -- Cowboy Terminology 1

ACE IN THE HOLE: a gun carried in an unexpected place. AFOOT: cowboy without a horse. AIR-TIGHTS: canned goods. ALFORJA: from Spanish meaning saddlebag. AMBLE: to go. AMIGO: friend or companion. ANGORA: chaps made from goat hide with the hair left on. ANKLE EXPRESS: to walk. APAREJO: large packsaddle. ARCHING HIS BACK: a horse getting ready to buck. BACK TRAIL: a trail just covered. BAKE: to overheat a horse by riding it hard. BALLY: a bald-face horse or cow. BAND: a group of horses. BANGTAIL: a wild or feral horse. BAR DOG: bartender. BAREFOOT: an unshod horse. BATCH: unmarried man. BAYO COYOTE: a dun colored horse with a black stripe down his back. BEAN MASTER: a cook. BED GROUND: place cattle are held at night while on the trail. BEDROLL: a large tarp, usually 7' X 18', containing a cowboys bedding and personal gear, rolled up for easy carrying. BEEF BOOK: a tally book used to record ranch records, usually an inventory of cattle. BELL MARES: generally old mares (wearing a bell), used as leaders in pack trains or put in a remuda to locate where horses are grazing at night. BELLY GUN: pistol carried in the waistband. BELLY UP: dead. BIG ANTELOPE: a steer belong to someone else that has been killed for food. BIG FIFTY: a Sharps .50 caliber rifle. BIG HOUSE: the home of the ranch owner or foreman. BISCUIT ROLLER: ranch or camp cook. BIT: (el brocado del freno) - metal mouthpiece. BITING THE DUST: being thrown form a horse. BLINDING: covering a horse's eyes to calm it down while saddling. BLIND TRAIL: a trail with few markings. BLOWING A STIRRUP: losing a stirrup. BLOWING OUT HIS LAMP: to kill someone. BOG HOLE: a mud hole or quicksand. BONE ORCHARD: cemetery. BOGGERED UP: crippled. BOOK COUNT: the number of cattle carried on the ranch books. BOOMER: a settler or squatter. BORDER DRAW: a type of gun draw where the gun is carried with the butt forward and is drawn across the body with the hand opposite the gun. BOUGHTEN BAG: traveling bag used by an eastener. BRAND ARTIST: a rustler that is handy at changing brands. BREAST BAND: (la antepecho, la pechera, el pretal) - leather strap that passes around the animal's chest and is attached to the front sides of the saddle. BREED: short for half-breed, a person of mixed blood. BRIDLE: (la brida, el freno) the head harness for a horse, basically consisting of the headstall, bit and reins, but at times including also a brow band, nose strap, and throat latch. BOSAL: (la jaquima) noseband with headpiece. BROADHORN: a term used for Longhorn cattle. BRONC BREAKER: a cowboy that breaks wild horses. BRONCO: an animal that has never been broken to saddle or harness use. Also spelled broncho, bronk, and bronc. BROOM TAIL: a western range horse; a poor, ill-kept horse of uncertain breed. BRUSH BUSTER: a cowboy skilled at running cattle in heavy brush. BUCKAROO: (vaquero) a cowboy. BUCKSKIN: a yellow colored horse. BUGGY BOSS: a ranch owner or manager from the east, who lacks the skill to ride a horse, and rides in a buggy. BULLDOG: to trip and throw a steer. BULLDOGGER: a steer wrestler. BULL WAGON: a wagon that is drawn by oxen. BUNCH: to herd cattle together. BUNKHOUSE: a cowboy's sleeping quarters at a ranch. BURN POWDER: to shoot a gun. BUSHWHACK: to ambush or shoot from behind. CABALLADA: band of trained or broke horses. CABALLERO: horseman. CABALLO: broke horse. CABRON: an outlaw. CALABOOSE: jail. CALF TIME: springtime. CALICO: either a pinto horse or a woman. CALICO FEVER: lovesickness. CALIFORNIA PANTS: heavy stripped or checkered wool pants often used by rangehands. CALIFORNIA REINS: closed style reins made of one piece of leather. CALIFORNIA SADDLE: a light high-horned saddle with a center-fire cinch, and covered stirrups. CALLING THE BRANDS: giving brands a name. CAMPANYERO: friend or companion. CAMP STALLER: a horse that refuses to leave camp in the morning. CANTLE: (la teja) arched, often dished portion of saddletree connecting rear of sideboards. CANNED COW: canned milk. CARVIN' HORSE: a horse used for cutting cattle. CATGUT: a rawhide rope. CATTLE KATE: any woman involved in cattle rustling. CAT WAGON: a wagon that was used by prostitutes to service cowhands on the range, or on cattle drives. CAVERANGO: a wrangler, or one who tends horses. CAVY: a band of horses. CAYUSE: a range-bred horse. CHAPS: (las chaparreras) Leather or hairy leggins worn by cowboys as protection against the brush and weather. CHAIN GANG: the wagon crew on a roundup. CHEW GRAVEL: to be thrown from a horse. CHIVARRAS: chaps usually made from goat hide. CHOKE DOWN: to subdue a wild horse by choking it with a rope. CHOKE THE HORN: to hold on to the saddle horn while riding a bucking horse. CHOUSE: handling cattle roughly. CHUCK LINE RIDER: a cowboy out of work, and riding from ranch to ranch to eat. CIMARRON: an animal or person who lives alone. CINCH: (la cincha) a leather or fabric band (or girth) that is the portion of the girthing system that passes under the horse's body; usually it is fastened to leather straps (latigos) that hang from the rigging on each side of the saddle. CIRCLE RIDERS: cowboys starting at a designated point, widely separated as soldiers in a skirmish line gather the cattle and driving them to the round-up grounds for branding and tallying for ownership.