The cowboy, Rugged and honest, they’ve shaped the history of our country. From the cowboys depicted in your favorite westerns, to those you see on social media, they all look fairly similar. Tall boots, Stetson hat, Wrangler jeans, and usually, they’re shown to be young men. However, the modern day cowboy isn’t exactly what films or photos suggest, today’s cowboys are often actually cowgirls. Although there are indeed fewer women in the industry directly, their importance is highly undervalued. They are just as much an integral part of feeding and clothing our country as the cowboy. The incredible women daunted with the task of caring for the livestock, their family, and so much more, often hide in plain sight. The woman who steps out of an older pickup in heels, she works in town to help pay off the ranch she and her husband worked so hard for. The young woman riding in a baseball cap and t-shirt, she can out rope all the guys in fancy hats combined, and shoe her own horses too. Your friend’s mom doesn’t enjoy riding as much, but loves to still be apart of the fun. She takes beautiful pictures while driving alongside the crew as they take pairs to summer grass. Cowgirls are incredible in this way, they don’t have to be one thing and fit a certain mold. They are able to adapt to life’s different jobs and help with their strengths to preserve the lifestyle we cherish so deeply. They may not meet the perceived vision of what a cowboy looks like, but that is precisely what makes women in the western lifestyle invaluable. I know from personal experience that being a female and cowboying for a living are two things that seem to be a hard thing to fit together. You are constantly pressured to be “one of the guys” and to do things their way. We are judged not only on how we look, but what gear we use, what we wear, the list goes on.
The best days are spent learning from one another and alongside those who appreciate the hard work you do. After a long hard day, all that should truly matter is that the cows are in, there is cold beer in the fridge, and no one died (well almost). I challenge you to judge character, not perception, and work ethic, not appearances when you’re working alongside one another. There are working cowgirls out there every day, you just may not see them.
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AuthorThis is a blog to share many stories, laughs, adventures and lessons learned by yours truly, Haley Potter. Archives
July 2023
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