cowboy is a dirty word.

It must derive from the cowboy movies, since the real cowboys were not necessarily that way.

Bush is described as a cowboy because he's from Texas don't you think? Of course that is pretty simplistic...but that's how I roll.

It's kind of sad it is used as a derogatory term....I like most of the cowboys I have met.

Bonanza's Adam Cartwright died two days ago - Bonanza had shown the real cowboy world, clean, without women ... but dys doesn't know anything about life, in Nevada, Carson City and Ponderosa.

GW Bush was from New Haven, Connecticut and people called him a "cowboy'', or referred to his policies as "cowboy politics", because they saw him as reckless and lacking in thought.

The term "cowboy" is an old one and the English version originally just referred to someone (usually male) who literally took care of cows. It had a slightly more detailed meaning in Spanish and usually indicated someone who rode a horse and took care of cows. By the 1880's, in the US, it was often used as term for a male who was a troublemaker or who broke the law; probably because the western cowboys had a tendency to drink, womanize and get into trouble after long weeks on the road with nothing to do but escort cattle. I think today it can have the old literal meaning, romantic meaning (the sexy, loner like Clint Eastwood) or it can be used as a slander to accuse someone of who is seen as being out of control.

Didn't he live in Texas? At one time? Or am I confused.
[edit] I looked it up - he did...I knew he had...I just am so tired I needed to make sure. It's been one of those days.

Whatever...I still think it is a shame that the term cowboy has been used to describe things like that. See...I have many in my family I consider cowboys...but they really ride horses and rope cows and grow things in their back yard. I was even considered a cowgirl at one point. Been a while though... pretty citified these days.

I don't think this is exactly correct.

In Spanish there are two different words. "Caballero" comes from the word Caballo meaning "horse". This is often used as "gentlemen" and is related to the word Cavalier.

The better term for "cowboy" (at least in the Southwestern US) is "vaquero". This comes from the word "vaca" meaning "cow". I haven't seen this used with the same sense of gentlemanliness, but the term is used for the rough and rugged individual you would see in a Western film.

Bush certainly spent some of his private and political career in Texas, but the cowboy term was not a compliment to that.

I think the word now has a few meanings, both good and bad. I think the romantic image is still strong. I don't think anyone would object to a little boy or girl wanting to dress up as a cowboy/girl for halloween or just for play. Better a cowboy than a Wall St. banker nowadays.

been searching for this song forever, ebrown.

The Spanish cavalier stood in his retreat,
And on his guitar played a tune dear,
The music so sweet
Would oft times repeat,
The blessing of my country and you, dear.

You're probably right. I was going back in memory about 30+ years to my high school Spanish class.

Like many many English words, cowboy has different denotations and connotations. Just because one appears momentarily in a person's mind does not mean that all the others are lost.

cowboy can be a dirty word.

I'm still trying to understand what's meant by the term 'cowboy up.' I've seen it in print but have no clue what it means.

Me too. Somehow, I suspect it is a rodeo term.

Jeff H 's poem Cowboy Up spells it out

When a Cowboy's in a pinch
he just tightens up the cinch,
spurs his horse and rides right through it
cause that's the way the Duke'd do it.
He'd Cowboy Up.

And with our country now in danger
a cowboy's like the old Lone Ranger.
Ridin' hard and shootin' straight
fightin' those who spread the hate.
He'd Cowboy'd Up.

A Cowboy's ready and he's willin'
to face the foe, like Marshal Dillon.
And when the gunsmoke clears away
Cowboy Spirit wins the day.
So, Cowboy Up. Pull your hat down tight
and don't back down from what is right.
We'll bring back "Happy Trails" for you
like Hoppy, Gene and Roy would do.

Think back about Flight 93
and how those heroes came to be.
They knew that thousands more could die
if they just let that airplane fly
They Cowboy'd Up.

One widow had this tale to share.
A husband's love and one last prayer.
And when their sacrifice was done
terror lost and Freedom won
"Let's Roll", he said and Cowboy'd up.

Cause Cowboys fight until they win
just like TV's Paladin.
They will not let our flag unravel
as long as they Have Gun, Will Travel
And Cowboy Up, hell bent for leather.
Cause we're all in this fight together.
We're ridin' hard right on their trail
and with God's help, we will prevail.

If Gary Cooper, Joel McCrea
and Randolph Scott were here today
they'd fight for what is right and true
like Rex and Tex and Lash LaRue.
Who weren't afraid to Cowboy Up.

So, let's give Uncle Sam a hand
cause we're all ridin' for his brand.
And with that Texan in the saddle
our posse's gonna win the battle.
Let's Cowboy Up, pull our hats down tight.
Be rough and ready for the fight.
Our country's through with playin' games.
We're kickin' butt and taking names.
Yeah, Cowboy'd Up, pard, that means you.
Stand up tall and 'fore we're through
we'll kick 'em right in their gee-had
Cause now, they've made the Cowboys Mad.

Thx, pan.

Makes me wanna vomit but thanx.

Cowboy Philosophy
*Don't squat with your spurs on.
*Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
*Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier 'n puttin' it back in.
*If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.
*If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.
*After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him......The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
*Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
*There's two theories to arguin' with a woman. Neither one works.
*If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
*Never slap a man who's chewin' tobacco.
*It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.
*Always drink upstream from the herd.
*When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be surprised if they learn their lesson.
*When you're throwin' your weight around, be ready to have it thrown around by somebody else.
*The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.
*Never miss a good chance to shut up.

*There are three kinds of men:
-The one that learns by reading.
-The few who learn by observation.
-The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.

It's quite obvious none of you folks know the difference between a cowboy and a rounder.

Or a bounder..


I've two friends well acquainted with ranch life, one being the Dys, and one being my old business partner. She left the ranch life but never left care of animals. Well, neither has Dys, come to think of it.

I'm a city girl with an odd upbringing, with us living at my aunt's in a big city and me having little to do except read my deceased uncle's old books - zane grey, a tome on wyatt earp (none too complimentary that I remember) and a thicket of Dickens. I also put my aunt's button box in order..

Then at seventeen I got to go along on a filming trip to a bunch of cattle ranches and stockyards. That was just about the time that I took some damned test in school about what I should do when I grew up, and the answer was - scientific farmer. (One can skew those tests..) I was primed for all this by reading Owen Wister's The Virginian five times, the five since I was fascinated with the (now exceptionally palid to me) love scene, as in, what love scene. Let's say I was very information blanked. I read it at thirteen, and then thereafter. I didn't know any boys then, and was being nudged to join the convent.

So, in a way, my enthusiasm for cowboys saved my life.

Cowboys think cows are smart. This is the best way to separate the wannabees from the real thing.

(Not even cowboys think horses are smart)

And don't forget: If you see a toad on top of a fencepost, you can be pretty sure someone put him there!

Good for use in political discussions.