Doubling An exercise rider doubling a horse that has a tendency to buck. After a couple sessions of being turned in tight circles the critter decided that bucking wasn’t such a good idea and began paying attention to the rider’s cues. Photo by Bob Lemen. All rights reserved.
Double Rigged In addition to the usual cinch near the stirrups, Bud’s double rigged roping saddle has a flank cinch to keep the saddle from flipping up when pressure is exerted on the saddle horn. Photo by Bob Lemen. All rights reserved.
Dixie A 10 dollar bank note issued privately by Banque Des Citoyens De La Louisiane — a French bank in Louisiana prior to the Civil War. The bill was called a “dixie” because the French word for ten — “dix.” — is printed on the bill. Eventually, the southern U.S. became known as “the land […]
Return to Questions and Answers Index Q&A Questions and Answers: QUESTION: My horses are salivating very excessively. I mean they are making big puddles on the ground. Otherwise, they are acting normal; they eat fine; they are not very interested in drinking but they will. Do you have any ideas of what might be wrong? […]
Return to Questions and Answers Index Q&A Questions and Answers: QUESTION: Dear Cowboy Bob, What kinds of horses did cowboys use? Thank you, E. B. ANSWER: That’s a great question! If you asked most western folks today, they’d probably guess the Quarter Horse. The truth is, cowboys rode just about anything that was available — […]
Return to Questions and Answers Index Q&A Questions and Answers: QUESTION: I have a five-year-old mare. I’m unsure of her breed (possibly Arabian). This horse will not pay attention when she is being ridden. How can I keep her in check? Also, how can one tell how long a horse is? She is a wild […]
Return to Questions and Answers Index Q&A Questions and Answers: QUESTION: I have just stumbled on your site and wonder if you may be able to help me. You seem like a very wise person and frankly I am desperate. Three years ago I took on an ex-polo mare who was completely blind in her […]
Cowboy Bob’s One of the things I really love to do is throw the bridle and saddle on my horse and go exploring the trails. Sometimes I’ll ride the familiar routes, just enjoying the scenery. More often, however, I’ll spot some side trail or deer track – and off we’ll go toward… who knows what? […]
Arizona Paint Job In parts of Arizona, blistering heat, intense sunlight, and abrasive sandstorms make almost any attempt to paint an exterior surface an exercise in futility — so some settlers gave up before they even began. Photo by Nova Development Corp. Used under license.
Arbuckle’s The credit for a good roasted coffee goes to Arbuckle Brothers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company patented a method of sealing in the roasted flavor by coating the beans with a glaze of egg white and sugar. Roasted coffee beans, put up in air tight metal containers, could now be shipped all over. Arbuckle […]
Appaloosa Horse An appaloosa horse. Appaloosas may also have a mottled coat and/or spots all over the body. The breed is characterized by a white sclera (part of the outer covering of the eyeball), mottled skin and striped hooves. [A special thanks to George Bourbeau of Calhan, Colorado, for his help on this item. George […]
Ambulance When a cowboy of the 1800s spoke about an ambulance, he wasn’t talking about a rig with flashing lights and a siren. To him, an ambulance was a light wagon with a flat bed, plenty of storage space, a canvas top, and high wheels for traveling over rough terrain — a sort of early-day […]
Arab Cut Skirt An Arab Cut Skirt, rounded at the back to prevent rubbing on the hip of a short-coupled horse. Descendants of Arab Barb horses are often short-coupled, especially if they inherit the Barb trait of having one less pair of ribs than other breeds. Photo by Bob Lemen. All rights reserved.
Air Line A train takes a straight route through a cut sometime in the 1890s. Photograph by William Henry Jackson. Long before there were airplanes, there were air lines — specifically, air line railroads. These lines were touted as having relatively direct routes from one point to another. Literally dozens of nineteenth century railroads included […]