A Cowboy Love Letter

A horse and a cowboy. Nuff said.

A cowboy is a man with guts and a horse.

It was the Box Elder County Fair and Rodeo last week. For the first time in a few years, I was able to attend the rodeo. I enjoy the rodeo. It's one of the few sports (yeah, I consider it a sport) that I could actually sit and watch and not lose interest after a short while.

As my sister-in-law will tell you, I love horses. As I told her numerous times last Wednesday, I love horses. There's something about them that just fascinates me. Even more than horses, I love cowboys.

Mmm, cowboys... So tough and masculine.

What is it about cowboys?

I'll tell you what it is. They're manly. They're tough. They don't use band-aids. They wear Wranglers and boots and hats. They're just the ultimate American man.

Something I noticed at the rodeo is how American it is. How patriotic it is. And cowboys are (for the most part) very patriotic.

There are two major types of cowboys: Rodeo cowboys and ranching cowboys (sometimes a cowboy is both). If I had to choose, I'd choose a ranching cowboy. To me, a ranching cowboy is more steady, reliable, and maybe just a little more hardworking (I know this isn't necessarily true but this is how I feel and this is my blog so there). Rodeo cowboys are a little more arrogant, reckless, and adventure seeking- not to mention the fact that they travel a lot to go to rodeos.

I love these silhouette kind of pictures. So romantic.

If I were really honest, I'd admit that I don't know anything really about cowboys. All I know is what I find attractive. After all, I am the Hopeless Romantic. I have romantic daydreams. (Uh, did I just say that out loud.) And the romaticism of cowboys draws me in.

Cowboys are the epitome of the American ideal. Hard-working, not afraid to get dirty, and willing to protect those they love. Okay, okay. I know that this is really, really stereotypical. So sue me. This is my love letter to my stereotype.

John Wayne in Hondo

So... I enjoyed the rodeo. I like to watch the cowboys and the horses and imagine life when cowboys were the norm. Sometimes... I wonder if I might have been born a few decades late... of course I know that's not true. Maybe it's more accurate to say that I wonder what it would be like to live back then. *sigh*


 Of course I can't forget to mention some of my favorite movie cowboys like John Wayne, Sam Elliot, and Tom Selleck.

Tom Selleck in Quigley Down Under

 Not only do these men play tough cowboys but they're pretty dang tough themselves. I could imagine them in the actual Old West, righting wrongs, protecting their families and their land.

Sam Elliot in... something awesome!!

Hope you enjoyed my little love letter to a stereotype.

Until Next Time,

 The Hopeless Romantic