Cowboy boots
Cowboy boots is the slang term for western boots or boots, i.e. H. for a boot shape that is considered characteristic of cowboys' footwear and, depending on the fashion, is also worn by other groups of people of both sexes. Cowboy boots are riding boots based on the English Wellington boots , which in turn have their origins in the military boots of the Hessian cavalry of the 19th century.
A cowboy boot designed for the work of a cowboy in the saddle has the following characteristics:
- robust, welted design.
- Strong cowhide leather to protect the foot and lower leg region from thorns and horns of cattle even without chaps . When working on the ground, the strong leather protects the foot from the animals' hooves.
- smooth, relatively thin leather sole to have a better feel for the stirrups.
- tapered tip of the shoe to have a faster "hit" and thus faster entry into the stirrup.
- 4–5 cm high heel that prevents slipping through the stirrup and the associated risk of getting caught in the stirrup.
- Heel beveled at the back, which means that the heel is less easily torn off when working on the floor.
- Edge on the shaft behind the heel (alternatively, but rarely: 360 ° frame), which serves as a support surface for the (loosely strapped) spurs.
- the shaft height is variable and depends on the taste of the wearer.
- the shaft is often provided with decorative seams, which also have a shape-stabilizing effect.
So-called "Working" boots with a shorter shaft and wide heels, often with a rubber (profile) sole, are now worn for work on the ranches that do not require a horse (fence controls with the truck, etc.)
In the context of western riding tournaments and especially rodeo riding, other types of boots have increasingly developed, such as: B. the "roping boots" which only marginally have to do with the actual cowboy boots.
Cowboy boots are usually worn under trousers to prevent dust from getting into the shaft. The legs of the jeans must therefore not be cut too tight (so-called “boot cut”). Especially in California, tall boots like the one shown are often worn over jeans (these are often lavishly decorated, made using exotic, eye-catching types of leather (e.g. reptile ) and are correspondingly expensive).
literature
- Tyler Beard: The Art of the Boot . Gibbs Smith, Salt Lake City, UT 1999, ISBN 0-87905-919-2 .
- Tyler Beard, Jim Arndt (Photos): The Cowboy Boot Book . Peregrine Smith Books, Salt Lake City, UT 1992, ISBN 0-87905-471-9 .
- Helge Sternke: Everything about men's shoes . Nicolai, Berlin 2006, ISBN 978-3-89479-252-7 .
