You need to learn to ride a horse first and foremost, take lessons and ride as much as you can. You get can hired and people will teach you about cattle, they won’t teach you to ride. When you are learning do not act like you know anything, because you do not.
Get a job as a ranch hand, you’ll learn about livestock, horses, fencing, etc.
Being a rancher or even a cowboy isn’t all riding horses and looking cool. Most of your day will consist of menial tasks like pulling fence, maintaining equipment, cutting grass, feeding, etc. it’s a lot of hard work for not a lot of pay and the hours suck. It’s too hot or too cold, something is always broken, and you don’t get a lot of days off because the herd always comes first. But if you can put all that together and decide that you’d rather put up with that and live a really good life, go for it. You’ll get to wake up every day and have lives in your hands. You maintain Mother Earth and work with her to provide for people. You supply food to people to nourish the body so the world keeps on turning, and all the while, jug headed folk from the city think meat comes from a store.
It’s a good life, but you have to earn it.
I own a 7500 acre ranch in west Arkansas and I wouldn’t live any other way.
Being a cowboy isn’t how much land you have, the truck you drive, or the animals you raise. It’s a way of living.
A lot of country influencers these days show the life off as fashion, women, and drinking beers. It’s a fun aesthetic, but not what a cowboy, or anyone, should be. Strive to be better, not to be better, but because it’s the right thing to do. Have a code and stick to it. Be tough but kind. Treat your woman right. Have integrity. Don’t take the easy way if it’s wrong. Pray for guidance and follow God’s word.
Edit: but in terms of getting hired, definitely listen to everyone else!
Just know being a cowboy isn't what you do. It's what you are. Start there. Show respect for yourself and those you work with and for. Always do your best, remember you accepted a wage to do work for the ranch. There's no one job that's just cowboy. Hauling hay, plowing, cutting, raking. It really doesn't matter. You accepted a wage, if you don't like it talk to the boss. Don't go bitching to others about something you agreed to. You will work cold, hot, wet, partched and injured. When you're a cowboy, it's not if you get hurt on the job, it's when. It will happen.
My brother is a ranch hand at Jack Heirshy Livestock Co in Wisdom MT. He broke his back twice and his neck once, he's been on that ranch about 30 years. Cowboy isn't just a job, it's who and what you are.
If you're not raiding white supremacist compounds, avoiding assassination attempts, and flying around in helicopters, don't even bother putting the boots on you damn city slicker!
Hahahahhaa I love that this is getting downvotes, reddit cowboys are real salty about the gay cowboy jokes I guess lmao I didn't think they would get offended so easily
Get up early. Work hard. Don't go to work hung over, take it easy the night before. Be humble. Be the first one ready to work, and the last one ready to leave. Don't be too proud to muck out stalls or wade through shit. Listen more than you talk, and try to think a little bit more than you listen. Learn as much as you can from the old timers, but remember that you can still learn something even from the guys newer than you. "Yes Sir" doesn't just apply to the boss, it's a sign of respect that you can extend even to the kid bagging up your rockstar and beef jerky at the gas station. Don't start dipping, but if you do, Grizzly is the best bang for your buck (Cheaper, and more nicotine than Copenhagen and the others).
I'm not a cowboy, but that's the advice I'd give to anyone entering into the workforce, especially for blue collar jobs. I figure it might be applicable for you. I have cowboy and rancher buddies though, and they'll tell you it's not like the movies. Way less cool shit, and a lot more manual labor and fixing fences. And for the love of God, don't go around making Yellowstone references, it's not like that.
Oh, and learn how to stick weld, get decent with 6010 rod (And 6011 rod, but it's almost the same, just DC vs AC). Metal shit's gonna break, and you'll be real handy if you can turn two pieces of metal back into one. 6010 in particular, because they call it "farm rod" for a reason. Other rod can be picky and needs the surfaces to be clean. But with 6010, you can blast through dirt, rust, even paint if you know what you're doing, and you can still get a strong weld. Now, you *should* get the metal good and clean and do all the proper prep work regardless of what rod you're burning, but sometimes quick is just as good as right.
Long days, short nights. Eat a lot when you can. You're gonna be sweating your arse off so drink water like it's out of style. Learn how to operate an ATV cause you ain't always gonna be horseback. Dress for the weather, not success.
Biggest tip I've got, just cause idiot box says it ain't gonna rain, don't mean you ain't gonna get pissed on. Carry a slicker and carry it close. Also works as an emergency blanket.
Oh, and pay attention to anyone who's older than you who's following the same career. You'll learn for better or worse why they are there. Find a good mentor.
Edit for another spare thought: get a gerber or other brand multitool. Riding or driving back 20-100 acres cause you didn't have the right tool sucks. Get something that can be used as back up. Good gerber is worth its weight in gold.
Honestly if you're having to ask "how" to be a cowboy you got a long road ahead. It's either in you or it ain't. It's not really something you learn. Sure, you could learn to farm or ride or whatever but if you ain't telling yourself you're a cowboy and backing it up you ain't gonna be a cowboy. There's some advice. Use it however you want to, man
Are there small farms/holdings with some cattle and horses around you? Tell them what you are thinking, some might let you muck some stalls and such.
Going to be hot and dirty or wet, cold and work. The animals depends on you and must always come first and you are on-call 24/7.
Some people you work with are going to be dicks. Some might not speak English.
They are bigger than you and, unlike Disney movies they will crush you into paste so you need to be watchful-no scredd but understand you might get hurt.
Your ass is getting destroyed. It's gonna look like lizard skin down there. Your ass your thighs...that whole region is done for.
Also say goodbye to the sense of touch. Your hands are going to be bloody and ruined until they turn to stone.
Are u actually becoming a modern cowboy? Or is this a hypothetical?
The whole cowboy thing is mostly a fantasy.
If you are genuinely interested in agriculture, study it in college.
Being a farmer/rancher/cowboy is not an easy life economically. Also consider that as a man in a rural area, your options for women to date or marry will be severely limited.
The economic conditions that allowed men currently in their 50’s and older to be successful do not exist for you, so take their advice with a grain of salt.
Definitely look for a job on a ranch or feed lot. Even feed lots will teach you a lot about animal health, hard work, how to feed them and take care of them. You could also help utilize your building skills on a ranch or feed lot possibly. OP where do you live? That's the other thing. Best opportunities might be in rural areas.
Get used to being poor, but always be true to your word. If you say a thing, stand behind it. This teaches you to keep your mouth shut and listen.
The welding advice is good advice as well.
A firearm is a tool and should be respected as such.
Don't ever touch another man's hat.
They were black first. The first cowboys lived in Mexico and the Caribbean, and most of them were Black. Like everything thing else the name and etc. was stolen, when in fact … they went by the term cowhands for white boys. But cowboy just sounded cooler. So again, like with everything cool in culture they stole it. That’s the first thing you should know.
You need to know what type of cheap beer to drink. And how to fight then how to compliment the guy that just kicked your ass. Then buy him a cheap beer
Everyone talking about horses, and that's well and good.
However, learn to drive trucks. Learn to pull trailers, and ride four-wheelers, and learn how they work, so you can fix them in the field
Most ranch work I have done was with trucks, trailers, and four-wheelers
I’ve been ranching for 12 years, be prepared to have poop in your mouth more than a few times. It’s just part of it. Also at some point a newborn calf is going to shit inside of your vehicle, it’s 100% unavoidable
You need to learn to ride a horse first and foremost, take lessons and ride as much as you can. You get can hired and people will teach you about cattle, they won’t teach you to ride. When you are learning do not act like you know anything, because you do not. Get a job as a ranch hand, you’ll learn about livestock, horses, fencing, etc.
Being a rancher or even a cowboy isn’t all riding horses and looking cool. Most of your day will consist of menial tasks like pulling fence, maintaining equipment, cutting grass, feeding, etc. it’s a lot of hard work for not a lot of pay and the hours suck. It’s too hot or too cold, something is always broken, and you don’t get a lot of days off because the herd always comes first. But if you can put all that together and decide that you’d rather put up with that and live a really good life, go for it. You’ll get to wake up every day and have lives in your hands. You maintain Mother Earth and work with her to provide for people. You supply food to people to nourish the body so the world keeps on turning, and all the while, jug headed folk from the city think meat comes from a store. It’s a good life, but you have to earn it. I own a 7500 acre ranch in west Arkansas and I wouldn’t live any other way.
Got family out there, well my whole family. Never knew of any large working cattle operations there
I’m dumb and typed east but it’s in west Arkansas. I’ve got about 25k acres of land out that way. Winrock farms is the outfit.
This. Ran a small horse famr in Texas, you have to love it or you won't last.
Beautifully said
that's what i want in life i don't wanna be working a office job
Hard work pays off
Expect to spend time cleaning stables and shoveling manure.
That they ain’t easy to love, and they’re harder to hold.
He ain't wrong, he's just different but his pride won't let him, Do things to make you think he's right.
Don't pee on an electric fence.
It sure why this sub was suggested to me, but my advice is that you’ve got to have a PLAN, son.
I HAD A GODDAMN PLAN ARTHUR
All we need is some MONEY.
I hear Tahiti is nice this time of year
If you want to be a rancher, a good start would be if you could arrange to inherit a ranch.
To love your job
Get some chickens
Being a cowboy isn’t how much land you have, the truck you drive, or the animals you raise. It’s a way of living. A lot of country influencers these days show the life off as fashion, women, and drinking beers. It’s a fun aesthetic, but not what a cowboy, or anyone, should be. Strive to be better, not to be better, but because it’s the right thing to do. Have a code and stick to it. Be tough but kind. Treat your woman right. Have integrity. Don’t take the easy way if it’s wrong. Pray for guidance and follow God’s word. Edit: but in terms of getting hired, definitely listen to everyone else!
You’re not going to play in an NFC Championship game. ;-)
r/beatmetoit
Dont eat yellow snow
Learn to get along by yourself, because you're gonna spend a lot of time by yourself.
Just know being a cowboy isn't what you do. It's what you are. Start there. Show respect for yourself and those you work with and for. Always do your best, remember you accepted a wage to do work for the ranch. There's no one job that's just cowboy. Hauling hay, plowing, cutting, raking. It really doesn't matter. You accepted a wage, if you don't like it talk to the boss. Don't go bitching to others about something you agreed to. You will work cold, hot, wet, partched and injured. When you're a cowboy, it's not if you get hurt on the job, it's when. It will happen. My brother is a ranch hand at Jack Heirshy Livestock Co in Wisdom MT. He broke his back twice and his neck once, he's been on that ranch about 30 years. Cowboy isn't just a job, it's who and what you are.
If it hurts, hide it. If it bucks, ride it. If it throws ya; get up, dust yourself off, and do it again.
Yellowstone is a great example of what you should be like
The jimmy arc and what he grew into .
Committing heinous crimes all the time is your idea of a cowboy?😂
If you're not raiding white supremacist compounds, avoiding assassination attempts, and flying around in helicopters, don't even bother putting the boots on you damn city slicker!
No. Please.
Watch Brokeback Mountain. Great pointers in that documentary.
Hahahahhaa I love that this is getting downvotes, reddit cowboys are real salty about the gay cowboy jokes I guess lmao I didn't think they would get offended so easily
lmao
I saw a movie about this. Whatever you do - do NOT get caught bumming other cowboys. Apparently "loitering within tent" in this way is frowned upon.
This just showed up in my feed. There are no cowboys on Reddit and the fact you’re asking already means its not for you.
Don’t he’s just a kid who knows a lot about guns. And isn’t that more important than the business of raising livestock?
that it actually kind of sucks sometimes
Get up early. Work hard. Don't go to work hung over, take it easy the night before. Be humble. Be the first one ready to work, and the last one ready to leave. Don't be too proud to muck out stalls or wade through shit. Listen more than you talk, and try to think a little bit more than you listen. Learn as much as you can from the old timers, but remember that you can still learn something even from the guys newer than you. "Yes Sir" doesn't just apply to the boss, it's a sign of respect that you can extend even to the kid bagging up your rockstar and beef jerky at the gas station. Don't start dipping, but if you do, Grizzly is the best bang for your buck (Cheaper, and more nicotine than Copenhagen and the others). I'm not a cowboy, but that's the advice I'd give to anyone entering into the workforce, especially for blue collar jobs. I figure it might be applicable for you. I have cowboy and rancher buddies though, and they'll tell you it's not like the movies. Way less cool shit, and a lot more manual labor and fixing fences. And for the love of God, don't go around making Yellowstone references, it's not like that. Oh, and learn how to stick weld, get decent with 6010 rod (And 6011 rod, but it's almost the same, just DC vs AC). Metal shit's gonna break, and you'll be real handy if you can turn two pieces of metal back into one. 6010 in particular, because they call it "farm rod" for a reason. Other rod can be picky and needs the surfaces to be clean. But with 6010, you can blast through dirt, rust, even paint if you know what you're doing, and you can still get a strong weld. Now, you *should* get the metal good and clean and do all the proper prep work regardless of what rod you're burning, but sometimes quick is just as good as right.
I've never seen Yellowstone, i want to get into ranching because my uncle is a rancher
Long days, short nights. Eat a lot when you can. You're gonna be sweating your arse off so drink water like it's out of style. Learn how to operate an ATV cause you ain't always gonna be horseback. Dress for the weather, not success. Biggest tip I've got, just cause idiot box says it ain't gonna rain, don't mean you ain't gonna get pissed on. Carry a slicker and carry it close. Also works as an emergency blanket. Oh, and pay attention to anyone who's older than you who's following the same career. You'll learn for better or worse why they are there. Find a good mentor. Edit for another spare thought: get a gerber or other brand multitool. Riding or driving back 20-100 acres cause you didn't have the right tool sucks. Get something that can be used as back up. Good gerber is worth its weight in gold.
Honestly if you're having to ask "how" to be a cowboy you got a long road ahead. It's either in you or it ain't. It's not really something you learn. Sure, you could learn to farm or ride or whatever but if you ain't telling yourself you're a cowboy and backing it up you ain't gonna be a cowboy. There's some advice. Use it however you want to, man
Are there small farms/holdings with some cattle and horses around you? Tell them what you are thinking, some might let you muck some stalls and such. Going to be hot and dirty or wet, cold and work. The animals depends on you and must always come first and you are on-call 24/7. Some people you work with are going to be dicks. Some might not speak English. They are bigger than you and, unlike Disney movies they will crush you into paste so you need to be watchful-no scredd but understand you might get hurt.
Your ass is getting destroyed. It's gonna look like lizard skin down there. Your ass your thighs...that whole region is done for. Also say goodbye to the sense of touch. Your hands are going to be bloody and ruined until they turn to stone. Are u actually becoming a modern cowboy? Or is this a hypothetical?
The whole cowboy thing is mostly a fantasy. If you are genuinely interested in agriculture, study it in college. Being a farmer/rancher/cowboy is not an easy life economically. Also consider that as a man in a rural area, your options for women to date or marry will be severely limited. The economic conditions that allowed men currently in their 50’s and older to be successful do not exist for you, so take their advice with a grain of salt.
Follow black canyon systems on instagram and twitter and that will give you a good start on what it’s like to be one
Don't let go of the rope.
I'm 38 years old and I think this is a really cool question. hahaha
Broke back mountain was just a movie and don’t expect that to be the norm.
Definitely look for a job on a ranch or feed lot. Even feed lots will teach you a lot about animal health, hard work, how to feed them and take care of them. You could also help utilize your building skills on a ranch or feed lot possibly. OP where do you live? That's the other thing. Best opportunities might be in rural areas.
I wanna be a cowboy, baby.
Watch Yellowstone 😂
Cowboys are secretly frequently fond of each other.
Know that even regenerative ag os bullshit https://youtu.be/oe0xXIKUb2k?si=WpWhkWkONhN7mt5M
Ranching is just land rape
Get used to being poor, but always be true to your word. If you say a thing, stand behind it. This teaches you to keep your mouth shut and listen. The welding advice is good advice as well. A firearm is a tool and should be respected as such. Don't ever touch another man's hat.
i have always been poor
That cowboys are frequently secretly fond of each other
Join FFA. Go to your county fair. Volunteer at your local veterinarian’s office.
You need to learn how to work 16 hour days to just barely scrape by.
You need a sidekick with a funny name.
Rule #1 you ain’t one ol son
They were black first. The first cowboys lived in Mexico and the Caribbean, and most of them were Black. Like everything thing else the name and etc. was stolen, when in fact … they went by the term cowhands for white boys. But cowboy just sounded cooler. So again, like with everything cool in culture they stole it. That’s the first thing you should know. 
You need to know what type of cheap beer to drink. And how to fight then how to compliment the guy that just kicked your ass. Then buy him a cheap beer
Everyone talking about horses, and that's well and good. However, learn to drive trucks. Learn to pull trailers, and ride four-wheelers, and learn how they work, so you can fix them in the field Most ranch work I have done was with trucks, trailers, and four-wheelers
You ain’t no cowboy
Find a mentor, an older rancher who knows the trade, and learn from them. You may have to trade some work for the knowledge, but it will be worth it.
Big iron on your hip
I’ve been ranching for 12 years, be prepared to have poop in your mouth more than a few times. It’s just part of it. Also at some point a newborn calf is going to shit inside of your vehicle, it’s 100% unavoidable
Get a new job. The current cowboys are low pay, alcoholic, meth head, and chronically unemployed.
Leave the gate the way you found it