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Cowboy Boots: Where Design Meets Function

By: xdavid

If you own a pair of well-made cowboy boots, you’ve likely noticed the level of comfort they provide, not to mention the element of style combined with matchless function. The popularity of cowboy boots is likely due in most part to this functionality.

During the era of the Cattle Drive (1866-1884), cowboys enjoyed an increase in pay due to better wages from the increase in the profitability of the livestock herding market. They now had the dispensable income to spend on better quality western wear. No longer restricted to the high function and low price of Wellington boots, they sought a boot made from high quality leather that was durable enough to withstand the cowboy lifestyle but stylish enough to start appearing in 1850s-60s fashion magazines. It is during this time that the common style of cowboy boot we know of today came to be- a high heel often with intricate stitching patterns and other decorative additions.

The slick sole of the cowboy boot was favored by cowboys for the ease with which it could slip into and out of saddle stirrups. The tall heel kept the boot from sliding forward and out of the stirrup while the cowboy was riding; a heel that could slip out of the stirrup could prove precarious in the event that the cowboy was standing up while on the horse, which was a common event. Due to the grueling nature of the cattle drive, young, lively horses were preferred over the older, more broken-in horses. The downside to this was that these young horses could often prove unpredictable, prompting a cowboy to stand up in the stirrups to regain control of the horse. But if the worst happened and the cowboy was thrown from the horse, his cowboy boots would easily slide out of the stirrups, preventing him from being drug behind the chaotic galloping of a runaway horse.

The advent of the cowboy boot greatly improved the living conditions of cowboys on cattle drives. The tall shaft protected the leg and ankle from becoming chafed from the rubbing against the stirrup leathers and also protected the cowboy when he was dismounted. Snakebites, thorns, and brush weren’t a threat when the cowboy was wearing his boots, and the high shaft also prevented the boot from filling with mud or water during inclement weather or river crossings.

Today, cowboy boots are available in nearly every color of the rainbow and worn by people from all walks of life. Western apparel stores often feature a variety of boots in different styles and heel heights, with different stitching patterns and other embellishments. Cowboy boots began as a mixture of practicality and style, and today many wear them for their comfort and versatility.

Article Source: http://www.article-voip.com

Written by Mel Bryson. Brand name cowboy boots and western wear at The Boot Store online store for western apparel. Ariat boots, Justin boots more at western-wear-store.com

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