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What did cowboys do in the winter?

The work of the cowboys was not glamorous. Movies do a disservice to the cowboys because they had to work very hard, no matter what the season was. The movies made it look like the cowboys had a fun and a glamorous life. That simply wasn’t the case.


The first issue facing the cowboys was if they would remain employed during the winter. Some cowboys weren’t retained during the winter months. Cowboys, if they remained employed, did have some jobs to do in the winter. The cowboys who remained on the ranch in the winter had to tend to various jobs on the ranch. They needed to be sure that the cattle were safe. The cattle could wander away if they weren’t closely watched. There also was some concern about cattle being stolen. It was the job of the cowboys to watch over and keep the cattle safe.


Those cowboys who remained on the job were busy during the winter months.

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