A Dying Breed
Many popular books and movies paint a fantastical picture of the cowboy that glorifies his lifestyle and while many living it wouldn’t trade it for the world, there is a reason the cowboy is a dying breed. Although the cowboy could be considered a “working man” the similarities between him and the everyday blue-collar worker stop there. The cowboy works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; he doesn’t have set hours, days that he must go to work, and is never guaranteed a day off. Most of the time, the cowboy lives where he works whether that be out on the range, in the back of a truck as he travels across the country from rodeo to rodeo, or in the barn carry for a sick or injured animal that’s relying on him for survival. Since the cowboy’s job is to care for animals instead of working on a computer like many us is, he is always on call.
The cowboy way is a lifestyle that is deeply seeded in traditional values. His life is hard, but simple and doesn’t rely on technology to get the job done. However, as our society continues to evolve into an age where technology, and the simple way of life is no longer valued, the cowboy way of life is dwindling. A cowboy’s work is hard, and our society has become accustomed to desire instant gratification in most aspects of our daily life so the cowboy’s lifestyle isn’t one to be desired by the younger generation.
The Rodeo Way of Life
Today, we’re not living in a Wild West type of environment and while there is still some need for cowboys out on the range, the development of land has greatly reduced the cowboy’s original job significantly. One way, cowboys today stay connected to the West, per say, is by making a living on the rodeo circuit. Rodeos today are enormous attractions that pay homage to the Wild West Shows that started it all those many years ago and they bring in vast numbers of crowds all across the country. However, living life on the road, pulling a horse trailer packed with all of your belongings from state to state is not a glamorous life. Many cowboys and cowgirls who make a living competing on the circuit barely make enough to make ends meet from rodeo to rodeo. They do it for the love of the sport, and many people today do not have that passion inside them to allow them to thrive.
A Dangerous Game
One important aspect that’s rarely discussed in the cowboy lifestyle, especially those travelling on the rodeo circuit is lack of health care options. Many rodeo riders and cowboys working on the range can’t afford good health insurance and because of the nature of their job, injuries are inevitable. The question is not if it will happen, but when it will happen and how bad? Lack of adequate health insurance renders many cowboys unable to get the care they need and working in constant pain and discomfort. Only the small percentage of champion cowboys, ranchers, and cowgirls who’d made it to stardom in the western world can afford the care required for a job so grueling and hard on the body. In today’s society, most jobs offer benefit packages in order to attracted talented workers but working on a ranch or travelling on the rodeo circuit doesn’t offer any of these safety nets.