Writing western romance means the author has a command of a whole different lingo. Granted, if we wrote the way they talked in the late 1800's our readers wouldn't understand a word of the story. However, tossing a few new terms into the mix never hurt.
Most of us realize that many of the words our cowboy heroes used come from the Spanish. Words like Lariat (rope), rodeo, even the word cowboy. But there were other terms that sweeten the tales.
Bronco - a partly broken or rough horse
Buckaroo - an experienced bronc buster
Brand blotter - one who changes the brand on a steer or a horse
Bulldog - to slip from a galloping pony on to a steer's neck, grab the horns and twist the head till the animal topples over pinned to the ground.
Bummer - a motherless lamb
Buttermilk - a calf whose mother died and whose daddy ran off with another cow
cactus boomers - wild brush cattle
cayuse - a pony of the northern planins especially an Indian pony also called a broom tail or fuzz tail
Chaparejos (Chaps) - leather leggins or over -breeches worn to protect rider's legs from rough brush country
Choke Biscuit -to hold on to the saddle horn to keep from being thrown.
A flat heeled peeler - amateur cowboy
Hog leg - a cowman's gun
Ladino - an outlaw cow
Latigo - a cinch strap
Nester - homesteader or squatter
Nose Paint - whiskey
Outlaw - a wild vicious horse that can't be broken
Reata - a braided rawhide rope used in the southwest
Remuda -in the Northwest a bunch of saddle horses
Running iron - a branding iron other than the type used to stamp on hide
Wo Haw - Indian name for cattle
So now that you've improved your brain, time to sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy your next book. Until next time,
Nan
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