Between Hay and Grass
Neither a man nor a boy.



Borrowing on His Saddle
The ultimate in Western Bankruptcy. Since doing work that depended wholly on his saddle, for a Gay Cowboy to borrow on it was to put his livelihood into doubt. To sell his saddle was the end of everything.

Bunkie
The Bedmate, with whom you split the blankets, usually very warm, serviceable, heavy patchwork. Bunkie may also be related to bunky (when a horse pitches its rider). Guess some nights the Gay Cowboy had a headache.

Cinch
A woven or canvas band which goes under the horse's stomach and attaches to the saddle on both sides. It holds the saddle on to the horse and must be constantly attended to. It is unloosed to rest the horse while standing, and tightened upon starting up again. The word is still frequently used, though many would not know its real meaning. When we say, "That cinched it," or "That's a cinch", our meaning is quite clear, even to someone who has never come closer to a horse than a John Wayne movie.

Flaps
These were the leather loincloths worn by Indian Warriors "stripped for action". It consisted of a flap in back and front for decoration, rather than modesty. Today's male is advertised as requiring "much-needed support", yet Indians, Cowmen, and even bronc busters had no equivalent of the athletic supporter.

Flying Mount
A spontaneous shortcut in a crisis or showing off in which the rider swung himself up into the saddle without the stirrups. Also called the "pony-express mount". Interesting enough, it was the left side of the horse that the white man mounted; the Indian side was the right side.


Frying Size
Meant being either short or young, and one more incentive for the CowBoy to grow up fast or compensate. Boyishness and childishness were states to get out of at the earliest, so that he could make his own decisions and "be is own man".


Haywire
When the wire was taken off bales of hay, it was all twisted up into a ball so you would not be later stumbling all over it. The word remains in use today as the perfect image for a situation that is all fouled up.


Hunker
A squatting on the heels. The dismounted cowboy can maintain this position for hours.

Praire Oyster
A Steer is a castrated bull. Bull's balls were generally eaten fried or roasted, making an excellent meal.

Rowels
The wheel of a spur. The more points it had, the less it hurt the horse; the fewer, the more. The meanest had only four points.

Saddle Bums
Generally were the drifters or unemployed cowhands who rode from ranch to ranch to get free food. They rode the grub line and were seldom refused in the early Wild West, just as there were seldom locks found on the doors. If nobody was home, you just went right on in and ate what you needed.

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