DK Eyewitness Guides: Cowboy (Hardcover, Reissue)

The life of a cowboy is often portrayed as glamorous and exciting, but the reality could be boring, hard physical work, and, at times, dangerous. With a series of superb, full-colour photographs of real-life gauchos and vaqueros, American buckaroos, French gardians, and Australian stockmen, Eyewitness Cowboy gives a fascinating insight into the lives of cowboys around the world.

The book takes the reader on an exciting journey starting with Mexican charros and the working cowhands of the USA and Canada. Learn how to saddle a horse and put on cowboy boots, find out how a cow is cut from a herd, and see an amazing 3-D model of a ranch. Ride along with cowboys on cattle-driving trails and discover the dangers that may be lurking there. At the trail's end, take a look at the legendary lawmen and the guns they used to track down outlaws.

Learn how the cowboys' legend has become an important cultural influence on films, books, songs, and fashion, and feel the thrill and excitement of the rodeo. If you've ever wanted to see cowboys in action, or wondered what life is like on a ranch, Eyewitness Cowboy will show you.

• Here is an original and exciting look at the fascinating lives of cowboys from around the world
• Stunning, real-life photographs of horses and cattle, branding irons and lariats offer a unique 'eyewitness' view of life on the range
• See what an authentic chuckwagon looks like; how an expert ropes a calf; a rodeo rider in action on a wild steer; how a saddle is made; a Mongolian herdsman lassoing a wild horse
• Learn where wild horses and bulls live in France; why cowboys wear woollies; how to tame a bucking bronco; why a gaucho decorates his belt with silver coins
• Discover how Little Annie Oakley got her nickname; why an Australian saddle has no horn; how the cowboy's romantic image influenced music and films; what an 1880s Texan cowhand wore; and much, much more