I watched "The Cowboys" the other night.

[JonBailey64]

John Wayne/ Bruce Dern, 1972

I am curious to know if there is any difference between the work of real-world cowboys and 

Hollywood cowboy pictures even starring The Duke, himself. 

Would under-aged cowboys really have been hired on trail drives back in the old days?

Was Mr. Anderson right in locking up the young cowboys' guns in the chuck wagon?

Shouldn't cowboys on trail drives be men of age and always armed to protect the herd from rustlers as well as themselves from wild animals, snakes and Indians?

Was Mr. Anderson wrong in finally hiring on that troublesome Hispanic young fellow?

I hated that arrogant, snotty Cimmaron punk: yes, he saved that other cowboy from drowning in the river but demanded reward money

unlike any true hero. 

The young cowboy in glasses: in spite of that fear of God the long-haired man instilled in him, should he have STILL told his boss about the bad guys who followed them as soon as possible? 

The unfortunate young cowboy who went down into the depression to save a pair of glasses and got trampled to death by all the cows 

holed up down there: is it really dangerous to ride your horse into an area where cattle are tightly confined? 

I loved that scene with the black cook about to be hanged: God forgive me for all the men I have killed and those I am about to.....

[r3020]

Livestock is dangerous. They are big and they can hurt you. Everyone that has been around much livestock can tell you a story or two about how close they have come, or have had a very serious injury because of livestock.

[buckfarmer]

Why did/do cowboys carry pistoles. Think about how much more usefull a rifle is.

[JonBailey64 · Accepted solution]

Handguns are good for close combat. Rifles are good for long range but are not weildy at close range. A cowboy might keep a rifle on his saddle and a pistol or two on his gun belt. The chuck wagon driver might also carry a shotgun. 

I was an expert shot as a soldier. I have enough weapons knowledge, experience and skill as one important prerequisite to enter agrarian life. Every respectable cowboy and farmer regards a gun as an important tool. 

[ray h.]

    I like the part wher John Wayne(Mr.Anderson)told Bruce Dern(long hair Assa Watts,you look like the vemon ridden sob you are!

[buckfarmer]

According to one of those live commercials on RFD, cowboys carried pistols to shoot there horse.
I bet your saying????? WTF.
Close combat. Yep.
The comercial was for breakaway stirrups. They said in the REAL old west, REAL cowboys carried a pistol to shoot their horse when they were thrown and stuck in the stirrup.

[Longcreekfarms]

Never knew him as he was just a child when he was killed. But that's exactly how my dads brother was killed.