Jerky, Six-Shooter & Rope:

  After that morning cup of 'Arbuckles' and a mouthful of cold beans with a chew on  a piece of blackened 'jerky' * - our saddle hardened, bandy legged***, weather tanned hero would check his Colts, saddle and rope while likely cursing in Spanish, German or Gaelic - before catching his chosen mount from the 'Remuda ** or string of horses.

* Jerky is dried meat - often salted & spiced to improve preservation.
** Remuda is from the Spanish for 'change of horses'.
*** You can bet your ass that there's a good reason these boys walked a bit bandy-legged after a long day in the saddle eh.

Lassos are also referred to as a lariat, riata, or reata (all from Spanish la reata), It is a loop of rope designed as a restraint to be thrown around a target and tightened when pulled. It is a well-known tool of the American cowboy. The word is also a verb; to lasso is to throw the loop of rope around something.

 Although this tool has several proper names, such terms are rarely employed by those who actually use it -  nearly all cowboys simply call it a "rope," and the use of such is "roping."

 - To most cowboys, the use of other terms — especially "lasso" — identifies the user as a dickhead.

A lasso is made from stiff rope so that the noose stays open when the lasso is thrown. It also allows the cowboy to easily open up the noose from horseback - to release the cattle because the rope is stiff enough to be pushed a little.

- As a kid I remember using mums washing line to try make a lasso - without much luck or ability - almost certainly my failure was due entirely to my small floppy rope.

 A high quality lasso is sometimes weighted for better handling. The lariat has a small reinforced loop at one end, called a honda or hondo, through which the rope passes to form a loop.

Many thanks are due to Wikipedia for all their reference materials.

This 'remuda' all seem to have a star on the face (- Not a "blaze" - which is a stripe).

I truly admire horses as beautiful animals - But I keep well clear since once helping load race-horses onto a cargo plane.

 It has been said that horses are damn dangerous at both ends and bloody uncomfortable in the middle. (Much like revolvers eh).(- I felt the wind from that percussive steel shod hoof flash just inches past my face as I ducked).

Life is super good,

Marty K.