Cowboy Hats: Myths and Superstition

Historically, cowboy hats have been used for many things. Cowboy hats descended from similar wide brimmed, tall-crown hats of different varieties since as early as the 13th century. But the Cowboy hat popular in the American west is a true icon and has a lot of interesting lore that surrounds it. Did you know that it's bad luck to lay your hat on your bed? The sport of rodeo has attributed to many of the myths, so here are some of the superstitions and myths that came to surround this great American icon.

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1.) Laying Your Hat on Your Bed Will Bring Bad luck. It's hard to say where this one originated, but it's safe to say that it has permeated Western and cowboy culture thoroughly. According to the superstition, placing your hat on your bed brings general bad luck to the owner of the hat. It's said that rodeo cowboys will avoid doing this at all costs, because they believe they will lose their next rodeo if they receive the myths bad luck.

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2.) Never Change the Name of Your Horse Once a horse's name is set, it should never be changed. This is the saying on many ranches across the US. If the horses name is changed at any point, bad luck will come across that horse.

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3.) Laying Your Hat Upside-Down Having a proper hat box is essential for storing your cowboy hat. As the superstition goes, your hat should be stored with the opening facing up, so as to "catch luck" inside of it. Alternatively, laying your hat with the opening down allows all the luck to fall out. This myth has roots in rodeo culture as well, as you need all the luck you can take before competing. Stetson and Resistol provide sturdy, branded boxes that store your hat in this manner!

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4.) Wear Two Different Colored Socks in the Ring You' have to have a certain amount of luck every time you jump on a rodeo bull, no matter how skilled you are. This one is about pure luck. It is said that if you wear two different colored socks, you're better off than wearing a matching pair.