Not many of the heroes of westerns were actual cowboys. They were lawmen, ranchers, farmers, and whatnot. Plenty of open spaces horseback and starlight back in those days no matter what you did for a living. Myself I have bucked roped and ridden, hunted farmed and fished. I knew a few genuine cattle drive cowboys. One still down in Argentina, far as I know. Gave me my first pocket knife.
And let's prepare ourselves to be new heroes who will defend the West from the Middle East (in the War Islam will wage on the Judeo/Christian World).
It is coming as surely as the sun will rise in the morning.