This is a 12 piece set of Miniature Wooden Western Ornaments. The first is a 2 inch tall Cowboy Snowman riding on a red Chili Pepper. The next is a 2 inch long brown Cowboy Hat with holly leaves and berries on the front and back of the brim and a white lariat hat band. Next is a 2 inch tall Western Santa with his rope in one hand and his six shooter in the other. The next one is a 2 inch long by 1¾ inch tall silver pistol with a dark brown handle decorated with holly leaves and berries. There is a brown Cowboy Hat sitting on top of the pistol. Next there is a 1¾ inch tall by 2¼ inch wide pair of brown Cowboy Boots with red and gold stars and blue and red straps around the ankle and foot. Then there is a 2 inch brown star with gold around the edges and the face of a Western Santa in the center. Next is a pair of lucky blue Horseshoes decorated with gold and red designs and tied together with a white lariat and two bunches of red Chili Peppers. Next is a 2 inch tall Cactus decorated with clusters of holly leaves and berries and topped with a brown Cowboy Hat. The next one is a 2¼ inch tall by 2 inch wide Wooden Rocking Horse with a Western Santa Riding on his back ringing a gold bell. Next is a 1¼ inch tall by 1 inch wide Stagecoach driven by Santa, with all his toys and goodies packed on top. The next one is a 2¼ inch tall red Chili Pepper Tree with the green stems adding color. The last ornament in the set is a 2 inch tall by 1 inch wide Western Saddle that is very beautifully decorated. Select this link to view our Christmas Ornament Sets.
The Cowboy Hat.
The cowboy hat is a defining piece of attire for farm and ranch workers in the western United States, Canada and northern Mexico, for country western singers, and for athletes in the North American rodeo circuit. It is recognized around the world as part of The Western cowboy lore.
The concept of a broad brimmed hat with a high crown worn by a rider on horseback came primarily from the tradition of the Mexican vaquero. However, the cowboy hat as known today has many antecedents to its design, including Mexican hats such as the sombrero and galan, the various designs of wide brimmed hat worn by farmers and stockmen in the eastern United States, as well as the design used by the United States Cavalry. Select this link to view our Western Wagon Ornament.
In the early days, the cowboy hat was valued for being functional, with the wide brim protecting working cowboys from the sun and rain. It could be used to signal others, fan a campfire, or pull water out of a stream. Select this link to view our Western Wolf Dangling Ornament.
Stagecoach.
A stagecoach is a type of four-wheeled enclosed coach for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four in hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers. The business of running stagecoaches or the act of journeying in them was known as staging. Select this link to view our Western First Christmas Ornament.
The stagecoach was supported on thoroughbraces, which were leather straps supporting the body of the carriage and serving as springs. The stagecoach itself was sometimes called a "thoroughbrace". The front or after compartment of a Continental stagecoach was called a coupé. On the outside were two back seats facing one another, which the British called baskets. In addition to the stage driver who guided the vehicle, a shotgun messenger, armed with a coach gun, often rode as a guard. Select this link to view our Western Santa.