In the 1700′s German military uniforms included a boot known as a Hessian. It was practical in design with a pointed toe and low heel which made the use of stirrups much easier. Reaching the knee, these boots also had a tassel at the top which was purely for decoration. These boots caught on with the general public and eventually led to the design of cowboy boots and wellingtons. In the early 18th century, the usefulness of these boots made them popular among the earliest cowboys.

     The evolution of the design of the cowboy boot was again guided by the practicality of the boot. A smooth sole with a narrow toe made it much easier to mount a horse, allowing a for an easier insertion into the stirrups. A tall heel was also useful for keeping the rider’s foot locked in the stirrups in the event that they encountered rough terrain, or a spooked horse. The tall shaft of the boot served several purposes. One of them was to provide a loose yet comfortable fit without laces. If the cowboy got thrown or fell from the horse and his foot got stuck in the stirrup there was a good chance that the boot would come off before he was dragged and injured. The tall shaft also provided protection from chafing and encounters with brush, trees, rocks, and even rattlesnakes! It should be noted that modern cowboy boots with their extremely pointed toes are purely decorative. Early cowboy boots had a much shallower point to them due to the fact that they were a working boot designed for comfort.

From here, a new variant of the cowboy boot emerged. It was called the roper boot and was geared towards rodeo cowboys that were involved in calf roping. Since this required running and riding, the shaft and the heel were both lowered to make this easier. The toe was more rounded and occasionally even square.  Modern cowboy boots are quite a bit different than their earlier relatives. They are adorned with decorative stitching and cutouts and several different heel and toe styles. They’re also made from many different and sometimes exotic materials. Among the more popular of these materials is ostrich, alligator, and snake skin.