When a horse dies or is sold, many ranchers decide to donate a pair of boots and put them on the fence as a way to honor the animal because they have developed strong bonds with them and have spent years training and caring for them.
But boots don’t just celebrate animals; they also frequently recognize a cherished ranch hand. Based on the proverb “a pair of boots for every hand,” ranch workers can become members of the family because many of them live and eat on the land.
Boots may be positioned on the fence in honor of a beloved assistant who dies or moves on. In these cases, the employee usually owned the boots.
