Do not romanticize "the Cowboy". They were nothing more than the "blue collar" workers of their day. Most of them were fairly ignorant, and spent most of their off time drunk. All this "nobility" stuff is pure Hollywood crap, they were no more "noble" than the average modern factory worker. Their true strength, and what actually made America great, is always down played or ignored. It was that they worked like dogs, and did what needed doing.
30 below zero and a blizzard ? The cattle and fence lines still need to be checked on, get your ass out there and do it.
Drought or locusts got last years crop ? Tough sh!t, You still need to keep plugging, no bailouts in those days.
It was a hard, thankless, generally hopeless existence and they did it 24/7/365 for $30 or $40 a month and board.
But they did it.