One of the first tasks of the clerk of the new county (in addition to issuing his own marriage license) was to register brands and marks for the cattlemen.  Owing to the open range, marks which could be seen at a distance were important and larger brands were also used, for the same reason, than those used later.  Brands and marks for hogs were also registered and horse brands, registered often were the same as cattle brands.

In later years, cattle brands were smaller and often placed on the jaw to avoid marring the hide of the animal, for they have many uses, and bring a good price.  But brands were most important to cattlemen and owing to the open range of the time, unbranded animals were nobody's property and could be "Mavericked" after a calf was weaned.

Branding irons were designed by the owner and made in a blacksmith shop along with bridle bits, and spurs, which were also necessary parts of every cowman's outfit.  In later years, cattlemen "went fancy" on spurs, saddles and bridles, using silver mountings as well as brass and sometimes gold.  No "self-respecting" cattleman of the late 1880s would be without a pair of these silver mounted spurs.  The rowels were of different designs according to the needs of wishes of the wearer.  Bridles were also designed according to the whim of needs of the rider who would use them.

Saddle shops were a necessary part of the west in its growth and development.  Early residents of the county were not too concerned with them as they became a few years later when the county was a cattle empire.  Often a young man came to the country with no assets except a horse and saddle and a few clothes and many of them became the largest owners of cattle and land in the cow kingdom.  In the saddle shops of early days (the 1880s and later until they sort of took a back seat the last few years with the coming of cars and other transportation for the ranchman) were something of a custom building business and many were famed far and wide for their original and intricate designs of ornamentation.

Many an early cowman had his initials woven into the decorative design of his saddle in such a manner as to identify the saddle in case it was stolen.  Sometimes it was his brand, rather than his initials and perhaps he and the saddle maker were the only persons who knew of the subterfuge.  It was sure identification, though if it were stolen and recovered.

Boot makers also became a large part of the cattle industry before the turn of the century.  Many cattlemen had their measure taken by their favorite boot maker and didn't see him again for many years; each time a new pair of boots (which might be several years apart, for those boots were oiled to keep them waterproof and to make them last and not shined to make them "pretty") was needed, he wrote the boot maker, asking for a new pair to be made from the same measurements.  The boots were made and sent to the man and nobody ever complained of ill-fitting boots.  Later, many designs, often the suit the personality or whim of the owner, were made into boots giving individuality to them as with other articles of wear for the cowman and his romantic follower, the "drugstore cowboy".

Ropes, a necessary part of any cowman's equipment, were made of rawhide until hemp and other materials were used.

Quirts, another part of the early cowman's equipment, were often plaited in 16-strands or made in many ways to suit the user.  Someone who had been in Mexico or associated with someone who had been, often braided the quirts.

Hobbles for horses, which had to be used on occasions when a horse need not be tied but must not be allowed to get too far away were made of raw hide.

The importance of the blacksmith in early day life is hard to estimate.  He was depended upon for many things and many times he had a shop at his home and farmed, or ranched on the side.  Often his custo9mers brought their work and "stayed to dinner" (meaning the noon meal).