Chaps

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This article is about clothing worn by cowboys, farriers and other people who work with livestock. For other uses, see Chaps (disambiguation).

Chaps are sturdy leather coverings for the legs. They are buckled on over trousers and belt with the chaps' integrated belt, but unlike trousers they have no seat and are not joined at the crotch. They are designed to provide protection for the legs and are usually made of leather or a leather-like material.

The word is recorded in English since 1844, as an abbreviation of chaparajos, from Mexican or Spanish chaparreras. Words with similar background include chaparro or chaparral, the evergreen scrub vegetation that can tear at a rider's legs and gave rise to the need for chaps.^[1]

Because of the Mexican and Spanish origin of the word and its historical development in the American west, the proper pronunciation of the word chaps, when referring to this garment, is with a "sh" sound (IPA [ʃ], as in shave), rather than "ch" (IPA [tʃ], as in chime).^[2] The word is so commonly mispronounced, however, that even some dictionaries list both forms as correct.^[3] Nonetheless, the authentic pronounciation by the working cowboy of the American west is "shaps."^[4]

1 Types
2 Uses
3 References
4 Sources

[edit] Types

Pair of batwing chaps

The principal styles of chaps are:

Batwing chaps are cut wide with a flare at the bottom. Generally made of smooth leather, they have only with two or three fasteners around the thigh, thus allowing great freedom of movement for the lower leg. This is helpful when riding very actively, and makes it easier to mount the horse. This design also provides more air circulation and is thus somewhat cooler for hot weather wear. Batwing chaps are often seen on rodeo riders, particularly those who ride bucking stock. They are also seen on working ranches when riders need protection from brush and thorns.

Shotgun chaps were so named because the legs are "straight and narrow as a shotgun's barrel". Each leg is cut from a single piece of leather. They are narrow and snug, wrapping completely around the leg. Shotguns were originally a pull-on garment, although modern ones have full-length zippers running along the outside of the leg from the thigh to the ankles. Shotguns do not flap around as much as batwings--a major consideration when riding green or spooky horses--and they are also better at trapping body heat, a great advantage in windy, snowy or cold conditions. Shotgun Chaps are most commonly seen in horse show competition for western riders, especially western equitation.

Chinks are a related protective garment, a type of half-length chap that attach at the waist and stop just below the knee. Chinks are most often worn by farriers while shoeing horses, but also are sometimes worn by cowboys in the Pacific Northwest, most notably seen on those who follow the California Vaquero tradition. The leg usually ending two to four inches (5 to 10 cm) below the knee. Chinks are usually fringed along the outside edge, making their apparent length about 4 inches (10 cm) longer. They are cut to fit somewhere between batwings and shotguns, and usually have only two fasteners high on the thigh. They are the coolest of the protective garments.

Half Chaps are also a partial protective garment. Opposite of chinks, half chaps begin at the boot and go up to end right below the knee. They are commonly used over the paddock boots of English-style riders in place of tall boots. Half-chaps are usually made of leather, and have a zip closure on the outside. They provide grip for the rider, and protection from the stirrup leather.

[edit] Uses

Chaps are intended to protect the legs of cowboys from contact with daily environmental hazards seen in working with cattle, horses and other livestock . They help to protect riders' legs from scraping on brush, injury from thorns of cacti and other thorny vegetation, reduce the chance of rope burns, and reduce the dust load on clothing. A specialized version type of chinks known as a shoeing or farrier's apron protects the legs of farriers from getting scratched or cut up in the process of shoeing or otherwise treating the hooves of horses.

Motorcycle chaps are an example of the shotgun style. They generally provide all round protection for the leg and have side zips to allow them to be put on easily. They are popular in the biker and leather subcultures, providing protection from the wind and cold, as well as partial protection of bikers from cuts and scrapes in the event of a fall to the roadway.