You may have thought those cowboy boots you saw perched on fence posts during your last road trip were simply a whimsical decoration.

Usually it’s rural areas where these upside boots pop up and they definitely grab your attention.

According to the Classroom website, there are two meanings behind those cowboy boots on fence posts. However, those reasons formed after the original meaning was no longer necessary.

Curious?

Honoring the Human-Horse Relationship

The relationship between humans and pets is like no other. They really are part of the family, and in this case, when that horse is sold or passes on, cowboys and non-cowboys often place a boot onto their fence post to pay respect to their beloved equine.

In reality, it doesn’t even have to be a horse, but any pet or essential animal on the farm, with which humans share that special human-animal bond.

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Honoring a Worker or Ranch Hand

This form of communication and gratitude, according to Classroom, comes from the saying “a pair of boots for every hand.”

When a rancher passes away, these boots are to honor their memory. Or maybe the worker retired or has moved on for the season.

It’s all about saying thank you in a special, unique way that only farms can.

How This Form of Communication Started and Why

According to Classroom, in the past, before phones, boots were placed on the gate to the farm’s entrance to let people know if the rancher was home or not.

If the boots were pointing toward the home or inward, it meant the rancher or farmer was home, while outward meant he was out and about working.

It’s nice to see how the tradition has evolved with the times in such a beautiful way.