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Chaps are a form of protective leg covering most often worn by cowboys. They look like seatless leggings with an attached belt and are meant to be buckled over the pants. Chaps are typically made of leather or other sturdy, leather-like material.

The earliest known version was worn by the Spanish herding cattle in Mexico. They were originally called “armas” which means shields. They were made of cowhide and attached to the saddle horn, covering the horse’s chest as well as the legs of the rider. These were useful, but bulky and cumbersome.

In the early 1800′s armitas were worn. These were made of animal skins and came to just below the knee. They were attached to a belt by loops or ties. As this type of covering traveled north, it went through many style adaptations. Cattlemen designed these protective coverings to fit their climate, terrain, and local hazards. By 1870, Texas cowboys were wearing full length leather chaperajos that enclosed the leg. They were called shotgun chaps because they looked like a double barrel shotgun.

There have been other slight variations on chaps since that time. Today chaps are worn for protection during work, as well as for show or exhibition use.

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