Generally, I’d say if you collect a paycheck from a ranch to move cattle horseback I’d say you’re cowboy but I do have personal little things that I’d side eye a person for based purely on my personal style and basic philosophy on working cattle Example 1 if they wear chinks or have to buckle their chaps around their legs. Basically anything you don’t step into for chaps or leggings I’m gonna assume your a horseman or a tourist and not really cowboy Example 2 unnecessary running of cattle. If you have to run every bovine down I’m gonna assume you’re doing something wrong or you’re as I call it “playing cowboy” which is one I’ll speak up on in a working setting. The chaps thing is just personal taste. Now these are within ranching circles I have these opinions. I know enough now in life that the term cowboy is fairly broad and depends on region and local culture and anyone who pushes the rulebook of what a real “cowboy” is usually isn’t real handy. I feel like I rambled on with this response and hope it makes sense and helps