Wrangling cattle in the wild west is hard.
There's no hat better for tipping as you say, "Howdy Pardner"! Those upturned sides aren't just great handles for swiping off a hat when that sun-kissed senorita rolls into view, they also act as gutters for the torrential rain that comes with mountain country. Keep that noggin covered as long as you're driving those doggies along. Sure, it helps a cowpoke look real cool while getting smart with a two-faced sheriff in some rough and tumble saloon but it truly serves a purpose as well.