"Cowboy" boots were originally made to be walked in, so the heels were flatter than the heels we now associate with these boots. As it became obvious that working around a ranch required more and more riding, a boot with much higher stacked leather heel was designed for a riding boot. The higher heel is also slanted forward to keep a rider's foot in the stirrup. This design was necessary because the American cowboy rode fast and hard, making short, abrupt turns as he herded cows. The top of cowboy boots was tall to protect a rider's legs as he rode through brush and cactus country. Boots designed for rough ranch work are usually made of tough hides like bull hide, water buffalo, or elk hide. Standard boots are usually sold in simple colors like brown and black, but now the boot business has gotten rather showy. High fashion designers have discovered the cowboy boot, and the boot has suddenly become a status symbol. First of all, there are a lot of new bright colors available, like red, green, blue, and orange, even purple. Demand among Westerners is strong for boots made from exotic hides, and Easterners are beginning to demand the exotic leathers as well. Suede is old-fashioned now; lizard, snake, and alligator are becoming common themselves. Caribou is a favorite just now, a subtle material that looks like many other leathers but has a more interesting texture. Among reptile skins, eel is considered a status item, for it too has a subtle texture lacking in other reptile skins. Among ranchers in Texas, the highest status boot is a pair of ostrich skin boots, about $500. Add a fancy "toe bug," the little silver covers for the toe, and you've outstepped your competition completely.