Why do cowboys wear their hats indoors?

The way I was reared, a gentleman always removes his hat indoors, but cowboys, particularly in Texas, never seem to do that (except in courtrooms, churches, or private residences) and everyone seems OK with that.

If you watch Westerns on TV, you’ll see men seated at tables in saloons, playing cards with their hats on. If a lady walks into the establishment, sometimes the men will stand up, should she approach their table, and they will touch the front brim of their hat, as if they were going to remove it, but just as a gesture of courtesy, without actually removing it.

I’ve always wondered why, excepting the places I mentioned, that it just seems “natural” for a cowboy to keep his hat on his head, indoors.

Any ideas regarding how this custom began, and survives to this day?

September 6, 2008, 10:54 AM EDT