Why did cowboys on the trail need to be especially alert during a thunderstorm?

Oh, dude, like, cowboys needed to be extra careful during a thunderstorm because, you know, lightning can strike them or start a fire with all that dry grass around. Plus, their horses could get spooked and throw them off, which is never a fun time. So, yeah, staying alert during a thunderstorm was pretty important for those rough and tough cowboys out on the trail.