Vaquero
The Vaquero is generally the mounted cattle herdsman in Spain and many of its (former) Latin American colonies, where he z. B. Huaso (Chile), Gaucho (Argentina, Uruguay), Vaqueiro (Brazil) or Charro (Mexico) etc. occurs. In Portugal he does similar work, but there he is called Campino and wears a completely different costume. The word is pronounced with a soft "B" at the beginning, which also resembles a "W"; not with a sharply accented "V".
Equipment and style
The Spanish vaquero traditionally wears a flat felt hat (Cordobeser), a short jacket, a shirt and an abdominal band, striped, straight-cut trousers with a high waistband and brown leather boots of medium height. On horseback he protects his legs with leather leggings, the so-called zahones; these are often adorned with decorative embroidery. His equipment also includes simple, mostly burnished wheel spurs , which are fastened with a leather strap and an approx. Three to four meter long, wooden driving rod, the garrocha. With this, riding stunts are often shown in show riding (the so-called Garrocha riding), with the rider showing the handling of this tool and additionally turning tight voltes around the set up bar. The campino wears a pointed cap in which money and cigarettes are stowed, plus a baggy shirt and breeches made of white thread and rough shoes; his costume is more reminiscent of a rural worker than a rider. Here, too, a driving rod is sometimes used under the name Pampilho. Today these costumes are often not very distinctive and are being replaced by modern clothing and equipment. Flat caps, rain jackets, riding breeches etc. have become common in everyday life. On traditional occasions (ferias, fiestas, equestrian games, bullfights etc.) you can still see the original release.
Posture, riding style and lifestyle are mostly characterized by a certain machismo, a male attitude to life that includes pride, vanity and daring. The vaquero rides one-handed, with an upright seat and almost only in the gaits of walk and short gallop; the uncomfortable trot is avoided. Many vaqueros and their horses also master quite difficult lessons such as piaffes, levades or traversals. The image of the vaquero has become known in recent years through numerous show appearances by Spanish or quasi-Spanish riders in the rest of Europe, especially in connection with artistic garrocha control or with flamenco background. The popularity of Iberian horses (PRE, Lusitano) has led to a spread of the Iberian riding culture, which can now also be found or imitated in Germany, France, England and other countries. The vaquero was the model for the American work riders / cattle herders; the word later underwent a corruption as Buckaroo / Buckeroo, which is still widespread in some western US states today.
Doma Vaquera
In Spain the vaquero is in particular the guardian of the herds of cattle, hence his name, "cattle or cow man" - from vaca, the cow, the beef. He mainly works with the breeding cattle of the large farms, which also produce the fighting bulls for bullfighting . The use of a well-trained, persevering horse is essential for driving, separating, hauling in or pushing away the often quite aggressive cattle. The special work riding style developed for herding and driving cattle probably originally came from the Iberian region. The method of training the horses developed from it is called Doma Vaquera , literally the "taming of cattle". Many of the American working riders of Iberian origin use a similar riding style, but this is always adapted to regional conditions.
For several decades the "Doma Vaquera" has been ridden under this name in Spain as a separate sporting competition. The required lessons are taken from the daily work on the "campo" (the pasture) and are similar to those of western riding (reining). His horse is usually a suitably trained Andalusian with a well-developed cow sense , or a so-called Tres Sangres, a type of English thoroughbred , Arab and Andalusian specially developed for cattle work . Sometimes crosses between only two of these breeds or with quarter horses are used. A shepherd's horse has to be agile, sensitive, quick to react, courageous, rideable and intelligent. In addition, it must have maneuverability, high acceleration and cow sense. Cow sense is an instinctive approach to the behavior of cattle. A good vaquero is able to train his horses to do this and is usually an instinctive, confident and careful rider. However, almost all work riders worldwide are not very squeamish in handling and training their mounts, since they have to demand absolute obedience. The word doma for breaking in, riding in, taming or breaking in literally means submission and already indicates this. In almost all pastoral cultures that work with horses, more or less precise / harsh training materials are used, such as the so-called Serreta in Spain, the Bocado in South America, the Bosal in North America, the Bozal in Peru etc.
Saddlery
The workhorse's saddle equipment usually consists of a simple curb bridle with either leather fringes on the browband (Frontaleras) or a tasseled decorative braid made of horsehair (Mosquero). Both serve to ward off insects. The working saddle is called Albardón in Spain and is similar to the Moorish saddle of the Berber peoples, with a high back and a large support. Its core is a solid straw mat, which is covered with leather and has the superstructures ( Zwiesel , gallery) made of coated wood at the front and back , which ensure a secure fit. The mostly triangular-box-shaped stirrups are identical to those from Africa and protect the foot. The entire equipment is likely to have strong influences from Moorish riding culture, or goes back to those, while the costume is based on those of the Spanish country nobility (Hidalgos), who can be considered good riders themselves. The large landowners mainly demonstrate their riding skills in the mounted bullfight, the Rejoneo. In Portugal, a simple saddle (often of the buck saddle type) and curb bridle are also used; the saddlery there differs significantly from the Spanish one.
Rejoneador
The horses of a Rejoneador (mounted bullfighter as opposed to a torero who fights on foot) are of a similar nature and, if possible, more precisely trained than those of the vaquero, since in a bullfight any incorrect reaction can lead to injury or death. The horses have to be brave and, if necessary, help to provoke a bull so that the Rejoneador can push the banderillas (small lances) into the neck of the bull. In principle, what has been said above applies analogously to them. Each fight consists of several sections, usually different horses are used, as the behavior of the bull changes with the continuation of the Rejoneo.