The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1890-11-01
sH.i vAC0 Ike.
lIe Il Otter wrcne i'r J-n'on.lde''
WI tho C-~-s3.

rhe Former Il But . Breaker of Wild
Horses, while the Latter's Occu-
patton Ii Indicated by
Z; kfis Name.
A great many people, even 10 the
West, confound yacqueros with cow
boys, some even supposing that the only
difference between the men known by
these names is that OF locality OF the
country in which they work; in other
words, that man working with range
cattle is a cowboy in the North and .
vacquero in the South. Such mistake,
however, is only made by people unac-
quainted with range work, because as
matter of fact there is a vast difference
between the occupations in which these
men are engaged. 1t is true every vac
Quero may become q cowboy; but every
cowboy can not possibly become a vac
quero. asar1upe <%snt<nassas s<sx-st
The name and the occupation it do
notes are both of Spanish origin, says
Chambers Journal. 1t is matter Of
history that the first horses brought to
America were from Spain and the cow
ponies used in Texas and Old and New
Mexico are to-day mongrel descendants
from the pure-bred Barbs landed on the
shores Of the Gulf OF Mexico over a
century since.s The same is true of the
vacquero, for he is invariably Mex
lean, sometimes the descendant from
pure Castilian family; but more often a
''Greaser" or half-breed, having the
blood Of the Castilian and Indian mixed
In his veins. = His occupation is hand
ling and breaking wild horses, and
while he inherits the hot-tempered, i'm
petuous disposition, together with the
reckless bravery Of his Spanish ances-
try, he has also coupled with 1t the cum
ming and treachery of his Indian fore
fathers in as noted degree as the wild
descendants of those pure-bred Spanish
palfreys have inherited their high spir-
its, speed and endurance. ~
In his dress the vacquero gives the
strongest outward evidence OF his an
cestry and occupation. b The heavy,
broad-brimmed sombrero, ornamented
with gold or silver braid and cord; the
fancifully-decorated and embroidered
velveteen jacket and trousers with buck
skin shirt and gaily-colored sash, long
legged boots and big spurs. form inyari-
ably the dress adopted by him, no mat
ter how poor he may be or how old and
worn his garments. ,H<sQyszksara
In choosing his outfit, his saddle and
bride, he is more careful than the ordi-
nary cowboy, and gives less thought to
the expense; especially SO is this the case
with regard to the trappings Of his saddle,
which are often fastened in place with
silver-headed rivets, the heads being fire.
quently as large as crown piece and
engraved with monographs, or brands,
or any other device which may catch his
fancy. His bride is usually Of his own
manufacture, of plated horse-hair of
different colors so combined as to give
evidence OF his natural artistic taste.
1t differs from the ordinary bride in
being so constructed as to BIO adapted
for use with or without bits, and when
used In the latter shape is called
''hackamore." It's in this shape the vac
quero invariably uses it tho first time
he saddles and mounts wild horse, be-
cause then the bits are useless, and only
irritate the animal; the first lesson the
vacquero desires to teach 1T being to 90
ahead without any regard to direction,
the hair-cord, which passes around the
nose and jaws being sufficiently strong
to stop its wild race, II such course is
necessary. The lasso or lariat used by
the vacquero is, like the cowboys, made
from plated raw-hide or horse-hair,
about thirty feet in length, and so heavy
that none but very strong wind is
able to alter the course Of the moose
when thrown at a fleeing animal. =. ssi
THE outfit entire is often worth hun
dreds Of dollars, and represents the vac
quero's stock in trade, being as indis-
pensable as lawyers or physicians Ii
brary. We have often seen such anout-
fit girthed, or ''sinchedn as they saw, on
horse not worth more cents than the
outfit was dollars. The yacquero takes
more pride in the completeness and
quality Of his outfit than tho ordinary
cowboy. 04okDsaakls&es-. -
Rarely do you ever see the vacouero
change his occupations; he is apparently
born In the saddle, reared In the
saddle, and not unfrequently falls
dead from the saddle. He is more ac.
complished with the lasso than the
cowboy, and no vacquero is considered 4
thoroughly competent lasso- thrower.
or roper, unless he can catch a horse
running at its utmost speed by any one
Of Its four feet, or its two front or hind
feet Merely to be able to throw lasso
over the horses head is no qualification
Tor vacquero. , Then, too, an efficient
vacquero understands thoroughly the
art Of braiding horse-hair or raw-bide
and making therefrom brides, riding
whips or ssquerts," and lassos Or iariats
VI course, the main difference be-
tween the vacquero and cowboy is that
the former is employed exclusively
with range-horses, while the latter's
charges are horned creatures. Besides
this, the thorough vacquero is rarely
seen In the North. In other respects.
however, his life and habits are very
similar to those of the cowboy: but he
y better paid, and actually his life is in
greater danger; for, while the cowbov
may have occasionally TO break q
broncho or half-wild horse, that istbe
vacquero's regular occupation, and he
nay be called on to ride Ave or sir 4
Day for weeks at time.
lar