Gaucho (35 K)

The gaucho and his horse
For many "gaucho" means orphan. His origin goes back to two civilisations (European and Indian). The first gauchos possibly broke up their ties with the past and left for the solitude of the huge Pampa, where there was enough water and grass for the livestock that had arrived with the settlers.
Only one hour away from Buenos Aires one can experience what the gaucho's life was like. One can admire his gear; his loose trousers called bombachas, his hat or beret, spurs and sharp facón (knife) attached to his belt. The horses, brought by the Spanish conquerors in 1536, during the first foundation of the City of Buenos Aires, were dispersed, multiplying vertiginously in the incommensurable plains. An easy adaptation to their new habitat gave origin to a new race: the Creole horse.

Gauchos (49 K)

Noble and faithful by instinct, of great docility, agile and of extraordinary resistance for the big distances, these horses ended up becoming man's best friend. The Indians also learnt to ride them and sacked the settlements located in the threshold of the frontier that separated civilisation from the wild desert, in huge groups called malón. The regular army and that of montoneras used them in the wars of guerrillas and in the war of independence. But unquestionably the gaucho -who served in all these situations - achieved, riding the vastness of the region, his legendary image of unbroken centaur of the Argentine pampas. And today the descendants of those gauchos and those horses still remain together for all tasks in the field.
One can see them when breaking the colts, at the rodeos, when marking cattle or the way in which they lead horses. They do everything as if they were playing and will never show off their abilities.