It is said that Uruguay was founded by 35 Gauchos (horsemen).
Firstly, Jos̩ Gervasio Artigas Arnal (1764 Р1850) is a
national hero of Uruguay, sometimes called "the father of Uruguayan
nationhood". At the age of 12, he moved to the countryside and
worked on his family's farms. His contact with the customs and
perspectives of gauchos made a great impression on
him.
Secondly, Juan Antonio Lavalleja (1784 –1853) was
an Uruguayan revolutionary and political figure. And
there were 33 gauchos from the eastern side of the country, whom he
led. These 35 cowboys made a nation.
Today, the Gaucho is central to Uruguayan identity. From
the pony tail type quiff (which Artigas himself wore) and now is proudly worn
by young adolescents, and also used to warn you of that a horse is not yet
tamed or broken. To the drinking of maté and the generally
‘informal’ way of dealing with life.
At the end of February I went to a local horse show where the
Gauchos get together and strut their stuff, and testosterone – so
amusing seeing their posing and posturing. They had 3 events, lassoing a
young cow on foot, where this young thing runs through a group of gauchos on
foot and it’s the one that manages to lasso the feet and tumble the cow that
wins. Pretty daft really, but I understand the use. So
there’s these ten guys (5 each side) all chucking their ropes as the thing runs
down the middle. There was a new motor-cycle for the one that did
it more than rest. It went on for hours! Fortunately in the
next ring there was barrel racing. 5 barrels (those blue big
plastic ones) in a line and two on either side in the shape of a T.
Run up to then end then slalom back to the T point – do a figure of 8 and then
slalom back to the top and run back past the post wins. Great
agility. I noticed that the ones that hit and forced their horses
rarely won. Quite a few girls and young kids. (Even
tiny ones – the youngest was about 5 yrs old). The final attraction was
rodeo riding; wild horse stuff. Silly and stupid. I
left at that point!
The nice thing was that the crowd, horses and riders all
mingled. No helmets – no nervousness and no horses misbehaving or
worried about cars, people or noises (and there was lots
of hullabaloo . I notice that they all use fixed Weymouth
bits with chain chin strap. One handed riding. Some
with a nose band and some with a crossover bridle between the eyes(?) and a lot
without either (nose-band).
Most animals look well on a grass and alfalfa diet. No
rations. No extra fat, sleek and tight
on body with extra fat on lower chest and rear thighs and buttock.
Small hooves and seemingly short cannon bone. Straight backs, and
if anything higher at the front than the back.
Of course, I have yet to go inland,
where the 'real' working gaucho lives and works with huge herds of
cattle. I have an invite pending to go to a breeder of appaloosa
and criollo horses (what they deem as indigenous) but its right to mention here
that the criollo horse seems to be the Sorraia breed or a close relation
– almost certainly. Not only that but Uruguay is very much a Portuguese
territorial conquest, which is the general area where these beasts come
from.
I also noted, and forgot to mention,
that they don’t move their heads much – separate from the neck – but are very
bendy on the neck, and hold it low down – with small mouths. I also
noted that they communicate very clearly by gently stamping their front hoof to
show displeasure or unease, as opposed to impatience as in the UK animal.
