The gaucho stands as one of the best-known cultural symbols of Argentina. The first gauchos were mostly mestizos (mixed Spanish and native American stock). His origin is the result of the mixture of both civilizations: the European and the native Americans who lived in this land, today called Argentina. Gaucho life had its beginnings on the Pampa in the 18th century.
There are many theories about the origin of the name "gaucho". However, the most likely answer is that word has joint roots in the native Indian dialects of Quechua and Mapuche (Araucanian) “huacho”, that means orphan.

The gauchos are known because of having developed an incredible skill as they work with their horses (with which they hunted the wild cattle), as well as the boleadoras (three stones attached to the ends of connected thongs. This flying weapon would trip the legs of the prey), the knife, the lasso and the proper techniques for salting the best meat.
The gaucho has strong principles. He is very respectful and he is true to his word. Likewise, he is known by his solidarity and kindness (gauchadas). He has his own style that makes him special while he walks, he shows aesthetics, education and respect. He feels proud of being a gaucho.
Nowadays, the gauchos work in the estancias or the countryside, not only on the pampean flat grassland but also on the Mesopotamia and northeast region. They wear a pair of bombachas (pleated pants with buttoned ankles that fit inside their boots), a hat, a neckerchief, and a sharp facón (long knife) fit to the leather belt.
View Craftmen/Gaucho´s Clothes and Belongings
The National Gaucho’s Day celebrates on December 6th because of the first publication of the novel: El Gaucho Martín Fierro which appeared that day in 1872.

The Riding Gear

It includes the following pieces. They are in order according to its layout on the horse back:

   1. Woolen Cloth. It’s placed over the horse back so that the coarse woolen cloth doesn’t get wet when the animal sweats.
   2. Coarse woolen cloth. It is put over the first woolen cloth and underneath the saddle padding.
   3. Saddle padding. Big tanned leather piece placed between the coarse woolen cloth and the cantle.
   4. Cantle. A square lamb leather of approximately fifty centimeters is usually laid upside down between the cantle and the worktop for protection.
  5. Side-saddle cinch with its worktop and large straps, from which the stirrup leather and the stirrups hang. Long ago it was used for hanging the stirrups from the cantle. This group of pieces holds the sides and previous pieces.
   6. Pillow. It goes over the worktop and the cantle and it provides softness to the horseman seat. It can be a woolen pillow.
   7 . Patch. It’s placed over the pillow to avoid the heat. It’s made of smooth leather, which is usually made of capybara
   8. Saddle cinch. Long and narrow leather strip which fastens the last two pieces. It usually has a ring.
Bit, head gear, reins, muzzle, fastener, breast band, long strap used to hobbling horses, lead, whip, hobbing strap and rope complete the riding gear. Nowadays, two small pillows a little bigger than the cantle are used as “mandil” (cloth for rubbing down a horse).

Tito Saubidet
“Vocabulario y Refraneo Criollo”
Ed. Kraft, 1945