The California Stock Horse has been around for over two hundred years. Rode by the Californio through the golden hills and chaparral of California. These horses were Americas first cow horses, and the men who rode them were America’s first cowboys.

The training produced horses that were dynamic, able to adjust to fit different situations to help their riders accomplish the days tasks. The horses mostly descended from Spanish stock brought over by the conquistadors. The beginning of the stock horse story starts with the padres establishing missions on the California coast in order to convert the inhabitants to Christianity. The padres of the first 5 missions, built in the 1760’s and 70’s, had to their account, a total of about 205 head of cattle. By 1834 they had built this to 396,000 head of horned cattle, and over 61,000 horses. On the old missions and ranchos there were originally no small corrals or chutes to process the large number of animals. During this time period they converted and taught the Indians how to be horseman using the techniques they knew from Spain. With all of these animals, and plenty of time the Indians soon became skilled horseman.

The converted Indians, now vaqueros (Spanish for cowboys) motto became: “if it can’t be done horseback, it won’t be done”. The Californios weren’t farmers, didn’t put up any hay, and were rarely afoot. They had lots of time developing their own methods of gathering, sorting, branding, even slaughtering. They became proficient at handling any critter at any speed, including grizzly bears, all using natural tools and methods: reatas and horsepower. They had no access to mechanized or artificial aids and tools, nor were there any need. They possessed things more valuable: time, desire, livestock, great weather and lots of land.

Nuquendo (the “necking”)

In addition to the remarkable roping skills they developed, they developed one of the most exciting and showy equestrian sports to date. In modern days you can watch any reined cow horse show and see a simulation of what these Californios were doing two hundred years ago.

It all started with the hide and tallow trade. After sorting the needed stock to be harvested for their hides, the vaqueros drove them to a convenient “matanza” ground, or gathering ground, where all the needed work could be done. Most of the time the animals were hazed out of the herd and roped in the location that they would be slaughtered. If time was short, or they wanted to speed the event up they would hold a nuqueo, which could be translated “necking”. This would amount to a group of the vaqueros riding through the herd and easing close to their desired victims and giving a quick stab with their knife between the vertebrae and the nape of the neck. As they did this, the surviving cattle became increasingly wary of this tactic, which forced the riders to ride faster and more aggressively to deliver the fatal thrust, to which the riders were happy to accommodate. These high speed feats of horsemanship produced spectacular kills where cattle would be known to somersault end over end. These nuqueadores were not at all afraid of the cattle becoming more and more frenzied; in fact they enjoyed it so that they could display their skills to those watching.

Gear

Hackamore - From the Spanish word jaquima, which means halter, is a braided rawhide noseband with a mecate, a horsehair rope attached under the horses jaw. This stage of training is carried out between the ages of 2 and 4. In the hackamore the horse learns the basics of being a stock horse. In the early years, this was the extent of the Californios tack. There were not any sliver or metal workers yet, who had the skills to make bits. Everything a cow horse needs to know can be developed in the hackamore.

Two Rein - Amounted to a small hackamore, called bosalito (gringo shortened it to bosal,), and a metal bit with a mouthpiece, such as the spade, spoon spade, frog, half-breed, or the more modern Mona Lisa. The two-rein is the transitional stage between the hackamore and straight up in the bridle, meaning the removal of the bosalito. The reins and romal, attached to any California style bit via rein chains, whether in the two-rein or straight up, is made of braided rawhide. There are buttons on the reins, which together with the rein chains serve as balance, and also as a cue that the horse can feel on his neck. The romal is used as an extension of the arm. The bit was usually decorated with engraved silver, which produced of true work of art. The California style bits, to some may seem severe, yet they were designed and used with only lightness in mind. With its sophisticated detail, and precision engineering, coupled with the romal reins it has an array of pre-signals that allows the rider to direct the finished horse with almost no sign of him doing so.

Reata - this is a rope about 50-70 feet, maybe longer, typically made of 4 or 6 strands of braided rawhide. They have much more life (the ability to hold and transfer energy) than ropes made of synthetic materials such as nylon or poly, and a reata requires greater finesse when handling it.

Armitas - (chinks) Short chaps that cover the front and most exposed part of the leg, but still allow good movement of the legs for the acrobatic riding of the Californio.

Spurs - Usually artistic in form, and used as an extension of the leg in function. The Californio style spur, as with bits, holds a distinctive look and purpose.

Mecate - Horsehair rope used for hackamore and bosalito

Most of the artistry you find in California style gear is all based in functions. The culture of the Californios was such that they made the functional look beautiful, whether it was gear making or horse training. They took a lot of time in all aspects of life, whether it was making a fine horse, fine gear or having a fine party, the fiesta.

Fiestas and Rodeos

The functions of a rodeo were pretty much the same as a roundup, branding sorting, counting. Usually done with several ranchos at a time due to the nature of the non-fenced California rangeland, the rodeo was a very festive time. American rodeo descended from this, originally the word for rodear, which means to gather the cattle for work. It became, in its heyday an affair that government officials regulated and attended to make sure no funny business went on, such as marking the wrong cattle. There was one rodeo every spring held at the missions, in order to part the owners stock from that owned by the missions. In any event, after such a gathering of people, work and livestock, there was sure to be a big party.

The Californios took great measures to make sure they had plenty of fun. The rodeo was a time of work, play, parties and contests where vaqueros showed off their horses, musicians played for hours and wine and drink made the heart of many men very glad.

_____

References: "Californios" By Jo Mora, Doubleday and Company, Inc, 1949