The Mexican charro or “gentleman cowboy” is considered to be both a great horseman and a snappy dresser, a reflection of a colourful past and, similarly, ­living proof that he is indeed from the ­landed gentry. The charro’s code of ethics is one steeped in chivalry, gallantry, expert horsemanship and dedication to his family and his traditions. He is also the predecessor of the American cowboy.

The charro’s clothing reflects the merging of three distinct, but different, cultures: ­Moorish, Spanish and Native American. Likewise, the horsemanship displayed by the charro is ­descendant from these cultures. He sits proud in the saddle in his short fitted jacket, tailored pants, wide-brimmed hat and heavy spurs – all tracing their roots back to the peasant dress of Salamanca, Navarra and Andalucía in ­Moorish Spain.

Historical attire

The charro displays this historical heritage with great pleasure, whether performing daily tasks off horseback or performing for those who ­admire and respect his ­horsemanship ­abilities. His clothing is functional and ­includes ­elements of grand trappings with varying ­degrees of elegance.

When performing in public, the charro ­replaces his working attire with heavily tooled leggings or side-buttoned pants, a colourful neckerchief, white shirt, tailored jacket and a fancy sombrero made of palm leaf, ­rabbit fur or wool. To top off his attire, his boots are ­either short or tall, rounded off with silver ­inlayed espuelas or spurs.

As Don José Luis Chavez remarked to me: “Wearing the clothes of the charro is ­something you do with pride. It is the sign of a man who can display the maximum art of horsemanship. The charro commands great respect, even today. A charro’s pride is his horse, his saddle and his dress. When the charro rides his horse, he rides close to God.”

Saddlemakers of note

Seeing the charro in the saddle on his well-prepared horse, either riding or at work, I ­understood exactly what he meant. When I told our friend Rudi Garcia that I wanted to buy a charro saddle, Rudi knew exactly where to take me. In a small side-street in­ ­Guadalajara lies the workshop of one of the more ­prominent saddlemakers in the Jalisco province.

My saddlemaker, Señor Antonio, the owner of La Tapatía, went to great lengths to explain to me how the montura (saddle) is built. Being a modified version of the ­earlier Spanish and Moorish war saddles, and the predecessor to the current “western” ­saddle, the foundation of the saddle (the tree) ­consists of four parts:

• The fork and cantle, also referred to as the two bridges
• Two bars, also known as the sideboards.

The parts of the saddletree are joined ­together with pegs and glue, then covered with wet rawhide and stitched. The rawhide dries tight over the frame, thus adding a steel-like strength to the tree. The tree is then dressed in leather and becomes a combination of elegant but practical trappings. All of the tooling is done by hand.

• Dressing for comfort

Additional to the Moorish and Spanish ­saddles is the large saddle horn, a remnant from the days the Spanish explorers crossed to the New World by sailing ships – indicative of their fisherman’s heritage. This horn is used to catch and reel the cow in, much the same as the ­fishing pulleys of old and their fishing lines were used to catch and reel in fish.

It is the perfect anchor for dar la vuelta ­(dally roping). The high cantle and long ­stirrups ­provide for a more balanced and comfortable ride when out working on the large ranches. The montura rests on a large mantilla (saddle pad). The colourful serape (blanket/poncho) is tied behind the cantle, giving the charro s­omething warm to drape over his upper body on chilly mornings.

Señor Antonio told me that when he makes a saddle, he first thinks of the horse, and then of the charro, as it would be unthinkable for a poorly and uncomfortably dressed horse to carry the well-dressed charro. This comment is reflected in the care – and pride – that goes into building the charro’s saddle.

To build my saddle, he asked me questions such as the breed of horse I ride, his height, age, weight, stride length and so forth, all in his quest to make sure that he recommended the correct tree for my horse. As it turned out, he was spot on, with my charro saddle fitting Granito like a glove.

The charro saddle is fitted with large skirts, aimed at providing protection for the ­shoulders and quarters of the horse from the heavy brush and thorns. These skirts also prepare the horse for carrying additional weight on its ­quarters, such as an orphan calf and such. Behind the cantle are large saddlebags (mochilas) in which is typically carried some food, ­ammunition, fencing tools and so forth.

Made for work

When out working, many charro saddles have a leather blanket or covering (anquera) that ­covers the rump and flanks of the horse, once again to act as protection against injury from heavy brush or the horns of aggressive cattle. The more wealthy charros, in addition, add ­silver buttons (conchos) and silver on the ­saddle horn and cantle to present a more showy appearance, ­especially during festivals and parades.

As I no longer find myself working cows off horseback, I opted for a more ­minimalist ­approach to the saddle skirts, although I couldn’t resist the silver! The charro’s horse is carefully and slowly prepared for everything it is called on to do. No effort is too great in ­preparing these horses.

Most charro horses carry highly-balanced spade bits; bits with solid shanks and medium to high ports. These bits are elaborate in design and are ridden with reins and with a bosalito (half-bosal) over the horse’s nose. The aim of the bosalito is to increase the points of ­control over the horse’s face area. Other horses may wear a bosalillo (thin raw-hide braided halter and lead rope) under the headstall.

This again reflects on the preparation of the horse, which has been taught to lead with a light touch of the rein. The tooling on the bits is exquisite and is often matched to the tooling of the saddle. This tooling on the bits is also a link to their Moorish and Spanish heritage, something the charro is fiercely proud of.

When bitted up and sans bosalillo, the charro will make use of a step-down rope to lead his horse with in order to protect its teeth and mouth from damage.

How to use a bit

One of the great ironies of horsemanship lies in the fact that so few riders actually know how to use a bit or how to prepare their horse to carry and respond to the bit. The charro knows and understands how to prepare his horse. He also knows that the bigger the bit, the softer his hands ought to be, but, this in turn can only be achieved when the horse has been correctly prepared. It is this approach which leads to “velvet-mouthed” horses that are highly responsive to the softest touch of the romal reins

The reindas (reins) of the charro are ­braid-ed rawhide and either have a quirt or no quirt ­fitted to them. The reindas are also ­balanced to ensure that the bit remains balanced in the horse’s mouth. When fitted with a quirt the ­reindas become Romal reindas and when without a quirt simply reindas.

The charro’s la reata (lasso/rope) is also made of braided rawhide and ropes of up to 40 m length, are not uncommon. The scary thing is they can use every centimetre of its length.

The heavy ornate spurs with their large rowels, proudly show their Moorish-Spanish origins. Unlike the popular belief that these spurs are cruel (any spurs can be cruel if ­incorrectly used), the charro knows that the larger the rowel, the softer the spur.

The all-too-short time I was able to spend with these proud horsemen of ­Mexico made me realise how much I still have to learn about horses, tack and tradition. Deep ­within me, however, lies the consolation that I have been invited to go back to Guadalajara to trade some of my scant knowledge for that of the charros. As their traditions and skills are only passed on from father to son and not written down, I ­realise the great favour they have shown me.

Who knows, one day I might be able to wear my charro attire with the same pride as the charros of Mexico. Until then, I can only admire their tack, skills, horsemanship and showmanship.