“What a cruel system!” I involuntarily exclaimed. “How the poor animal has suffered!”
The gaucho again laughed, and answered, “Why do you pity him? he is worth but three dollars. There are plenty more better than this one.”
Gaucho throwing the Boliadores.
The young conqueror of eighteen led home his prize, and placed it in the corral, where it lay for several days, unable to stand, eat, or sleep. Such is the course of training, or breaking in, of wild colts. At the expiration of ten days after the first lesson the animal is again ridden, and a third lesson completely breaks him, when he is increased fifty cents in value, which sum is paid the gaucho for his trouble, and the pains he has to endure from the conflict.[2] Of course the colt’s mouth is too tender to bear the hard iron bit for many days.
After we returned to the house, the gauchos, to further show their prowess and accomplishments, prepared for some of their favorite games. First came the trial of “breasting horses.”
Two gauchos mounted their steeds, and, after receiving and answering the proper challenge, separated, taking stands about forty rods apart. At a given signal, they spurred their horses, and, as if bent on destroying each other, rushed with the greatest force their steeds together, breast to breast. So great was the concussion, that the riders were forced from the animals’ backs, and tumbled, half stunned, to the ground. But they quickly recovered; and, as both were anxious for a second trial, they mounted again and dashed together, this time only one being unseated, but he was so lame that he declined a third trial.
Next came the trial of crowding horses.
Two mounted gauchos placed their beasts side by side, and, spurring the animals on the flanks, each struggled to crowd the other. The horses seemed to share their riders’ spirits, and at last one little beast crowded his opponent up to the door of the cook-house, and finally through it. This was followed by another game.
A bar was placed across the corral entrance, at about the height of the horse’s head. A gaucho mounted, and then retired several rods from the corral, when he turned, and galloped towards the gate, and, without checking his speed, threw himself out of the saddle, and, passing with the horse under the bar, regained his seat, without having left the animal or touched the ground. Loud applause followed the achievement, and others followed in the game, all with good success.