What Especially Delighted Them Was The Equestrian Skill Of The
Californians.
The vast number and the cheapness of the horses in
this country makes every one a cavalier.
The Mexicans and
halfbreeds of California spend the greater part of their time in
the saddle. They are fearless riders; and their daring feats upon
unbroken colts and wild horses, astonished our trappers; though
accustomed to the bold riders of the prairies.
A Mexican horseman has much resemblance, in many points, to the
equestrians of Old Spain; and especially to the vain-glorious
caballero of Andalusia. A Mexican dragoon, for instance, is
represented as arrayed in a round blue jacket, with red cuffs and
collar; blue velvet breeches, unbuttoned at the knees to show his
white stockings; bottinas of deer skin; a round-crowned
Andalusian hat, and his hair cued. On the pommel of his saddle,
he carries balanced a long musket, with fox skin round the lock.
He is cased in a cuirass of double-fold deer skin, and carries a
bull's hide shield; he is forked in a Moorish saddle, high before
and behind; his feet are thrust into wooden box stirrups, of
Moorish fashion, and a tremendous pair of iron spurs, fastened by
chains, jingle at his heels. Thus equipped, and suitably mounted,
he considers himself the glory of California, and the terror of
the universe.
The Californian horsemen seldom ride out without the laso [sic];
that is to say, a long coil of cord, with a slip noose; with
which they are expert, almost to a miracle.
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