Ranching throughout the American Southwest and Mexican California was highly influenced by traditional techniques and social culture that came originally from Spain. The King Ranch relationship with Mexicans—who long ago became American citizens—began as patronage, a system by which the patr—n provided all the necessities of life in exchange for hard work. It was not slavery because any peon could leave when he chose, but few Kine–os chose to leave because the Kings provided education, and exceptional work was recognized and rewarded with promotions or bonuses.
Robert J. Kleberg, Jr., (“Mr. Bob”) on horseback near center of photo with a group of Kine–os in about 1925. By this time many King Ranch horses carried a high percentage of Thoroughbred, and Billy influence can also be seen in several of these horses. It was out of this mixture that the King Ranch sorrels, later to become registered and foundational Quarter Horses, were developed.
A Mexican vaquero mounted upon a Cayuse crosses a tributary to the Rio Grande on a chilly fall day in 1887. Probably looking for stray cattle, he carries a 60-foot hand-braided leather reata rather than a rope, and his saddle has the traditional manzana (“apple”) horn. The saddle has two cinches both done up snug, and the horse is tacked in a very mild grazing curb. Note the tie-string (mecate) done up over the poll.
The vaquero packs a rifle and a hunting knife.
A Kineño in about 1920 who might be Lauro Cavazos’ father or uncle: He is decked out to the nines in goat-hair chaps, a leather vest and silver-studded tack. He wears guantes (cuffed work gloves) and packs a slicker behind the saddle. His reata is coiled and tied on the left side, and he packs a pearl-handled pistol. His excellent horse is part-Thoroughbred.
Tom East, Jr., son of Alice
Kleberg East, returning from a lion hunt in about 1945 with a friend, famous MexicanAmerican tracker Moto Alegría. The dead cougar is strapped across East’s horse as the young man congratulates one of his good hounds. Guns for hunting are an established fact of Southern culture and the East Foundation website posts many images of successful hunts by both men and women.
The horses, which by this date are clearly of Quarter Horse type, wear saddles with thick-necked manzana horns and mild bits, and they pack braided leather reatas.