Answer: Vaquero is the Spanish word for cowboy. Vaqueros were Mexican cowboys and some started ranches in South Texas. The vaqueros were very important because they developed many of the techniques that would later be used by Southwestern ranchers. These included saddle horns, horsemanship, chaps, and roping. Which westerners soon adopted their clothing and cattle-driving methods.
<em>The History of the Vaquero</em>. Rooted in necessity and shaped by the land, the Mexican cowboy tradition influenced the origin of cowboys. ... The native cowboys were called vaqueros from the Spanish word for cow and developed roping skills, using braided rawhide reatas .
