III 188B - Gauchos - Estancia Nobepo Aike, Lago Roca, El Calafate, Patagonia Nomadic and colourful horsemen and cowboys have wandered the prairies as early as the 1700s, when wild Cimarron cattle overpopulated the flatlands. In the 18th century, when leather was in high demand, 'Gaucho' culture arose as men started to clandestinely hunt the huge herds of horses and cattle. “A Gaucho without a horse is only half a man” The word ‘Gaucho’ was used to describe the free spirits, inseparable from their horse and knife. Over time, when extensive portions of prairies were settled and commercial cattle herding began, there was less room for Gauchos to live independently. As their way of living changed, the legend of the Gauchos grew.