A vaquero is a horse-mounted livestock herder of a tradition that has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula and extensively developed in Mexico from a methodology brought to the Americas from Spain. The word "vaquero" is Spanish for a herder of cattle, and it derives from "vaca," meaning "cow," which in turn comes from the Latin word "vacca". Vaqueros were early versions of independent contractors and werent bound to a ranching hacienda or a patron unless they chose to be. They were renowned for their skills in horseback riding, roping, and controlling cattle. Vaqueros often lived with their families on the ranches they worked and were responsible for feeding, gathering, branding, castrating, and readying for market tens of thousands of cattle a year. The vaquero heritage remains in the culture of the Californio (California), Neomexicano (New Mexico), and Tejano (Texas), along with Mexico, Central and South America, as well as other places where there are related traditions.