The pampas of Uruguay are wide, gently rolling grasslands that cover most of the country. The land is so flat in places that you can see for many kilometres in every direction. Cattle and sheep graze across these grasslands, and gauchos move between them on horseback, herding, counting and looking after the animals.
A gaucho's clothing is famous and very practical. They wear baggy trousers called 'bombachas' that are easy to ride in, a wide leather belt sometimes decorated with silver coins, a poncho to keep out the wind and rain, and a flat brown hat called a 'sombrero'. Their soft leather boots are made for stirrups, not walking.
Gauchos are amazing horse riders. They can stay in the saddle from sunrise until well after dark, gallop across uneven ground, and use a long throwing tool called 'boleadoras' (three small stone balls connected by ropes) to herd animals without hurting them. Watching a gaucho work with a horse is a bit like watching a really good dancer with their partner.
Uruguayan children get to celebrate the gaucho life every year at festivals called 'criollas'. There are horse-skill shows, traditional dancing, asado meals cooked on long fires, and music played on guitars and accordions. Many country families still cook on outdoor fires the way gauchos always have.