The esquilador, when proceeding to the exercise of his vocation,
generally carries under his arm a small box containing the
instruments necessary, and which consist principally of various
pairs of scissors, and the ACIAL, two short sticks tied together
with whipcord at the end, by means of which the lower lip of the
horse, should he prove restive, is twisted, and the animal reduced
to speedy subjection. In the girdle of the esquilador are stuck
the large scissors called in Spanish TIJERAS, and in the Gypsy
tongue CACHAS, with which he principally works. He operates upon
the backs, ears, and tails of mules and borricos, which are
invariably sheared quite bare, that if the animals are galled,
either by their harness or the loads which they carry, the wounds
may be less liable to fester, and be more easy to cure. Whilst
engaged with horses, he confines himself to the feet and ears. The
esquiladores in the two Castiles, and in those provinces where the
Gitanos do not abound, are for the most part Aragonese; but in the
others, and especially in Andalusia, they are of the Gypsy race.
The Gitanos are in general very expert in the use of the cachas,
which they handle in a manner practised nowhere but in Spain; and
with this instrument the poorer class principally obtain their
bread.
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