at the bottom of the skirt. The use of a petticoat is indispensable. Silk shoes with buckles are used to match the embroidery of the skirt. Shawl is used to match the color of the skirt. A fine, felt charro hat with suede, gold and/or silver chapetas is the topper. Sash is used at the waist, tied in a bow at the back. Also, women must have their hair pulled back in a low bun, usually adorned with a fabric or lace bow, or two braids decorated with ribbons. Although the china poblana outfit is used for most performances, there are three different attires the escaramuza charras use, the adelita, the charra de faena (“working” attire) and the china poblana. Horses The equipment for the horse has to meet specifications, just as the charro's clothing must. All equipment on the saddle must be made of natural materials, not man-made such as plastic. There are primarily two types of saddles that the charro owns: the working saddle and the formal saddle. The saddle of the charro has a wider horn than that of a western saddle, which helps safeguard the charro from being pitched off or hung up. There are two grips at the back of the saddle, in case the charro needs to hold on because of an unexpected act of the horse. All charros must comply with regulation for the practice of their sport and clothing. They even have a rigorous protocol to initiate celebrations and team meetings. Sportsmen Charro The charro, is the male rider who practices charrería, and is also oftentimes the national icon for Mexico. The modern charro evolved from a long line of mexican horsemen. Dating back to the Spanish conquest, the Mexican vaqueros paved the way for chinacos, a liberal informal military that fought in the Mexican War of Independence, which later gave birth to the charros around the Mexican Revolution. The word charro, was originally used to identify the natives of Salamanca, in Spain, in a place known as campo charro. In Mexico, the term became synonymous with horse rider. Although in modern times, the only people that are technically a charro are men who practice charreria, the look of this figure has expanded to music and film. Mariachi bands very often sport a Gran Gala charro-esc outfit, since mariachi music has become synonymous with the charreada, but these musicians do not classify