The Spur Question

[Wild Bill]

A spur is used for more than speed--it also helps control a mount. In the old days, cowboys general spurred a horse for turning by hitting the steed in the opposite shoulder of a turn. So the horse turned away from the spur. Often the horse was trained in front of a prickly per cactus patch. It inly took one misfire to remind the horse to turn there after. A kick in the ribs was the "go" sign. Cowboys use a spur with a small rowel, and Mexican vaqueros use a big rowel. Rowels also were useful in a bar fight of you could get your opponent on the ground first. There are specialty spurs for bull riding and bronc riding in rodeos. The shank is tilted toward the horse or bull and the more you spur the more points you get.

Cavalrymen generally spurred the flanks of the horse for speed or to turn the horse around the spur. These spurs were nothing more than a immoveable ball on the end of the shank.