How Western Spurs were Used

The Cowboy spur was developed in ancient times was for the same purpose for which they are used today, to control animals. In the west they are still used with that same goal. The spur is used in order to control a horse with the rider’s legs, leaving his hands free to do other duties.

They were standard gear in the Calvary until the replacement of horses and are as necessary and popular with modern day cowboys as they ever were. The cowboy of today wears spurs that are not only functional but often times decorative and stylish. They have developed into heavier and much more fashionable statements and are very popular among the ladies as well.

There have been many famous and infamous cowboys throughout the ages. Among them Francisco Garcia who led the first Texas cattle drive in the mid 1700s. There is Oliver Loving who in 1855 set out on a five year trek from Illinois to Colorado with his partner Charles Goodnight. Their lives became the stories of legends and the tale Lonesome Dove is based on their experiences. The spurs of these men were basic and generally made of tin and leather with a rotating rowel. It was common for them to be fastened on by a button or leather strap and buckle. They were not only an essential tool throughout the drive for controlling the horses, you can be assured that they could also quickly become a weapon when necessary.

Today they are still used through out the Southwest and beyond, not just as a tool of the trade out on the range, but as a fashion statement and is an essential accessory of any fashionable cowboy or girl. They come in many styles from the very basic to the extreme.

 

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