Western Spurs

You hear it before you see it. That light metallic jingle, keeping time with every step: the sound of the spur is one of the most instantly recognizable sounds in western culture. And yet that familiar ring conceals one of the oldest objects in the entire history of horsemanship, one of the most freighted with meaning, and one of the least understood.

​

A few inches of forged steel. A heel band, a shank, a rowel. Next to nothing, by the look of it. And yet, from Celtic horsemen to modern rodeo arenas, from the knights of medieval Christendom to the vaqueros of colonial Mexico, the spur has never left the rider's heel, in silent conversation with the horse.

​

"To earn your spurs": the phrase exists in almost every language of the Western world. We say it without a second thought, with no idea where it comes from or what it really cost those who lived it in the literal sense.

​

This object deserves better than legend. It deserves history.

​

​

✦ This series is part of a larger undertaking: several themes are being explored at once, with research and writing always underway. New articles are added regularly, so come back and take a look. To keep up with everything new, head to The Gazette, which gathers the latest updates, or sign up for the newsletter to get them delivered straight to you.