page_title: Spur
section_title: Design
hierarchical_section_title: Spur / Design
caption_attribution_description: Spurs used in equestrianism
context_page_description: A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids and to back up the natural aids. The spur is used in many equestrian disciplines. Most equestrian organizations have rules in about spur design and use and penalties for using spurs in any manner that constitutes animal abuse.
context_section_description: The parts of a spur include:
  The "yoke", "branch", or "heel band", which wraps around the heel of the boot.
  The "shank" or "neck", which extends from the back of the yoke and is the area that touches the horse.
  The rowel, seen on some spurs, a revolving wheel or disk with radiating "points" at the end attached to the shank.
  Spurs are usually held on by a leather or leather-like spur strap that goes over the arch of the foot and under the sole in front of the boot heel.  Some western designs have a leather strap that goes only over the top, with a heel chain or a rubber "tiedown" instead of a strap under the boot.  Also, some  styles have no straps, where the heel band is simply very tight and slips on wedged between the sole and heel of the boot.  Some spur designs have a slot for running the spur strap through, others have "buttons",  sometimes on the heel band itself and sometimes attached to the heel band by hinges that allow a strap with buttonholes to be attached.
  When used in military ranks, senior officers, and officers of all ranks in cavalry and other formerly mounted units of some armies, wear a form of spur in certain orders of dress which is known as the box spur, having no spur strap, but a long metal prong opposite the neck, extending between the arms of the heel band, which is inserted into a specially fitted recess or "box" in the base of the boot heel. Due to the prong, such spurs can only be worn with appropriately equipped boots. This construction is shown in the photos of the swan neck and Waterford spurs below.
  Spurs seen in western riding may also have small curved-up hooks on the shank in front of the rowel, called "chap guards", that were originally used to prevent the rider's chaps from interfering with the rowels of the spur. The shank angle from the yoke can vary from "full" to "one half" to "one quarter" to "straight". Some cowboys also added small metal pajados, also known as jingo bobs or jingle bobs, near the rowel, to create a jingling sound whenever the foot moved.  Rowels can vary in size and number of points.
  In the history of veterinary science, the word "rowel" described a small disk of leather or other material that was used as a seton stitch.
caption: Spur straps on an English "Prince of Wales" spur
exif: {}