Capture a part of the 'Old West' with this pair of rustic, decorative spurs. They measure 5" by 3". A great conversation piece to display on those what the heck days.

Mingled with laughter, an occasional wild whoop, and the tinkling of a dance hall piano down the street, the rhythmic jingle of spurs could be heard up and down the boardwalk. This evening symphony meant only one thing in the west - the cowboys had come to town.

Interesting spur facts:

Spurs were made in the Colorado State Prison in Canyon City in the early 1900s for sale to the public. The State Prisons of Texas, Utah, Wyoming, Washington and others produced spurs from crude to quality, often stamped with the inmate's number.

Spurs, known to us as an artificial aid, would no doubt be known in the vocabulary of the cowboy as a 'natural' essential aid to make the most stubborn of his horses move forward, backwards, sidewards, and, on occasion make them airborne. Those occasions were quite common and, despite their sometimes adverse effect, the spur was as much a part of the cowboy's attire as was his hat and saddle. The first spurs were called 'prycks' and were long metal prods that attached to the back of the riders boots. Later, a small spiked wheel known as a 'rowel' was added to the end of the prod, and, when the rider dug this rowel into the horse's side, it immediately accomplished its purpose...sometimes with drastic results!

The cowboy spur came from the Mexican vaqueros and the Mexicans, like the Spaniards, loved elaborate riding gear. These spurs were strictly for riding only, as they had huge, eight inch rowels plus an assortment of chains and pendants. They were so awkward and ungainly that the vaquero could not put them on until such time he was in the saddle!

The American-made spurs were much more simple in design and construction. The cowboy wanted a practical spur that he could walk and ride in and, because he had a great regard for his horse, he wanted the spur as a means to threaten and not harm his horse. Today, spurs are used for the same reason they have always been used but boast many different designs, styles, and enormous variety for the modern-day western horseman.