Cool! You know the thought about spurs in general that I think about when I see them? Were spurs functional or merely a fashion accessory marketed and sold by cobblers to the equine ignorant? Did a battle horse need a spurring to make it charge into the fire? I suppose, seeings how most horses are smarter than most Humans, by NOT wearing spurs and relying on your horses better judgement of the situation would probably have been a better call...
I make this observation as some sort of 50yr casual cowboy, never once garnished with spurs and most of the time not even shoes or a saddle and half the time not even wearing any pants or a cowboy hat even!? But yeah...I can see foot mounted metallic spurs purpose if a guy was a Telephone lineman or a lumberjack, but not for the average horse riding Joe?
Regarding spurs, I submit for review the scene out of the original True Grit, the 1969 version dialog between Glen Campbell and Kim Darby...."People of your State gouge their horses with cruel brutal spurs and cultivate their hair like lettuce"...Spurs seem to be more of a fashion statement than functional?
Like in Midnight Cowboy?
So this is why I dont understand the need for spurs as a viable form of necessary equine accessories or even a form of hoofed quadruped accelerant?...Dont get me wrong, I dont like horses and dont trust them one lick, they will bite you, kick you, wipe you off on a tree like a booger, run off and leave you stranded way out in the hinterlands... I do not enjoy being around them at all! Spurs dont seem to solve any of these behavioral problems..
I've known some smart horses..Big Wyoming native stock..we simply communicate a little bit before hand to understand each other..I show them my 357 in my shoulder holster, and they get the idea of what may happen if they try any shenanigans afield...No metallic heel incentives needed!
Although spurs certainly round out a fashionable ensemble in a NY city nightclub, combined with assless chaps and a vest and a bandana and a hat! Wont help you hail a cab though, so again, whats the purpose of spurs? ...