Spurs as Modern Honors

Spurs for Cowboy boots - captured in Wyoming

Spurs as modern honors

Just as a medieval knight was said to have "earned his spurs", the awarding of spurs has continued in the modern era as an honor bestowed upon individuals in organizations with military heritages, and among motorcycle riders. Members of the Papal Orders of Chivalry receive gilt spurs directly from the hands of the Pope; members of the British Order of the Garter similarly receive gilt spurs from the Monarch. Inductees into the American Order of the Spur receive gold-colored (usually brass) spurs if they have earned their membership through combat, or silver-colored (usually nickel) spurs if they have not seen combat, but complete a rite of passage.

Read more about spurs, its history and today's use here

More posts on this blog about "Spurs" are here:

Hi my friends,

Tomorrow is my "Photo-Swap-Thursday" again and it is  already our # 3 !!

Come back tomorrow and read what my guest blogger Heather Dugan is writing and 

to see her excellent travel photo matching the text. In reverse I'll be posting on her blog http://www.heatherdugan.com/blogNEW  - go there also to see and to read what I have to say on her site. 

Thanks in advance  :))

 

Thank you also to all your kind comments and compliments and for all the "thumbs up" on Facebook

to my last post. It's great to have so many wonderful friends, like YOU!!

~Susanne

Buy my art and the NEW Calendars 2011 here:

@ http://tinyurl.com/yatdh5x (Fine Art of America)

@ http://tinyurl.com/2wf9qsh (my Calendars and Fine Art)

@ http://tinyurl.com/2bsfvk9 (mygall Germany Kalenders+FineArt)

@ http://tinyurl.com/37ckddf (ImageKind FineArt)

Spurs and Cowboy Boots

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 to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to back up the natural aids (the leg, seat, hands and voice). The spur is used in every equestrian discipline. There are rules in most equestrian organizations about spur design, use and penalties for using spurs in any manner that constitutes animal abuse.

The very old word derives from Anglo-Saxon sputa, spora, related to spornan, spurnan, to kick, spurn; cf. Medieval High German Sporn, modern German Sporn, Dutch spoor, Frisian spoar. The generalized sense of "anything that urges on, stimulus" is recorded in English from circa 1390.

For more info about spurs read here



Hi my friends,

thank you for your kind comments yesterday!
Today I'm short with words... I'm on the way out to see some people.
Stay with me and see ya' tomorrow. Where...? ...here!...LOL...

Enjoy your day!
Susanne