172 SPURS 



Spurs. The spur was a prick or goad, from 

 Roman times down to the thirteenth century. 

 With plate armour came a row^el on a long 

 shank. This rowel has shrunk in Europe to a 

 small sharp weapon which draws blood, but on 

 the American stock range it has increased in 

 size to an average of three inches. The larger 

 the points are the more they can be blunted, 

 and the less they hurt a horse. On the old 

 American range an Englishman removed the 

 rowels from his spurs or adopted the blunt 

 rowel before he w^as considered fit for human 

 society. 



The rowel should be loose enough to rattle, 

 so that at night one may go to one's horse in 

 pasture, and, knowing the sound of his master, 

 he will not run aw^ay. 



A gentle spur is used to encourage and not to 

 hurt a horse, to bring him to attention, to aid 

 in fine steering. It may be locked in the 

 girth so that, holding on by one leg one may lie 

 behind the horse's neck w^hen under fire, or 

 pick up a rope from the ground. 



Neck Cloth. A kerchief loose round the 

 neck saves the top of the spine from sunstroke. 

 It should be of any colour not containing blue, 

 of the hghtest silk for use as mosquito bar at 

 night, and twenty-six inches square for use as a 



