Using spurs in a brigade or cavalry is something that over many years is practiced in various different countries. Cavalry boot spurs have been used as a show of military rank and competence in the brigade and spurs were awarded to those cavalrymen who had moved on to being much more than just a new recruit.

There is an old tradition known as the spur ride where all of the new military cavalry recruits perform a series of tests and events that test their skills on top of their steed. They were checked on their knowledge on the rules, regulations, history and traditions of the mounted cavalry, which the soldiers were expected to recite these facts from only their memory. The "Spur Ride" was a way that the mounted cavalry could "earn their spurs" to prove and demonstrate that they had become more accomplished horsemen and soldiers than the new recruits.

Once the soldiers were involved in their first real fight with the enemy, they were given a 2nd pair of spurs as a medal and then were drafted into "The Order Of The Spur". The heel spurs and a certificate were usually presented at a special banquet or event known as the "Spur Dinner" where all of rookie soldiers were awarded their boot spurs, names of fallen comrades were announced and any other awards were given. As well as getting the spurs, the soldiers were also awarded a Stetson hat, which was also seen as a sign of stature within the military ranks.

The soldiers in the cavalry that had earned their boot spurs were seen as a higher level than the soldiers who did not have any or were yet to earn their spurs. Although the soldiers will be of a similar or the same military rank, that they had already "earned their spurs" during battle, as part of the "Spur Ride" or a task was a sign of seniority over those who had yet to earn them.

Cavalry boot spurs were primarily made from silver and were mainly styled on the English Prince Of Wales spurs. Pairs of gold heel spurs that were awarded to soldiers of higher rank or to cavalry members that were involved in a greater number of combat situations.

There are many types of boot spurs that have been worn and used over Western America. If you come over to the authors web site, you can find a lot more information about heel spurs and see some pictures of Cavalry Spurs and find out detail about the people that made them.

Posted under Horses

Horse paintings are extremely popular throughout the world and when viewing these you will find they instill a sense of movement and power in your soul. The very nature of the horses movement have inspired many artists to create absolutely stunning works of art. You cannot fail to stop and stare at horse paintings due to their magnificance and stature. There is something very special about them.

Horses have appeared in works of art throughout history, frequently as depictions of the horse in battle. The horse appears less frequently in modern art partly because the horse is no longer significant either as a mode of transportation or as an implement of war. Most modern representations are of famous contemporary horses, artwork associated with horse racing, or artwork associated with the historic cowboy or Native American tradition of the American west. In the United Kingdom depictions of fox hunting and nostalgic rural scenes involving horses continue to be made.

The image of the horse was very common in Greecian art and also Egyptian art and some of the most famous and popular paintings depicted horse drawn chariots. The history of horse art has really changed over the centuries and can be briefly summed up as the Renaissance period which started in the 14th Century and some famous painters include Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Titian. Peter Paul Rubens established equine portraiture in the Baroque era and at this time sporting art also became popular.

George Stubbs who was born in 1724 is one of the most well known equine artists and has left behind a huge amount of work showing horse racing. George Stubbs is also famous for dissecting horse carcasses to help him get a "better angle" on his paintings. He even hired someone to make plates of these disections and these have been used by other artists.

During the 19th Century the racing of horses was becoming rather popular in many countries and in France the impressionist painter Edgar Degas painted many early horse racing scenes.

The history of horse paintings as you delve into it further really is a fascinating subject. One of my favourite horse paintings is the 20th century war painting by Pablo Picasso called "Guernica".

Posted under Horses

The breeding of thoroughbred horses began when in England they started to breed horses to carry men in full armour. These horses were heavy and capable of strenuous hard work. In the Middle East, however, they were breeding lighter, more agile horses who were extremely quick.

A Middle Eastern Stallion known as Byerlye Turk was used for breeding by his owner, an english captain. Byerlye Turk was bred with English mares and produced the Herod line of thoroughbreds.

They bred and crossbred the decscendants of this and other sires to create an amazing running machine. The thoroughbred horses had excellent lung capacity due to their wide girth, were able to gain ground quickly due to their long shoulders and strong hide legs. They were born to race.

The United States Of America now has the most thoroughbreds, with approximately 50,000 new foals being registered during the last year. The industry is massive, and billions of dollars are involved. America is the forerunner in thoroughbred racing.

All thoroughbred foals have the official birthdate of the 1st January allocated to them even if they were born in June. Their racing career ususally begins at about two years of age but many do not race for long due to injuries. They are then either retired or sold.

Thoroughbred horses are usually very highly strung and tempremental and I know from experience do not make very good "all round" horses. In fact a friend of mine has recently purchased a retired thoroughbred racing horse who only responds to stop and gallop! They are, however, good with many people as they are used to having different trainers from such a young age.

Posted under Horses