| Although you can trace the use of spurs or riding | | | | mounted. During the conquest of Mexico the |
| spikes back to ancient Rome, the Cowboy Spur | | | | spurs were copied by the Mexican farm workers |
| we know and love, came to the United States Of | | | | and soon spread north to mainland America |
| America via Spanish roots. The spur was | | | | where the Vaqueros, farmhands and later the |
| introduced to the US by a Spanish conquistador | | | | Cowboys took the design, refined it and made it |
| called Hernando Cortez in around 1520. Cortez | | | | their own. |
| was responsible for conquering Mexico and his | | | | As with many spurs from around the world, the |
| army of mounted soldiers also took control of | | | | Spanish style spurs come in a certain style which |
| Cuba and helped in the fall of the Aztec empire. | | | | is not dissimilar to the Mexican style. The rowels |
| The soldiers already wore heel spurs and the | | | | are larger and are more flamboyant than those |
| designs were adopted by the American people | | | | found on the boots of American cowboys. The |
| and went on to become what we know as | | | | rowels which, like the "The Espuela Grande" can |
| cowboy spurs. | | | | be up to 6 inches in size and feature a many |
| The first spur that was brought to the states | | | | pointed star design. |
| was known as "The Espuela Grande" which, | | | | On a pair of Spanish Spurs, the outside of the |
| translated means "The Great Spur". This design | | | | spur heel band and neck will also be heavily |
| would have been very simplistic but actually | | | | decorated with intricate designs, silver, brass, |
| featured a rowel that was 6 to 8 inches in | | | | copper or gold inlays and mountings. This is the |
| diameter which made the whole spur very | | | | main identifying mark that sets Spanish Spurs |
| cumbersome and difficult to use when not | | | | apart from others. |