Rowel Spur (Left)
Not on view
This spur, with the heel band decorated with brass inlays, was probably made for a Mexican charro (a Mexican cowboy). The loop on the external side of the rowel holds a jingle bob, a small pendant that jingles against the points when the wearer walks or rolls the spur against the horse’s flank.
Charros were originally land, horse, and cattle owners who had a high social and economic status. They would meet during ceremonies and festivals and demonstrate their skills through several varieties of rodeo games called charrería. Charros and charrería remain important parts of Mexican traditional culture. During these festive events, charros could display splendidly decorated horse tack and spurs, the latter being one of the primary symbols of their culture.
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