| chap guard | a small bar usually sticking up from the shank that keeps chaps from falling over the rowel |
| double-mounted | spurs decorated on the outside and inside of the foot |
| heel band | the metal band that goes on the back of the boot, the leather mount and the shank attach to the heel band |
| heel chains | chains that go under the boot to hold the spurs on |
| jingle-bobs | small metal bits that are usually attached off the rowel pins that create sound as the cowboy walks or rides ( usually associated with Mexican style spurs ) |
| leather mounts | a leather strap that goes over the top of the boot to keep the spur attached. It usually attaches to a swinging or stationary button on heel band (in rare cases these were made of materials other than leather) |
| locking rowels | rowels that can lock into place and stop spinning ( these were frowned upon by many as they can easily cut or gouge the horse unnecessarily ) |
| one-piece construction | spurs where the heel band and shank are made from one piece of material ( this style is usually associated with Texas style spurs) |
| rowel | the round and / or pointed piece that is applied to the horse, rowels are a large part of the decorative scheme in many spurs (rowels come in many shapes and sizes from 8 inch or larger rowels seen in Mexican espuela grande to circular pieces of metal as small as an inch in diameter) |
| rowel pin | the pin or axle that holds the rowel into the shank |
| shank | the straight piece that sticks out of the back of the heel |
| single-mounted | spurs decorated only on the outside of the foot |
| stationary button | a button that cannot move and the mounting leather goes over it |
| swinging button | a button that can move to attach the mounting leather |
| two-piece construction | spurs where the heel band and shank are two seaparate pieces that are put together |
Buying and Collecting Antique Spurs
