Finding perfect equestrian equipment. Some thoughts about medieval and modern hybrids of stirrups and spurs from Central Europe

Abstract

Spurs and stirrups have played massive role in harnessing horses. Already from the early Middle Ages stirrups were made with different kinds of enigmatic rollers, knobs and projections on the side and bottom part of the foot rest. Solving their secret was possible thanks to the nowadays, Venezuelan llaneros, who use this kind of strirrups. They adopt elements permanently affixed to strirrups as spurs. Due to the cultural and the prestige roles of spurs in the middle ages this construction never became much popular. Known examples from Germany come from the period when chivalric custom was in the time of his final shaping. However it gained popularity in the Middle East