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89-560: Spurrier was originally a person who made spurs . It is now a surname. Surnames [ edit ] Christopher Spurrier (1783–1876), English politician Henry Spurrier (1898–1964), British engineer and industrialist Junior J. Spurrier , American combat soldier Lonnie Spurrier (1932–2015), American middle-distance runner Martha Spurrier , British lawyer Paul Spurrier (born 1967), British child actor, screenwriter and film director Peter Spurrier (1942–2005), officer of arms at

178-733: A breed of large horses was bred in the Nisaean plain in Media to carry men with increasing amounts of armour (Herodotus 7,40 & 9,20), but large horses were still very exceptional at this time. By the fourth century BC the Chinese during the Warring States period (403–221 BC) began to use cavalry against rival states, and by 331 BC when Alexander the Great defeated the Persians

267-579: A medieval knight was said to have "earned his spurs", the awarding of spurs has continued in the modern era as an honour bestowed upon individuals in organizations with military heritages, and among motorcycle riders. Members of the Papal Orders of Knighthood receive gilt spurs direct from the hands of the pope ; members of the British Order of the Garter similarly receive gilt spurs from

356-619: A fearsome heavy cavalry force. King Gwanggaeto the Great often led expeditions into the Baekje , Gaya confederacy , Buyeo , Later Yan and against Japanese invaders with his cavalry. In the 12th century, Jurchen tribes began to violate the Goryeo–Jurchen borders, and eventually invaded Goryeo Korea. After experiencing invasion by the Jurchen, Korean general Yun Kwan realized that Goryeo lacked efficient cavalry units. He reorganized

445-508: A form of spur in certain orders of dress which is known as the box spur, having no spur strap, but a long metal prong opposite the neck, extending between the arms of the heel band, which is inserted into a specially fitted recess or "box" in the base of the boot heel. Due to the prong, such spurs can only be worn with appropriately equipped boots. This construction is shown in the photos of the swan neck and Waterford spurs below. Spurs seen in western riding may also have small curved-up hooks on

534-504: A full sweep with the spurs from shoulder to flank with each jump, requiring great concentration, and any error in balance puts the rider in a position to be quickly unseated. Bull riders are allowed a position that is the closest to that of classic riding, they are not required to spur the bull, but if they choose to spur, may do so with their legs down in a style that resembles a normal riding position. Spurs are divided into men's, women's, and children's, according to width (which must fit on

623-452: A long tradition of intense military exchange between Han Chinese infantry forces of the settled dynastic empires and the mounted nomads or "barbarians" of the north. The naval history of China was centered more to the south, where mountains, rivers, and large lakes necessitated the employment of a large and well-kept navy . In 307 BC, King Wuling of Zhao , the ruler of the former state of Jin , ordered his commanders and troops to adopt

712-487: A member of a social and martial elite, able to meet the considerable expenses required by his role from grants of land and other incomes. Xiongnu , Tujue , Avars , Kipchaks , Khitans , Mongols , Don Cossacks and the various Turkic peoples are also examples of the horse-mounted groups that managed to gain substantial successes in military conflicts with settled agrarian and urban societies, due to their strategic and tactical mobility. As European states began to assume

801-438: A small thickened cuirass that offered protection against lances, sabres, and bayonets; including some protection against a shot from distance. In the interwar period many cavalry units were converted into motorized infantry and mechanized infantry units, or reformed as tank troops. The cavalry tank or cruiser tank was one designed with a speed and purpose beyond that of infantry tanks and would subsequently develop into

890-455: A specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spurrier&oldid=1193597583 " Categories : Surnames English-language surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata All set index articles Spur A spur

979-468: Is Yabusame (流鏑馬), a type of mounted archery in traditional Japanese archery. An archer on a running horse shoots three special "turnip-headed" arrows successively at three wooden targets. This style of archery has its origins at the beginning of the Kamakura period. Minamoto no Yoritomo became alarmed at the lack of archery skills his samurai had. He organized yabusame as a form of practice. Currently,

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1068-746: Is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to back up the natural aids (the leg, seat, hands, and voice). The spur is used in many equestrian disciplines. Most equestrian organizations have rules covering spur design and use, as well as penalties for using spurs in any manner that constitutes animal abuse . This very old word derives from Anglo-Saxon spura, spora , related to spornan, spurnan , to kick, spurn ; cf. Medieval High German Sporn , modern German Sporn , Dutch spoor . The generalized sense of "anything that urges on, stimulus"

1157-457: Is a refined tool, designed to allow the rider to transmit very subtle signals to the horse that are nearly invisible to any other observer. No matter the discipline, it is important that a rider has a correct position before using spurs, with a deep seat, legs lengthened to the extent allowed by the stirrups , heels down, with knees and thighs rolled in so that the rider has a solid base of support. A swinging or unstable leg may inadvertently jab

1246-466: Is recorded in English from circa 1390. The parts of a spur include: Spurs are usually held on by a leather or leather-like spur strap that goes over the arch of the foot and under the sole in front of the boot heel. Some western designs have a leather strap that goes only over the top, with a heel chain or a rubber "tiedown" instead of a strap under the boot. Also, some styles have no straps, where

1335-481: Is those used on motorcycles . They are characterized by rowels worn as foot jewelry, hung off of boots. They can be similar in appearance to spurs worn by equestrians. Their bright material attracts motor vehicle drivers to the presence of motorcyclists, especially to their feet where riders are most vulnerable when stopped in traffic. Their owners may further customize them by adding miniature strobing LED lights. They are also awarded by motorcycle clubs. The spur

1424-615: The Battle of Carrhae , the Romans learned the importance of large cavalry formations from the Parthians . At the same time heavy spears and shields modelled on those favoured by the horsemen of the Greek city-states were adopted to replace the lighter weaponry of early Rome. These improvements in tactics and equipment reflected those of a thousand years earlier when the first Iranians to reach

1513-734: The Battle of the Golden Spurs in 1302, where the French cavalry suffered a humbling defeat, the victors hung up bushels of knights' gilt spurs in the churches of Kortrijk as trophies of what is still remembered by the Flemings as the Guldensporenslag (the battle of the golden spurs). The English named the French rout from Thérouanne as the Battle of the Spurs , due to the rapidity of the French cavalry's flight. Prick spurs were

1602-650: The Dayuan for this reason, since the Dayuan were hoarding a massive amount of tall, strong, Central Asian bred horses in the Hellenized – Greek region of Fergana (established slightly earlier by Alexander the Great ). Although experiencing some defeats early on in the campaign, Emperor Wu's war from 104 BC to 102 BC succeeded in gathering the prized tribute of horses from Fergana. Cavalry tactics in China were enhanced by

1691-628: The Hellas . Similarly, the men of the Mountain Land from north of Kabul -River equivalent to medieval Kohistan (Pakistan), figure in the army of Darius III against Alexander at Arbela , providing a cavalry force and 15 elephants. This obviously refers to Kamboja cavalry south of Hindukush. The Kambojas were famous for their horses, as well as cavalrymen ( asva-yuddha-Kushalah ). On account of their supreme position in horse (Ashva) culture, they were also popularly known as Ashvakas , i.e.

1780-553: The Huns of Attila and the later Mongol armies . In Europe, cavalry became increasingly armoured (heavy), and eventually evolving into the mounted knights of the medieval period. During the 17th century, cavalry in Europe discarded most of its armor, which was ineffective against the muskets and cannons that were coming into common use, and by the mid-18th century armor had mainly fallen into obsolescence, although some regiments retained

1869-454: The Ippiko (or "Horserider"), Greek "heavy" cavalry, armed with kontos (or cavalry lance), and sword. These wore leather armour or mail plus a helmet. They were medium rather than heavy cavalry, meaning that they were better suited to be scouts, skirmishers, and pursuers rather than front line fighters. The effectiveness of this combination of cavalry and infantry helped to break enemy lines and

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1958-589: The Iranian Plateau forced the Assyrians to undertake similar reform. Nonetheless, the Romans would continue to rely mainly on their heavy infantry supported by auxiliary cavalry. In the army of the late Roman Empire , cavalry played an increasingly important role. The Spatha , the classical sword throughout most of the 1st millennium was adopted as the standard model for the Empire's cavalry forces. By

2047-531: The Jaina work Parishishtaparvan refer to Chandragupta 's ( c.  320 BC – c.  298 BC ) alliance with Himalayan king Parvataka . The Himalayan alliance gave Chandragupta a formidable composite army made up of the cavalry forces of the Shakas, Yavanas, Kambojas, Kiratas, Parasikas and Bahlikas as attested by Mudra-Rakashas (Mudra-Rakshasa 2). These hordes had helped Chandragupta Maurya defeat

2136-704: The Kambojas . These hardy tribes had offered stubborn resistance to Alexander ( c.  326 BC ) during latter's campaign of the Kabul, Kunar and Swat valleys and had even extracted the praise of the Alexander's historians. These highlanders, designated as "parvatiya Ayudhajivinah" in Pāṇini's Astadhyayi, were rebellious, fiercely independent and freedom-loving cavalrymen who never easily yielded to any overlord. The Sanskrit drama Mudra-rakashas by Visakha Dutta and

2225-460: The Roman Empire . The spur also existed in the medieval Arab world . Early spurs had a neck that ended in a point, called a prick, riveted to the heel band. Prick spurs had straight necks in the 11th century and bent ones in the 12th. The earliest form of the spur armed the heel with a single prick. In England, the rowel spur is shown upon the first seal of Henry III and on monuments of

2314-644: The Sintashta-Petrovka culture in Central Asia and spread by nomadic or semi-nomadic Indo-Iranians . The chariot was quickly adopted by settled peoples both as a military technology and an object of ceremonial status, especially by the pharaohs of the New Kingdom of Egypt from 1550 BC as well as the Assyrian army and Babylonian royalty. The power of mobility given by mounted units

2403-953: The main battle tank . Nonetheless, some cavalry still served during World War II (notably in the Red Army , the Mongolian People's Army , the Royal Italian Army , the Royal Hungarian Army , the Romanian Army , the Polish Land Forces , and German light reconnaissance units within the Waffen SS ). Most cavalry units that are horse-mounted in modern armies serve in purely ceremonial roles, or as mounted infantry in difficult terrain such as mountains or heavily forested areas. Modern usage of

2492-431: The samurai aristocracy led to the development of armoured horse archers, themselves to develop into charging lancer cavalry as gunpowder weapons rendered bows obsolete. Japanese cavalry was largely made up of landowners who would be upon a horse to better survey the troops they were called upon to bring to an engagement, rather than traditional mounted warfare seen in other cultures with massed cavalry units. An example

2581-566: The trousers of the nomads as well as practice the nomads' form of mounted archery to hone their new cavalry skills. The adoption of massed cavalry in China also broke the tradition of the chariot -riding Chinese aristocracy in battle, which had been in use since the ancient Shang dynasty ( c.  1600 –1050 BC). By this time large Chinese infantry-based armies of 100,000 to 200,000 troops were now buttressed with several hundred thousand mounted cavalry in support or as an effective striking force. The handheld pistol-and-trigger crossbow

2670-677: The "horsemen" and their land was known as "Home of Horses". They are the Assakenoi and Aspasioi of the Classical writings, and the Ashvakayanas and Ashvayanas in Pāṇini 's Ashtadhyayi . The Assakenoi had faced Alexander with 30,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry and 30 war elephants. Scholars have identified the Assakenoi and Aspasioi clans of Kunar and Swat valleys as a section of

2759-401: The 13th century, but it did not come into general use until the 14th century. The spurs of medieval knights were gilt and those of squires were silvered. To "win his spurs" meant to gain knighthood, as gilded spurs were reckoned the badge of knighthood. In the rare cases of ceremonious degradation , the spurs were hacked from the disgraced knight's heels with the cook's chopper. After

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2848-463: The 6th century these had evolved into lengthy straight weapons influenced by Persian and other eastern patterns. Other specialist weapons during this period included javelins, long reaching lancers, axes and maces. The most widespread employment of heavy cavalry at this time was found in the forces of the Iranian empires, the Parthians and their Persian Sasanian successors. Both, but especially

2937-572: The College of Arms in London Simon Spurrier , British comics writer and novelist Steve Spurrier (born 1945), American football player and coach Steven Spurrier (artist) (1878–1961), British artist and painter. Steven Spurrier (wine merchant) (born 1941), British wine expert and merchant [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with the surname Spurrier . If an internal link intending to refer to

3026-528: The Goryeo military into a professional army that would contain decent and well-trained cavalry units. In 1107, the Jurchen were ultimately defeated, and surrendered to Yun Kwan. To mark the victory, General Yun built nine fortresses to the northeast of the Goryeo–Jurchen borders (동북 9성, 東北 九城). The ancient Japanese of the Kofun period also adopted cavalry and equine culture by the 5th century AD. The emergence of

3115-624: The Kamboja cavalry frequently played role in ancient wars. V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar writes: "Both the Puranas and the epics agree that the horses of the Sindhu and Kamboja regions were of the finest breed, and that the services of the Kambojas as cavalry troopers were utilised in ancient wars". J.A.O.S. writes: "Most famous horses are said to come either from Sindhu or Kamboja; of the latter (i.e.

3204-700: The Kamboja cavalry had also formed part of the Gurjara-Pratihara armed forces from the eighth to the 10th centuries AD. They had come to Bengal with the Pratiharas when the latter conquered part of the province. Ancient Kambojas organised military sanghas and shrenis (corporations) to manage their political and military affairs, as Arthashastra of Kautiliya as well as the Mahabharata record. They are described as Ayuddha-jivi or Shastr-opajivis (nations-in-arms), which also means that

3293-680: The Kamboja), the Indian epic Mahabharata speaks among the finest horsemen". The Mahabharata speaks of the esteemed cavalry of the Kambojas, Sakas, Yavanas and Tusharas , all of whom had participated in the Kurukshetra war under the supreme command of Kamboja ruler Sudakshin Kamboj . Mahabharata and Vishnudharmottara Purana pay especial attention to the Kambojas, Yavansa, Gandharas etc. being ashva.yuddha.kushalah (expert cavalrymen). In

3382-731: The Mahabharata war, the Kamboja cavalry along with that of the Sakas, Yavanas is reported to have been enlisted by the Kuru king Duryodhana of Hastinapura . Herodotus ( c.  484 – c.  425 BC ) attests that the Gandarian mercenaries (i.e. Gandharans/Kambojans of Gandari Strapy of Achaemenids ) from the 20th strapy of the Achaemenids were recruited in the army of emperor Xerxes I (486–465 BC), which he led against

3471-585: The ability to close in on their opponents; and finally those whose equipment allowed them to fight either on horseback or foot. The role of horsemen did however remain secondary to that of the hoplites or heavy infantry who comprised the main strength of the citizen levies of the various city states. Cavalry played a relatively minor role in ancient Greek city-states , with conflicts decided by massed armored infantry. However, Thebes produced Pelopidas , their first great cavalry commander, whose tactics and skills were absorbed by Philip II of Macedon when Philip

3560-476: The advantages of greater height, speed, and inertial mass over an opponent on foot. Another element of horse mounted warfare is the psychological impact a mounted soldier can inflict on an opponent. The speed, mobility, and shock value of cavalry was greatly valued and exploited in warfare during the Ancient and Medieval eras. Some hosts were mostly cavalry, particularly in nomadic societies of Asia , notably

3649-642: The appearance of new, larger breeds of horses. The replacement of the Roman saddle by variants on the Scythian model, with pommel and cantle, was also a significant factor as was the adoption of stirrups and the concomitant increase in stability of the rider's seat. Armored cataphracts began to be deployed in Eastern Europe and the Near East, following the precedents established by Persian forces, as

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3738-474: The back of a horse was much more difficult than mere riding. The cavalry acted in pairs; the reins of the mounted archer were controlled by his neighbour's hand. Even at this early time, cavalry used swords, shields, spears, and bows. The sculpture implies two types of cavalry, but this might be a simplification by the artist. Later images of Assyrian cavalry show saddle cloths as primitive saddles, allowing each archer to control his own horse. As early as 490 BC

3827-611: The best places to see yabusame performed are at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū in Kamakura and Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto (during Aoi Matsuri in early May). It is also performed in Samukawa and on the beach at Zushi, as well as other locations. Kasagake or Kasakake (笠懸, かさがけ lit. "hat shooting") is a type of Japanese mounted archery. In contrast to yabusame, the types of targets are various and the archer shoots without stopping

3916-563: The character of bureaucratic nation-states supporting professional standing armies, recruitment of these mounted warriors was undertaken in order to fill the strategic roles of scouts and raiders. The best known instance of the continued employment of mounted tribal auxiliaries were the Cossack cavalry regiments of the Russian Empire . In Eastern Europe , and out onto the steppes , cavalry remained important much longer and dominated

4005-593: The design changes were used because of barding , the use of barding had fallen out of fashion by the time the most elaborate spur designs were created. More likely, the elaborate designs reflected the increased abundance of precious metals, particularly silver , that followed the European exploration of the Americas that began in 1492. Spur designs in Spain and colonial Mexico were particularly elaborate. For example,

4094-553: The foot moved. Rowels can vary in size and number of points. In the history of veterinary science , the word "rowel" described a small disk of leather or other material that was used as a seton stitch . The spur was used by the Celts during the La Tène period, which began in the 5th century BC , and is also mentioned by Xenophon ( c.  430  – 354 BC). Iron or bronze spurs were also used throughout

4183-637: The former, were famed for the cataphract (fully armored cavalry armed with lances) even though the majority of their forces consisted of lighter horse archers . The West first encountered this eastern heavy cavalry during the Hellenistic period with further intensive contacts during the eight centuries of the Roman–Persian Wars . At first the Parthians' mobility greatly confounded the Romans, whose armoured close-order infantry proved unable to match

4272-461: The heel band is simply very tight and slips on wedged between the sole and heel of the boot. Some spur designs have a slot for running the spur strap through, others have "buttons", sometimes on the heel band itself and sometimes attached to the heel band by hinges that allow a strap with buttonholes to be attached. When used in military ranks, senior officers, and officers of all ranks in cavalry and other formerly mounted units of some armies, wear

4361-418: The heel of the rider's boot). Spurs are further divided according to the length of the neck, with 0.5 cm ( 1 ⁄ 4  in) being relatively small (and a common size in children's spurs), with some being 5–7.5 cm (2–3 in) long. Many competition rules limit the length of the neck. Cavalry Cavalry had the advantage of improved mobility, and a soldier fighting from horseback also had

4450-441: The horse or bull at every stride. This requirement is designed to resemble the behavior of old-time horse-breakers, who would deliberately provoke a horse to buck. In modern times, riders are required to use spurs in a manner that is merely encouraging a horse that is already predisposed to buck; they are not to produce pain. Spur design and use is strictly defined by rodeo rules, spurs are dull, and rowels must turn freely. In fact,

4539-399: The horse with the spur as the rider sits, thus irritating, harming, and frightening the horse, and chronic misuse may deaden it to the leg aids. Improper use may also provoke dangerous or undesirable behaviors such as bucking or bolting. Spurs are rarely used in sports such as horse racing , where the rider's leg is not significantly in contact with the horse. Most spurs are activated by

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4628-472: The horse. While yabusame has been played as a part of formal ceremonies, kasagake has developed as a game or practice of martial arts, focusing on technical elements of horse archery. In the Indian subcontinent, cavalry played a major role from the Gupta dynasty (320–600) period onwards. India has also the oldest evidence for the introduction of toe- stirrups . Indian literature contains numerous references to

4717-436: The invention of the saddle-attached stirrup by at least the 4th century, as the oldest reliable depiction of a rider with paired stirrups was found in a Jin dynasty tomb of the year 322 AD. The Chinese invention of the horse collar by the 5th century was also a great improvement from the breast harness, allowing the horse to haul greater weight without heavy burden on its skeletal structure. The horse warfare of Korea

4806-496: The main striking force of the armies in contrast to the earlier roles of cavalry as scouts, raiders, and outflankers. The late-Roman cavalry tradition of organized units in a standing army differed fundamentally from the nobility of the Germanic invaders—individual warriors who could afford to provide their own horses and equipment. While there was no direct linkage with these predecessors the early medieval knight also developed as

4895-522: The monarch. Inductees into the American Order of the Spur receive gold-coloured (usually brass) spurs if they have earned their membership through combat, or silver-coloured (usually nickel) spurs if they have not seen combat, but complete a rite of passage . Spurs are worn with the tip of the neck pointed downward, sitting on the spur rest of the riding boot , if there is one, with the buckle of

4984-412: The mount and rider . Heavy cavalry, such as Byzantine cataphracts and knights of the Early Middle Ages in Europe, were used as shock troops, charging the main body of the enemy at the height of a battle; in many cases their actions decided the outcome of the battle, hence the later term battle cavalry . Light cavalry, such as horse archers , hussars , and Cossack cavalry, were assigned all

5073-498: The mounted warriors of the Central Asian horse nomads, notably the Sakas , Kambojas , Yavanas , Pahlavas and Paradas . Numerous Puranic texts refer to a conflict in ancient India (16th century BC) in which the horsemen of five nations, called the "Five Hordes" ( pañca.ganan ) or Kṣatriya hordes ( Kṣatriya ganah ), attacked and captured the state of Ayudhya by dethroning its Vedic King Bahu The Mahabharata , Ramayana , numerous Puranas and some foreign sources attest that

5162-401: The north, on the other hand, developed a strong cavalry force that culminated in the hetairoi ( Companion cavalry ) of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great . In addition to these heavy cavalry, the Macedonian army also employed lighter horsemen called prodromoi for scouting and screening, as well as the Macedonian pike phalanx and various kinds of light infantry . There were also

5251-425: The numerous roles that were ill-suited to more narrowly-focused heavy forces. This includes scouting , deterring enemy scouts, foraging , raiding , skirmishing , pursuit of retreating enemy forces, screening of retreating friendly forces, linking separated friendly forces, and countering enemy light forces in all these same roles. Light and heavy cavalry roles continued through early modern warfare , but armor

5340-435: The rider flexing the heel slightly up and in. A roweled spur permits an additional type of action: a rider can roll the spur lightly against the side of the horse rather than being limited simply to pressing inward. The exception to the use of spurs in a subtle fashion is in the rodeo events of bull riding and saddle bronc and bareback riding , where the rider is required to spur in an elaborate, stylized fashion, touching

5429-423: The rider's leg a bit farther from the horse. Spurs in English riding tend to be very sleek, slim, and conservative in design, with a shorter neck, as the saddle and leg position are closer to the horse. They usually have a rounded or blunt end. Rowels are not as popular as the plain blunt end, although some types include a rowel or smooth disk on the end. When used in sports requiring finesse, such as dressage ,

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5518-468: The rise of true cavalry, were an innovation of equestrian nomads of the Eurasian Steppe and pastoralist tribes such as the Iranic Parthians and Sarmatians . Together with a core of armoured lancers, these were predominantly horse archers using the Parthian shot tactic. The photograph straight above shows Assyrian cavalry from reliefs of 865–860 BC. At this time, the men had no spurs , saddles , saddle cloths , or stirrups . Fighting from

5607-405: The ruler of Magadha and placed Chandragupta on the throne, thus laying the foundations of Mauryan dynasty in Northern India. The cavalry of Hunas and the Kambojas is also attested in the Raghu Vamsa epic poem of Sanskrit poet Kalidasa . Raghu of Kalidasa is believed to be Chandragupta II ( Vikaramaditya ) (375–413/15 AD), of the well-known Gupta dynasty . As late as the mediaeval era,

5696-402: The scene of warfare until the early 17th century and even beyond, as the strategic mobility of cavalry was crucial for the semi-nomadic pastoralist lives that many steppe cultures led. Tibetans also had a tradition of cavalry warfare, in several military engagements with the Chinese Tang dynasty (618–907 AD). Further east, the military history of China , specifically northern China , held

5785-400: The shank in front of the rowel, called "chap guards", that were originally used to prevent the rider's chaps from interfering with the rowels of the spur. The shank angle from the yoke can vary from "full" to "one half" to "one quarter" to "straight". Some cowboys also added small metal pajados, also known as jingo bobs or jingle bobs, near the rowel, to create a jingling sound whenever

5874-577: The southern Britons met Julius Caesar with chariots in 55 and 54 BC , but by the time of the Roman conquest of Britain a century later chariots were obsolete, even in Britannia. The last mention of chariot use in Britain was by the Caledonians at the Mons Graupius , in 84 AD. During the classical Greek period cavalry were usually limited to those citizens who could afford expensive war-horses. Three types of cavalry became common: light cavalry, whose riders, armed with javelins , could harass and skirmish; heavy cavalry, whose troopers, using lances , had

5963-413: The speed of the Parthians. However, later the Romans would successfully adapt such heavy armor and cavalry tactics by creating their own units of cataphracts and clibanarii . The decline of the Roman infrastructure made it more difficult to field large infantry forces, and during the 4th and 5th centuries cavalry began to take a more dominant role on the European battlefield, also in part made possible by

6052-428: The spur strap worn on the outside of the foot. Spur styles differ between disciplines. Spurs for western riding tend to be heavier, often decorated, and have rowels that rotate. The neck of western spurs is usually longer and the rowel wide in diameter, to accommodate the leg position of the western-style rider, where the stirrup is adjusted long, and the heavy leather used for the saddle 's fenders and stirrups places

6141-452: The spur's purpose is not to speed up the horse but to give accurate and precise aids in lateral and complex movements such as pirouettes, travers , and renvers , and the airs above the ground . Dressage riders tend to ride in Waterford-style spurs with a rounded knob at the end. Conversely, show hunter and jumper riders may use a flatter end to encourage forward movement, such as the Prince of Wales design. Another type of modern spur

6230-433: The spurs of the Spanish conquistadores were sometimes called espuela grande, the "grand spur", and could have rowels as large as 15 cm (6 in) around. In northern Europe, the spur became less elaborate after the 16th century, particularly following the Stuart Restoration , but elaborate spur designs persisted, particularly in the Americas, descendants of which are still seen today, particularly in Mexico and

6319-496: The standard form until the 14th century, when the rowel began to become more common. The prick design never died out entirely, but instead became a thicker, shorter neck with a dulled end, such as the modern "Prince of Wales" design commonly seen in English riding . Though often decorated throughout history, in the 15th century, spurs became an art form in both decoration and design, with elaborate engraving, very long shanks, and large rowels. Though sometimes it has been claimed that

6408-480: The status of being a cavalryman. As the class grew to be more of a social elite instead of a functional property-based military grouping, the Romans began to employ Italian socii for filling the ranks of their cavalry. The weakness of Roman cavalry was demonstrated by Hannibal Barca during the Second Punic War where he used his superior mounted forces to win several battles. The most notable of these

6497-460: The term cavalry is still used, referring in modern times to units continuing to fulfill the traditional light cavalry roles, employing fast armored cars , light tanks , and infantry fighting vehicles instead of horses, while air cavalry employs helicopters . Before the Iron Age , the role of cavalry on the battlefield was largely performed by light chariots . The chariot originated with

6586-400: The term generally refers to units performing the role of reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (analogous to historical light cavalry) or main battle tank units (analogous to historical heavy cavalry). Historically, cavalry was divided into light cavalry and heavy cavalry . The differences were their roles in combat, the size of their mounts, and how much armor was worn by

6675-644: The tribal horsemen wholesale into their armies; and in yet other cases nomadic empires proved eager to enlist Chinese infantry and engineering, as in the case of the Mongol Empire and its sinicized part, the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). The Chinese recognized early on during the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) that they were at a disadvantage in lacking the number of horses the northern nomadic peoples mustered in their armies. Emperor Wu of Han (r 141–87 BC) went to war with

6764-512: The unit was dismissed by Galba after the Batavian Rebellion . For the most part, Roman cavalry during the early Republic functioned as an adjunct to the legionary infantry and formed only one-fifth of the standing force comprising a consular army. Except in times of major mobilisation about 1,800 horsemen were maintained, with three hundred attached to each legion. The relatively low ratio of horsemen to infantry does not mean that

6853-409: The use of chariots in battle was obsolete in most nations; despite a few ineffective attempts to revive scythed chariots . The last recorded use of chariots as a shock force in continental Europe was during the Battle of Telamon in 225 BC. However, chariots remained in use for ceremonial purposes such as carrying the victorious general in a Roman triumph , or for racing. Outside of mainland Europe,

6942-442: The utility of cavalry should be underestimated, as its strategic role in scouting, skirmishing, and outpost duties was crucial to the Romans' capability to conduct operations over long distances in hostile or unfamiliar territory. On some occasions Roman cavalry also proved its ability to strike a decisive tactical blow against a weakened or unprepared enemy, such as the final charge at the Battle of Aquilonia . After defeats such as

7031-415: The way spurs are to be used in bucking events generally makes it harder for the rider to stay on; in bareback bronc competition, the spurs must be above the point of the horse's shoulder at the first jump and remain forward at all times, deliberately creating a very awkward position for the rider that requires both strength and coordination to stay on the horse. In saddle-bronc competition, the rider must make

7120-498: The western United States , where the spur has become an integral part of the vaquero and cowboy traditions. The spur as an art form, as well as a tool, is still seen in western riding , where spurs with engraving and other artistic elements, often handmade and using silver or other precious metals, are still worn. Collecting of particularly beautiful antique spurs is a popular pastime for some individuals, particularly aficionados of western history and cowboy culture. Just as

7209-625: Was a guest-hostage in Thebes. Thessaly was widely known for producing competent cavalrymen, and later experiences in wars both with and against the Persians taught the Greeks the value of cavalry in skirmishing and pursuit. The Athenian author and soldier Xenophon in particular advocated the creation of a small but well-trained cavalry force; to that end, he wrote several manuals on horsemanship and cavalry operations. The Macedonian kingdom in

7298-467: Was first started during the ancient Korean kingdom Gojoseon . Since at least the 3rd century BC, there was influence of northern nomadic peoples and Yemaek peoples on Korean warfare. By roughly the first century BC, the ancient kingdom of Buyeo also had mounted warriors. The cavalry of Goguryeo , one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea , were called Gaemamusa (개마무사, 鎧馬武士), and were renowned as

7387-438: Was however strong in most continental cavalry during peacetime and in these dismounted action continued to be regarded as a secondary function until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. With the development of armored warfare , the heavy cavalry role of decisive shock troops had been taken over by armored units employing medium and heavy tanks , and later main battle tanks . Despite horse-borne cavalry becoming obsolete,

7476-501: Was invented in China in the fourth century BC; it was written by the Song dynasty scholars Zeng Gongliang, Ding Du, and Yang Weide in their book Wujing Zongyao (1044 AD) that massed missile fire by crossbowmen was the most effective defense against enemy cavalry charges. On many occasions the Chinese studied nomadic cavalry tactics and applied the lessons in creating their own potent cavalry forces, while in others they simply recruited

7565-514: Was most dramatically demonstrated in Alexander's conquests of Persia , Bactria , and northwestern India. The cavalry in the early Roman Republic remained the preserve of the wealthy landed class known as the equites —men who could afford the expense of maintaining a horse in addition to arms and armor heavier than those of the common legions . Horses were provided by the Republic and could be withdrawn if neglected or misused, together with

7654-567: Was recognized early on, but was offset by the difficulty of raising large forces and by the inability of horses (then mostly small) to carry heavy armor . Nonetheless, there are indications that, from the 15th century BC onwards, horseback riding was practiced amongst the military elites of the great states of the ancient Near East, most notably those in Egypt , Assyria , the Hittite Empire , and Mycenaean Greece . Cavalry techniques, and

7743-408: Was reduced, with light cavalry mostly unarmored. Yet many cavalry units still retained cuirasses and helmets for their protective value against sword and bayonet strikes, and the morale boost these provide to the wearers, despite the actual armour giving little protection from firearms . By this time the main difference between light and heavy cavalry was in their training and weight; the former

7832-431: Was regarded as best suited for harassment and reconnaissance, while the latter was considered best for close-order charges. By the start of the 20th century, as total battlefield firepower increased, cavalry increasingly tended to become dragoons in practice, riding mounted between battles, but dismounting to fight as infantry, even though retaining unit names that reflected their older cavalry roles. Military conservatism

7921-578: Was the Battle of Cannae , where he inflicted a catastrophic defeat on the Romans. At about the same time the Romans began to recruit foreign auxiliary cavalry from among Gauls , Iberians , and Numidians , the last being highly valued as mounted skirmishers and scouts (see Numidian cavalry ). Julius Caesar had a high opinion of his escort of Germanic mixed cavalry, giving rise to the Cohortes Equitatae . Early emperors maintained an ala of Batavian cavalry as their personal bodyguards until

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