Myth vs Reality: Boots and Spurs

Myth vs Reality: Boots and Spurs

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[girf]

I remember when this channel hardly had 10 thousand subscribers. And now here we are with over ten times that! Glad to see the channel has grown!

[fhorst]

You made the whole thing without saying "jingle jangle jingle"... I'm kind of impressed.

[OpieDogie]

I know when my dad (a vaquero) was killed, he had a horse saddle and a couple of quirts. Although he had his own brand registered in southern AZ at 10 yr old, his day was mostly 1930’s and 40’s. I don’t recall any spurs nor do I remember the horse or the saddle. I very much remember the quirts and can testify with experience that they do indeed HURT when slapped across the bottom side after doing something stupid.

[thomasallen]

Another thing about spurs, most ranch-hands used spurs, but only while on horseback. If they were repairing fences, or working out in pastures, the spurs would come off and be hung on their saddle or put into a saddlebag, but they wouldn’t wear them while working because they would get tangled up in tall grass or weeds. And many saloon owners didn’t want them inside because they could scar up their woodwork or chairs. I grew up on a ranch and started riding horses when I was 2 years old, and only wore spurs when I rodeoed, bull rider, and they were custom made just for bull riding. But, if you train horses well enough, they don’t need spurs or quirts, so I never did.

[eldorados_lost_searcher]

I remember an old Red Skelton sketch as Deadeye where he was wearing one spur.

"Hey, Deadeye, why do you only have one spur?"

"Well, I figger if I get one side 'a the horse goin', the other half'll catch up."

[tulemike]

NEVER try to walk down stairs with your spurs on. learned this the hard way.

[abilenecowboyshooter]

Thanks again, Santee. Regarding those uncomfortable "riding" heels for standing and walking, after several recommendations I had 1/4" taken off the heel on two pair of Texas Jack boots. Doesn't seem like much but it makes a world of difference!

[notdeaded]

Hi Santee, thanks for spurring us on in our love of the old west!

[kenm]

Before my appaloosa passed away, that girl required me to wear spurs. I never really had to use them. The movement of my heel to make them clank was sufficient to motivate her.

[janerkenbrack]

Dress boots were more common than low shoes. Even in the cities one could expect some poor conditions to walk through. Between mud, horse dung, and dust boots were practical footwear. Lace up dress boots were very common for me until streets were paved.

[mikereinhardt]

Dont forget pryor to the Civil War shoes were crafted individually, by a cobler, for each person. During the war "Brogans" were mass produced to fill the demand of the large number of troops needing footwear. I imagine there were a great number in surpluss on the market after the war. Also, interestingly, they didn't make them for right or left feet. Instead they were the same shape so the user could switch them on thier feet so as to wear them out evenly. Great video really enjoyed it...

[astrotrek]

A lot of people probably would have worn what we call now "heritage boots", like the ones offered by Red Wing in leather. Leather boots with a heel but strongly made. I wear them every day.

[ryanmedina]

This was excellent. I always enjoy the fact versus fiction for the old west. I am holding out for Arizona Ghostriders the flamethrower to hit the merch store.

[oregonoutback]

@1:38 .... "Designed for cowboy's riding on horseback" .... and Florida governors ?? Hehe, sorry, couldn't resist.

[distlledbrewedreviewed]

Hollywood also has guns that never run out of ammo. Great video my friend.

[martykitson]

Always noticed that, even living on a ranch as a kid we only wore spurs when riding and not always then, off the horse for any extended time or doing work on the ground they might just get put in the saddle bags

[markely]

Great topic. I was watching Gunsmoke the other day and was wondering why Marshall Dillon was wearing spurs walking around town, but then figured you never know when he’ll have to saddle up and save Miss Kitty…

[anangryranger]

Yup, as a youngster, I worked on a ranch where I was mounted 50% of the time, I wore spurs. But working on the ground, no. I also rode a horse to school, as did many others. Once I got to school, they were hung on the saddle horn. If you walked into the school house with em on, the teacher's wrath was upon you!😮
And later, in the mounted unit in the PD, we wore spurs on duty, and mounted. But they came off if you were in headquarters. The chief wasn't fond of "Cowboy Cops" as he called us. 😄

[jasonwilliamson]

My great grandfather worked on a ranch in Indiana during the late 1890s. My mom has a picture of him on horseback from roughly 1896 in which he appears to be wearing possibly brogan type shoes, you can actually see his socks protruding between the top of the footwear and bottom of the trouser legs. But he definitely does NOT have on spurs in the photo 🤔

[Mirokuofnite]

Here's a left field topic to do a video on. Rollerskating in the old west. It got popular in the 1880s and 90s. Maybe give you an excuse to suffer through all 219 minutes of Heavens Gate