Spurs can refer to different things depending on context:
- In zoology, a spur is a bony outgrowth covered in horn found on some animals, often on the feet or wings, used primarily for defense, fighting, or mating behaviors. They are straight or slightly curved and not like claws or nails. Examples include spurs on birds like the spur-winged goose, used as weapons or threats in confrontations.
- In equestrian use, spurs are metal tools worn on the heels of riding boots to help direct and communicate commands to a horse. They usually have a heel band, neck, and sometimes a rowel (a rotating wheel with points). They refine the rider's control for movements like speeding up or turning a horse. Spurs come in various styles and designs used across different riding disciplines.
- In medicine, bone spurs (osteophytes) are bony growths that form along bone edges or in joints, commonly due to arthritis or aging. They often cause no symptoms but can cause pain or reduced motion if they press on nerves or tissues. Bone spurs commonly occur in places like the spine, knees, hips, or heels.
Thus, spurs might mean anatomical features in animals, horse-riding tools, or pathological bone growths in humans, depending on the situation. If you want information on a particular type of spur, please specify. Otherwise, these are the main meanings of spurs.
