While our focus this week is on Western saddle riding and the sport of rodeo, of course, an interesting equestrian sidelight was shared recently with The Texas Spur.
British-born Spur resident and beekeeper Jon Shipp stopped by the newspaper office to show some of the horse brasses he had collected over the years.
A horse brass, according to Wikipedia, is a plaque used for the decoration of horse harness gear, especially for shire and parade horses. The brasses, threaded onto a horse harness strap known as a martingale, became especially popular in England from the mid-19th century.
Some say they’re a talisman to ward off the evil eye, but Shipp says it’s more likely that they had advertising, commemoration, and souvenir purposes. They can be cast or stamped;
One of his in particular, commemorating the 1977 Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, holds a special meaning for Shipp. “I was born in the year of her accession to the throne,” he said.
For all you Texans and other Yanks out there, we’ll leave you to figure out how old the collector is—and to decipher the subjects of several of the other brasses he allowed us to photograph.
To learn more, look up the National Horse Brass Society of England, which has members all over the world and provides publications for members and swap meets. Brasses are also commonly available for purchase via online auction sites.
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