Stirrup (Period)

Leathered stirrup (Period)

A stirrup is a footrest for horse riders, a flat-bottomed ring of metal hung by a strap from the saddle.  The standard heraldic form is the English stirrup; it is sometimes so blazoned.  It’s a period charge, dating from 1308 in the arms of Kydemore [ANA2 549].

In medieval heraldry, the stirrup was usually drawn “leathered”, i.e., showing a bit of strap, though there are examples of unleathered stirrups as well (e.g., the badge of Gyfford, c.1520 [Walden 201]); in Society heraldry, the leather is not shown unless blazoned.  The Society also has a single example of a “stirrup-cup”, which is identical to an inverted escutcheon in shape; this charge is unattested in period armory.  See also spur.

The Order of the Golden Stirrup, of Æthelmearc, bears:  A stirrup Or leathered gules.

Berengaria de Hainault bears:  Azure, three stirrups Or, leathered argent.

Meadhbh inghean ui Bhaoighill bears:  Per fess azure and Or fretty azure, a stirrup Or.

Spur with leathers (Period)

Prickspur (Accepted)

A spur is a pointed piece of metal worn on a rider’s heel to urge the horse forward.  The default form of spur is the roweled spur, with a six-pointed mullet attached to a U-shaped frame and buckle.  It’s a period charge, found in the canting arms (Italian sperone) of Speroni, c.1555 [BSB Cod.Icon 275:65], and as the crest of Matela, c.1540 [Nobreza xxixº].

In mundane armory, the spur is frequently drawn with leather straps; in Society armory, these are left to the artist’s license.  While some sources give the spur’s default orientation as having the rowel to base, the majority [Franklyn 312; Guide 215] put the rowel to chief, and this is the Society’s default for the spur as well.

Society armory also has the “prickspur”, which has no rowel, but simply comes to a point.  Its default orientation is the same as for the roweled spur, with the point to chief, and no difference is counted between the types.  See also stirrup.

Harrys Rob of Wamphray bears:  Vert, a chevron between three winged spurs argent.

Taliesynne Nycheymwrh yr Anghyfannedd bears:  Quarterly sable and gules, on a unicorn rampant contourny argent gorged of a pearled coronet sable, a prickspur Or fimbriated sable.

Snaffle-bit (Period)

A snaffle-bit is the part of the bridle which goes into the horse’s mouth; the rider controls the horse through direct pressure, without leverage.  It’s a period charge, found in the arms of von Wierrant, 1605 [Siebmacher 40], and of Kasattel, mid-16^th C. [BSB Cod.Icon 392d:542; cf. Parker 63].  It’s sometimes blazoned, a bit redundantly, as a “riding snaffle-bit”.  The snaffle-bit is fesswise by default.

Period forms of the snaffle-bit have a bar or curb at either end, to keep it from slipping from the horse’s mouth; and a ring, to attach the reins.  While a snaffle-bit could be a solid bar, by far its most usual form is jointed in the center (as in the illustration); it is thus usually blazoned a “broken snaffle-bit” in the Society.  (“Broken” here refers to the joint; it doesn’t mean the bit is fracted.)  Society armory often emphasizes the joint by arranging the snaffle-bit in chevron.

There’s one Society example of a “double-strand snaffle-bit”, which is simply a broken snaffle-bit whose central part is made from two braided wires rather than a solid metal bar.

For related charges, see bridle.

Shishido Tora bears:  Per bend sinister gules and sable, a snaffle-bit Or and an eagle argent.

Elizabeth de la Vigne bears:  Vert, a broken snaffle-bit chevronwise argent and in base a sun Or.

Alail Horsefriend bears as a badge:  A double-strand snaffle-bit fesswise.

Saddle (Period)

A saddle is a padded leather seat for the rider of a horse or camel.  It’s normally found as part of a horse’s equipage, but may be used as a charge in its own right, as in the arms of the Worshipful Company of Saddlers, 1585 [Bromley & Child 211], and the canting arms of Sattelin, 1605 [Siebmacher 117].  The horse’s saddle is the default, unless otherwise specified.  The stirrups, if shown, must be explicitly blazoned; in mundane heraldry, the phrase “saddle complete” may be used for this.

The term “selle” is an obscure synonym for “saddle”, derived from Old French, and usually used only for canting.

The 19^th Century saddle of the American West should not be used in Society emblazonry; a period saddle should be shown instead.  The illustrations show a 14^th Century tournament saddle and a camel saddle.  When “proper”, the saddle is brown leather; the saddle’s front faces dexter by default.

Camel saddle (Accepted)

Arabic ceremonial saddle (probable SFPP)

Saracenic heraldry gives us the “Arabic ceremonial saddle”, a highly stylized charge, found in the arms of Musa an-Nasiri, d.1355 [Mayer 168].

The Order of the Silver Saddle of Trimaris bears:  Per fess azure and vert, a tournament saddle argent.

Fatima al-Mendizayya bears:  Argent, in pale a leather camel saddle proper, two scimitars in saltire sable, and a pavilion, all within a bordure vert.

Anne de Fountain of Seldom Rest bears:  Tierced in point purpure, gules and vert, a fountain between a selle, a dome, and a rest Or.

Salim ibn abd al-Rahman al-Rashid bears:  Argent, two crescents sable and a fleur-de-lys azure, on a point pointed sable an Arabic ceremonial saddle argent.