Beaded crupper for horse with geometric designs.

Cruppers were used as decorative trappings over the hind quarters of a horse. See large image for George Catlin depiction of a crupper ornament in use.

A horse represented a man’s success as a warrior, and, therefore, the more artistic and decorated the horse, the more prestige the warrior had. The elaborately beaded decorations also illustrated the importance of the horse to the Plains Indians. They relied on the horse for survival, status, and a method of gift-giving.