Your thoughts on spurs please

[KT C]

Agree with this.

Me too! I see them as a precision aid; unfortunately though I've seen many pony clubbers firmly jabbing their spurs into their horse/pony's sides every other stride - apologies to any sensible pc'ers who ride more sensitively! I'm not singling out young riders either - they were de rigueur at a previous yard I was at - nobody went anywhere without at least spurs and a market harborough...

 

[luckyhorseshoe]

I would consider myself to be fairly experienced with horses and riding, partculary flat work. I have had full loans in the past and i am currently sharing a tb x.

In the past i have never used spurs, because i haven't needed them and perhaps like some others have witnessed the misuse of them. However, with my new horse i have started to use them and i have found to my surprise how happier my horse is now that i have started schooling him in them, instead of me nagging him, my command is precise. I don't use them all the time, more as an additional schooling aid. When i show him, i dont use them or whilst hacking.

I guess what i'm trying to say is that in experienced hands they can be hugely beneficial. my advice would be to use them under the eye of an instructor and as a schooling aid.

I hope this helps.

 

[blueroan12:2]

What whip do you have? mine is terribly lazy so i bought a long schooling whip he is 14.1 i bought the really long one it bounces as he moves and all i have to do is wiggle it and he knows. I can't ride with a crop because he would laugh at it. I bought the mark todd bobble ended spurs but have been too much of a woss to use them i prefer them to metal ones i think they are kinder. If not have a lesson and if he is just taking the mickey get an instructor who knows what there doing to lunge him whilst you ride and they can use a lunging whip. Sometimes i think they have selective hearing to aids.

 

[indie.sparkles]

I have to say... I am a huge fan of spurs. I use them on pretty much every horse I ride. However, you should never use spurs for forward movement they should be used for lateral movement (leg yields, half passes, horse bulges etc...). I noticed that many of you say you would rather use a whip than spurs. But, a whip and spurs are used for two totally different things. Whip=forward Spurs=lateral movement I always use spurs because I know I have a stong, stable, educated leg which allows me to use the spurs only when they are needed. However, if you do not have a solid foundation to work from than I am afraid you are going to be doing more harm than good as spurs are for refinement of lateral movements not basic things like moving forward.