Need help - spur marks

[jenbleep]

Good morning,

A week or so ago I wore some spurs in my lesson for the first time in a while. Charisma is a rather lazy tb and I wanted sharper transitions from her and more impulsion, without me having to constantly nag her. In my lesson I told my instructor to let me know if she thinks I am using the spurs incorrectly, because I would hate to think that I'm going to do her some damage! I am soft

These spurs were your regular Prince of Wales spurs, and after the lesson I see that the spurs have taken some of the hair off :-O

So I don't wear spurs for about a week, but last night I took her in the school with some metal rollerball spurs, thinking that they won't be quite so pointy

Well after a successful schooling sesh I get off and see on the left side I have rubbed the grey skin off so it's light pink and on the right size there is more of a rub - like a graze? I promise I don't give her full on pelts because there is no need with spurs but when I got off I felt so so bad, even though I told her owner and she said not to worry ???????? She is a horse and she has two little rubs!

I am going to a comp a week Sunday and as bad as it sounds I would hate for people to think I beat her! :-O What can I do from here on out, with regards to hair growth, making the skin harder and any particular spurs that are less likely to rub?

Although she is lazy she is a thin skinned tb - I was thinking of getting some spurs (once she has healed!) that have a ball but are static?

I didn't know if I should have put this in here or NL. I told her owner and my friend who is more like a coach at the moment and they both think that I'm not all bad :-/

 

[Chloe_GHE]

does a long schooling whip get her listening the same as spurs?.... you could always swap to using a whip until she is healed and then maybe if she is really thin skinned make some little fleecey covers for the ends of your spurs?...or cover them in vasaline so that they don't rub they glide over the hair?..... I would just leave the skin to heal naturally anything you apply to make it harder atm will sting and burn due to the graze, I think vaseline on the spur ens once healed would be my choice. good luck

 

[flyingfeet]

Ah i have just been through a big hole phase with my bay chap, although that was excessive use of spurs (3cm ones) as he is too slow...

Anyway best thing is spray plaster, available from supermarket / tescos. It means you can work them without rubbing off the grey skin

Then in terms of spurs, the worst culprit from rubbing is grease building up and catching, therefore don't use vaseline as it will get all gunked up

Instead use either spray silicon (dad happened to have some) or show shine, you want a silicon layer on the ball and neck of the spurs that stops grease from sticking.

Washing horses sides in dilute fairy liquid will also help with grease build up

Worst case scenario use a long towel under the saddle to add another layer

 

[Santa_Claus]

if you are leaving spur marks it will almost certainly be because your leg is not sufficiently stable and you are predomiantly using the back of your leg and heel instead of the inside of your leg when applying a leg aid.

The majority of times when wearing spurs they should not come in contact with the horse, they should only make contact when you expressly turn your foot slightly out.

Its good though that you are realising there is an issue now and you are seeking to correct it. I have sadly seen far too many horses at competitions with rubs and even bleeding wounds from the misuse of spurs. You can easily be eliminated by a dressage judge for spur rubs/grazes so its important to identify why they are happening.

By the sounds you need to work on your transitions making them sharper and more forward and you also need to work on your lower leg. For the transitions to improve spurs are not necessary, when schooling at home good old pony club kicks are your friend. Once warmed up ask once normally for a walk to trot transition, if doesn't go forward ask again immediately with a proper kick, if still doesn't go forward then series of kicks till moving very forward i.e. canter (making sure to allow with your hands all the time). bring back to walk and repeat. Most horses having done that a few times will be a lot sharper and more responsive and will respond to a normal aid.

With regards your lower leg, work with your instructor but always be concious of it when you ride as well, think what are your toes doing when you apply an aid, if pointing forward you are doing well, if pointing to the side they need work! Working without stirrups will help deepen your seat and remove dependance on your legs for balance, this in turn should help improve the stability of your lower leg.

Of course I haven't seen you ride so your lower leg may be fine your horse is just thin skinned but if so again I wouldn't use spurs. Cornucresent will help the hair re growth and vaseline will also help protect the area in the mean time

 

[jenbleep]

does a long schooling whip get her listening the same as spurs?.... you could always swap to using a whip until she is healed and then maybe if she is really thin skinned make some little fleecey covers for the ends of your spurs?...or cover them in vasaline so that they don't rub they glide over the hair?..... I would just leave the skin to heal naturally anything you apply to make it harder atm will sting and burn due to the graze, I think vaseline on the spur ens once healed would be my choice. good luck

I can use a long whip but I find it doesn't get her quite as sharp as with spurs....I use it, she shoots forward then she's back to idle. I guess that's more of a schooling issue though, and I just need to get after her. Other people have ridden her without spurs and got her motivated so if they can do it so can I

I have never seen people with fleecey ends, maybe I could give that a try! She is really quite fine, like a whippet

That's some really good advice thank you. I know I can never be perfect but I would hate to think that people think I'm some kind of horse beater!

Is there anything I can use to make the hair grow back quicker?

 

[Kenzo]

You must be still niggling with your legs when your wearing the spurs or keeping your leg on too much when trotting....plenty of people do it your not the only one but you now need to get into the habit of applying the leg and getting an instant response from your horse then leg off straight away and keeping your toes in more, so your horse understands the aid correctly, which is probably why you've ended up needing spurs in the first place, but yes I appreciate some horses are extremely lazy hard work to move off sometimes and need them, I'm not knocking the fact that they are needed.

Meantime use a long schooling whip in each hand, don't use your spurs for the time being and bob some hair growth cream on, then adjust your stirrup length so your using your inside heal of your boots higher or lower than the original rubbed area.

BUT now try to remember to apply your leg using the inside of your lower leg not the inside of your foot/heal because that's what he problem is, your instructor should of picked this up before suggesting spurs.

 

[jenbleep]

if you are leaving spur marks it will almost certainly be because your leg is not sufficiently stable and you are predomiantly using the back of your leg and heel instead of the inside of your leg when applying a leg aid.

The majority of times when wearing spurs they should not come in contact with the horse, they should only make contact when you expressly turn your foot slightly out.

Its good though that you are realising there is an issue now and you are seeking to correct it. I have sadly seen far too many horses at competitions with rubs and even bleeding wounds from the misuse of spurs. You can easily be eliminated by a dressage judge for spur rubs/grazes so its important to identify why they are happening.

By the sounds you need to work on your transitions making them sharper and more forward and you also need to work on your lower leg. For the transitions to improve spurs are not necessary, when schooling at home good old pony club kicks are your friend. Once warmed up ask once normally for a walk to trot transition, if doesn't go forward ask again immediately with a proper kick, if still doesn't go forward then series of kicks till moving very forward i.e. canter (making sure to allow with your hands all the time). bring back to walk and repeat. Most horses having done that a few times will be a lot sharper and more responsive and will respond to a normal aid.

With regards your lower leg, work with your instructor but always be concious of it when you ride as well, think what are your toes doing when you apply an aid, if pointing forward you are doing well, if pointing to the side they need work! Working without stirrups will help deepen your seat and remove dependance on your legs for balance, this in turn should help improve the stability of your lower leg.

Of course I haven't seen you ride so your lower leg may be fine your horse is just thin skinned but if so again I wouldn't use spurs. Cornucresent will help the hair re growth and vaseline will also help protect the area in the mean time

Hmm interesting that you say about my leg, because in my lessons my instructor has been constantly saying about my heels and that they need to come down, because when I use my leg my heel has tended to come up. She has mentioned this less though so I am always working on it. She has ridden C and I can see that she uses her calf and the inside of her leg, keeping her heels in the correct position, and she has said that this is what I need to do. She has also reinforced that I do not beat C which is encouraging

My comp is a ODE and I would be mortified if I got pulled up for spur marks although I understand why they would, especially when we are working at a low level dressage.

With regards to schooling and the pony club kicks, would you think it would be ok to do this while she is healing from these grazes? Like I say they have not broken the skin as such but I imagine they are sensitive. When other people have ridden her if has not been pretty but it certainly got her moving

I've got another lesson booked a week Friday, but I'm thinking of getting on for Sunday too to get our issues sorted

 

[jenbleep]

BUT now try to remember to apply your leg using the inside of your lower leg not the inside of your foot/heal because that's what he problem is, your instructor should of picked this up before suggesting spurs.

In her defence she didn't suggest them, I just wore then off my own back for the last two lessons.

I think the niggling is an awful habit and one which I am always conscious of but she has reinforced the fact that I need to use my calf as a leg aid, and this is something that I need to keep thinking about.

 

[WellyBaggins]

Spurs are probably not the answer to your problem if you are not fully secure in your lower leg position, but if you decide you "need" spurs, try the impulse, non marking ones, they are great.

 

[Santa_Claus]

the marks 'should' be behind your leg so if you put something on them (spray plaster as mentioned above sounds very good idea actually) you should have no issues PC kicking!

It is always tempting to use spurs on a lazy horse but they should only be used for refinement of the aids. You can't give a horse a good old boot if you are wearing spurs so for anything lazy I wouldn't actually wear them. Getting out of the habit of niggling with your leg is hard but ideally eventually you should use your leg to ask for a transition (up or down or within pace!) and then shouldn't need to ask again until you ask for another transition. Very few horses will allow for this ideal but most can given the correct maintained schooling. Its why dressage riders look like they are doing nothing as they have refined their aids so much they only need ask once and a very slight shift of their weight/leg/body is enough indiciation to the horse of what they are being asked.

 

[jenbleep]

Ah i have just been through a big hole phase with my bay chap, although that was excessive use of spurs (3cm ones) as he is too slow...

Anyway best thing is spray plaster, available from supermarket / tescos. It means you can work them without rubbing off the grey skin

Thanks for your advice - the spray plaster idea does sound good, never even heard it though to be honest! They come up with everything

 

[flyingfeet]

Spurs are probably not the answer to your problem if you are not fully secure in your lower leg position, but if you decide you "need" spurs, try the impulse, non marking ones, they are great.

Metal rollerball are superior impluse spurs. Impuls (no "e") are the german plastic and can break, the metal rollerball (coronet / mark todd), do the same job, but run better and far less likely to break.

 

[jenbleep]

Metal rollerball are superior impluse spurs. Impuls (no "e") are the german plastic and can break, the metal rollerball (coronet / mark todd), do the same job, but run better and far less likely to break.

I used the MT stainless steel rollerball spurs Not now for a while