Question re Spurs for all you experienced horse trainers?

[pipper]

A lady on my yard has purchased a really nice sec B for her daughter. Daughter is a nice little rider, and pony is well suited to her except for one problem. The pony is really dead to the leg. Has lovely paces especially in trot but the canter is awful. SOOOOO slow! It doesnt matter how hard she kicks it makes no difference. We have had all checks done (Tack, teeth ect ect - inc a 5* vetting) Any ways up! I have been riding the little lady trying to help. Canter is VERY hard work. Have tried all the different methods, loads of transitions, lunging ect ect. I have also tried spurs. Now here is the story:
Pony CLEARLY doesnt like spurs, in that she really backs off and tries to go 'up and down' rather than the 'forward' we are trying to achieve. So i gave them up after a couple of goes - worried that she may buck. Wouldnt put me off but would worry the daughter!
But a couple of days ago I found myself kicking for all i was worth in the school with no response - and none from the whip either, just the same 4 beat canter, i was sweating buckets and puffing fit to burst, she was just about moving with not a care in the world and not breaking sweat. When i suddenly thought - B$GGER this! and put the spurs on. I meant business and when she back off and did her 'up and down' i got tuff with her and pushed her forward in no uncertain terms! It certainly did the trick! Had the most lovely forward canter (in fact was having to hold her back a bit).
Now my question:
Do I put the spurs on for every session at the beginning as she really doesnt like them - or do I give her the chance to go forward without them and if she doesnt then put them on?
I know some of you will say - wear them and only use them if you have to, but im not a fatastic rider and pony does need a certain amount of leg, so will enevitably use them right from the start....
what do you think??
many thanks

 

[pipper]

bumperty bump? anyone??

 

[Nightmare before Christmas]

My youngster is like this, and is scared of a whip so I use roller ball spurs. I wear them each time I ride to keep him focused. Works well

 

[annieapplecake]

try to only use spurs when neccessary and after a while she may learn that a squeeze or jab with the heels means to go forward. In the meantime, try to train her up to the stage where you can only touch her with the spurs and make her move forward then she will probably have learnt the lesson.

 

[Littlelegs]

I wouldn't use them at all for that situation. If she's used to people kicking her she's dead to the leg. Spurs are to refine aids already in place, not create them. I would take the pony out of the school for a few weeks & hack it with a forwards horse in company so it learns to canter forwards. Once it has a nice forwards balanced canter & responds to the aids for it consistently I would then look to transfer it to the school. And get the kid an instructor so she learns how to keep it forwards without kicking in future if she has problems.

 

[Rhandir]

to me, the art of wearing spurs is not to use them. I will ask a horse nicely twice, and the third time I will make sure it moves away from my leg. I will then go back to asking nicely with just my leg, no spur ... rinse and repeat until it moves away the first time you ask it.