Riding with Spurs...

lizijj

lizijj

Well-Known Member
Joined
27 August 2008
Messages
260
Visit site
Hi, I have to be able to ride with spurs for the show hunter classes this summer. In all my life I've never ridden with them, bar in the States where I really wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing, (and one time as a kid I put a friends set on when I was young to 'show off', my instructor whipped them off and gave me a very big telling off!). The horse I have to ride them in is very lazy and slow off the leg at the best of times, I don't want to give him a big normal kick and hurt him... any advice would be fab.
 
I'll be slated for this, but if he's lazy and slow off your leg, spurs might be just the thing to help him remember that when you say go, his only query should be by how much generally! You ride him for an hour a day max. and pamper him and ensure he leads an easy life otherwise!!

You're spurs shouldn't be in play whenever you use your leg- only when you use the inside of your heel rather than your calf, so technically you don't even have to use them.
 
Just make sure you dont turn your ankles in when you normally give a leg aids and you will be fine and then just turn your ankles in to use them. If your at all worried just dont use them and keep your ankles out. A quick nudge with the spur should mean you wont need to 'kick' him so you shouldnt have to worry. If you can get some one to video you riding in them so you can watch how much you use them.
 
I wouldn't slate you at all, he's been brought on slowly since three - currently six, had event riders and training, schooled well, but still just his personality is very laid back. His is pretty bombproof - would rather stop, look at a spook, assess it, then walk on not bothered. He FLOATS in the field when playing, he just gives you very little when ridden. He has been ridden in spurs by a professional rider, and he went a lot better than just using leg and whip (he objects to this). I'm just worried I don't know what I'm doing with spurs... so just use my usual leg and turn heels in to refine the instruction?
 
Great advice guys, thank you. Yes, he does have a blooming lovely life so it's time he paid me back a little!!! :)
 
If you have a stable lower leg and are able to control the use of the spur by turning / not turning your heel then spurs are no different from any other artificial aid. You can choose all sorts of actions from the really mild to the stronger. Wearing spurs is a requirement of some show classes and dressage over medium level.

But if you are worried about being able to use them correctly, or if the horse freaks out when you try, you can use dummy spurs in show hunter classes. This is just a band of metal that fits like a spur but has no protruberances at all. There are also comb style spurs which have no point but a comb of small ridges on the inside of your heel. You don't have to turn your heel to use these, the apply every time regardless. They are very mild, but don't give anything a pony club style kick using them!
 
Just an update - hacked out in spurs for the first time today - only had to slightly (and very lightly) use them a couple of times, and I have my sports horse back! :) So much better than having to use the crop all the time, which doesn't bother him but bothers me! I wouldn't use them on my other horses, but on this very laid back boy, it seems to be a good thing. Thanks again for your advice :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top