Spurs and draw reins - what age is acceptable?

M

missy_mare

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 June 2012
Messages
248
Location
South Northants
Visit site
I was at PC today and I saw a 7 year old (a very 'kick, kick, kick' type) wearing spurs and draw reins :( :(I heard her mum ask how tight the draw reins should go, and lots of them answered 'as tight as they will go!'


Even if the rider is capable, do you think there is a minimum age for wearing/using these things?
 
There shouldn't be a minimum age, depends how good the rider is, some kids are fantastic riders. I'd rather a competent kid get on my horse with draw reins and spurs than a novice adult.
 
deicinmerlyn said:
If the Mother had to ask then No and I'd say no anyway.

How about some lessons with a good instructor.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I thought.

Rachaelstar - I do understand your point, some kids are excellent riders, but they tend to be good without using stuff like that. IME, it's almost always to do with a good seat/hands :)
 
I personally dont think spurs and draw reins are accepatable for a small child, they neither have the ability or the maturity to handle them.
And my opinion on draw reins , i dont like them and wouldnt use them.
Spurs should only be on the boot of a person who is a capable rider with an independant seat
 
Shouldnt be using them and kids shouldnt be allowed to ride in spurs . They should learn to ride correctly and sympathetically. I dont like to see either being used (especially draw reins) by anyone .!
 
Spurs should be used to refine the leg aids, which can only happen when the rider has a secure lower leg. If my 7yr old needed them, I am more than happy enough with her riding to let her wear them, infact more so than half the adults I see in them.
Not really a fan of draw reins, think they are misused by the majority. However, again, if my 7yr old rode one of the small minority of ponies that have a genuine need then I would be confident enough with her riding to let her use them. By the sounds of it, the people you saw weren't using either correctly, but that's nothing to do with age. Tbh, I can think of a few kids round my daughters age that ride better than some adults. I agree a 7yr old who's had a few years of lessons probably isn't up to it. However mine was riding regularly before she could walk, she's had the equivalent of private training (from me) everytime she rides, which has always been a few times a week, for last few years normally 5x a week. Loads of bareback, different ponies, & puts a great deal of effort in. And there are plenty more just like her, very young but competent. And I'm not going to treat her like she's less capable than a novicey adult just because she's a child. The proportion of inexperienced adults I see misusing aids/gadgets is a lot higher than kids ime.
 
littlelegs said:
Spurs should be used to refine the leg aids, which can only happen when the rider has a secure lower leg. If my 7yr old needed them, I am more than happy enough with her riding to let her wear them, infact more so than half the adults I see in them.
Not really a fan of draw reins, think they are misused by the majority. However, again, if my 7yr old rode one of the small minority of ponies that have a genuine need then I would be confident enough with her riding to let her use them. By the sounds of it, the people you saw weren't using either correctly, but that's nothing to do with age. Tbh, I can think of a few kids round my daughters age that ride better than some adults. I agree a 7yr old who's had a few years of lessons probably isn't up to it. However mine was riding regularly before she could walk, she's had the equivalent of private training (from me) everytime she rides, which has always been a few times a week, for last few years normally 5x a week. Loads of bareback, different ponies, & puts a great deal of effort in. And there are plenty more just like her, very young but competent. And I'm not going to treat her like she's less capable than a novicey adult just because she's a child. The proportion of inexperienced adults I see misusing aids/gadgets is a lot higher than kids ime.
Click to expand...

I usually agree with many of your posts and youre a poster i relate to,:) LL, but im not sure about this one, i dont know your daughter, but if you say at 7 she is a good enough rider to use spurs, then fair enough, but my experience of most 7 yo are that they are not mature enough to cope with the responsibility that goes with using them, most 7yo are not above throwing a wobbly if things arent going there way, and that would be my worry.
 
I do see where your coming from marydoll. Her pony is forwards & also very much an opinionated mare, so she has already discovered that having a strop gets you nowhere. Not through doing anything cruel, she just knows the pony would throw a bigger strop & it achieves nothing. And because pony is forwards she knows anything more than a light squeeze results in speeding pony. So whilst just as given to strops as any kid she has learnt the hard way not to have one onboard.
I was thinking more along the lines if she was into dressage & needed precision, or being leggy swan neck spurs to school a miniature. Obviously I don't mean spurs are necessary for all dressage, I'm thinking higher level & very exact lateral work. Probably really a moot point though, her interest in lateral work is limited to jumping & keeping fizzy ponies occupied on hacks. I was thinking more in principle than because I see her needing them anytime soon. And fwiw, I think there are so few ponies who genuinely need draw reins she's unlikely to ride one.
 
rachaelstar said:
There shouldn't be a minimum age, depends how good the rider is, some kids are fantastic riders. I'd rather a competent kid get on my horse with draw reins and spurs than a novice adult.
Click to expand...
this x100

marydoll said:
I personally dont think spurs and draw reins are accepatable for a small child, they neither have the ability or the maturity to handle them.
And my opinion on draw reins , i dont like them and wouldnt use them.
Spurs should only be on the boot of a person who is a capable rider with an independant seat
Click to expand...

kazg07 said:
Shouldnt be using them and kids shouldnt be allowed to ride in spurs . They should learn to ride correctly and sympathetically. I dont like to see either being used (especially draw reins) by anyone .!
Click to expand...
Silly view IMO. If someone has such an insecure leg they cannot control the spurs, they may be unsympathetic, but if they have a good seat and leg they are capable of being just as sensitive. Remember that spurs have differing strengths, and though you may wear them, you don't always have to be applying them.


kazg07 said:
If people school their horses to be sensitive to the leg they wouldnt need spurs !
Click to expand...

Not every horse can be trained to be sensitive. That's not a people issue it's a horse issue. Willy won't go xc without spurs, if I tried we'd be drifting all over the place because he just doesn't respect a bare leg, and please don't tell me you think FEI horses are trained incorrectly... :rolleyes:
 
Do you not have to be approved to be allowed to wear spurs at pony club anymore? I know when I was younger noone was allowed to wear them without permission.
 
Not sure of pc rules, but pc, rc & unaffiliated shows/comps should all have to approve them, just as likely to be incorrectly used as an adult.
And kazg07, I'm pretty confident most top level horses are pretty sensitive & correctly ridden/schooled & yet the riders often wear spurs for precision. So not really a case of schooled horses & good riders not needing them.
 
Pony Club rules are any child can wear spurs but must have permission from their Head Instructor or District Commissioner unless they hold their B test.

Bearing and any form of balancing reins are NOT permitted.

If competition societies thought that 7 yr old kids were capable of wearing spurs in compitition then there would not be a rule stating no spurs on M&Ms or on show/hunter ponies that includes those who do workers.
 
DGeventing said:

this x100




Silly view IMO. If someone has such an insecure leg they cannot control the spurs, they may be unsympathetic, but if they have a good seat and leg they are capable of being just as sensitive. Remember that spurs have differing strengths, and though you may wear them, you don't always have to be applying them.




Not every horse can be trained to be sensitive. That's not a people issue it's a horse issue. Willy won't go xc without spurs, if I tried we'd be drifting all over the place because he just doesn't respect a bare leg, and please don't tell me you think FEI horses are trained incorrectly... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Youre entitled to your opinion, personally i think yours is a silly view for thinking a child has the maturity to use spurs without their emotions getting in the way, jeez half the adults using them cant do that :rolleyes:
 
littlelegs said:
I do see where your coming from marydoll. Her pony is forwards & also very much an opinionated mare, so she has already discovered that having a strop gets you nowhere. Not through doing anything cruel, she just knows the pony would throw a bigger strop & it achieves nothing. And because pony is forwards she knows anything more than a light squeeze results in speeding pony. So whilst just as given to strops as any kid she has learnt the hard way not to have one onboard.
I was thinking more along the lines if she was into dressage & needed precision, or being leggy swan neck spurs to school a miniature. Obviously I don't mean spurs are necessary for all dressage, I'm thinking higher level & very exact lateral work. Probably really a moot point though, her interest in lateral work is limited to jumping & keeping fizzy ponies occupied on hacks. I was thinking more in principle than because I see her needing them anytime soon. And fwiw, I think there are so few ponies who genuinely need draw reins she's unlikely to ride one.
Click to expand...

Your daughter sounds like shes's been well taught :D
 
littlelegs said:
And kazg07, I'm pretty confident most top level horses are pretty sensitive & correctly ridden/schooled & yet the riders often wear spurs for precision. So not really a case of schooled horses & good riders not needing them.
Click to expand...

I was about to say that! Great minds...

I wear spurs on just about everything - not because they need to be made to go faster, but because I like to apply a light, precise aid exactly where it needs to go. I can still apply a more agricultural forward aid if neccessary, without my spurs coming in contact with the horse at all.

My views on kids riding in spurs/draw reins are the the child needs to understand how to work a horse correctly, and to be able to identify and correct a horse that is not working in a correct frame, before using training aids that are supposed to be used to fine tune the way of going of a basically correct horse.
 
eatmoremincepies said:
I do hope one of the PC instructors had a word!! Child would be "de-equipped" or asked to leave in my lesson.
Click to expand...

My experience of my local pony club is anything goes and allowed. Draw reins/side reins/gag/kick,kick,kick and whip,whip,whip combo. But God forbid if your horse so much as farts for fear of upsetting the other tiny tots.
 
No idea about drw reins (never used them) but my daughter wears spurs as her instructor recommended she do so because a) her mare is used to them for flatwork (prefers a subtle aid to a PC kick) and b) her legs are so long that when her stirrups are 'flatwork length' she would otherwise have to bring her heel up to make contact with her mare's side. Doesn't yet have 'B' test so had to get DC signature to wear spurs @ PC. Wouldn't dream of wearing them for jumping or XC and (like littlelegs' daughter) knows exactly the reaction she would get from her girl if she used them inappropriately.
 
blazingsaddles said:
My experience of my local pony club is anything goes and allowed. Draw reins/side reins/gag/kick,kick,kick and whip,whip,whip combo. But God forbid if your horse so much as farts for fear of upsetting the other tiny tots.
Click to expand...

I once 'accidentally on purpose' took home the NS 'universal' that I'd sent to PC camp (to be used for for XC schooling only) when the instructor insisted on it being used all the time simply because the pony was forward going. Daughter managed perfectly well in a snaffle.
 
lme said:
No idea about drw reins (never used them) but my daughter wears spurs as her instructor recommended she do so because a) her mare is used to them for flatwork (prefers a subtle aid to a PC kick) and b) her legs are so long that when her stirrups are 'flatwork length' she would otherwise have to bring her heel up to make contact with her mare's side. Doesn't yet have 'B' test so had to get DC signature to wear spurs @ PC. Wouldn't dream of wearing them for jumping or XC and (like littlelegs' daughter) knows exactly the reaction she would get from her girl if she used them inappropriately.
Click to expand...

That's good, but id have to say yours and LL daughter are the exception rather than the rule
 
marydoll said:
That's good, but id have to say yours and LL daughter are the exception rather than the rule
Click to expand...

I think riding something that takes no s**t from its jockey helps. Daughters horse will work beautifully, if asked correctly (and politely). Unclear aids are met with 'sorry I have no idea what you're asking me to do so I'll just impersonate a camel' and rudeness would resullt in toys being thrown out of pram.
 
blazingsaddles said:
My experience of my local pony club is anything goes and allowed. Draw reins/side reins/gag/kick,kick,kick and whip,whip,whip combo. But God forbid if your horse so much as farts for fear of upsetting the other tiny tots.
Click to expand...

Thats a shame as its certantly not that way where I am. Little kiddies in grass reins yes but all are encouraged to go in the mildest bit thats safe and are required to go in some thing dressage legal at times.


FWIW I now jump YP in spurs as I dont want to be messing round over solid fences, if I say go he needs to go now. But then I'm not a child so thats kind of irrelevant. As for minimum age it depends on the child and the pony like all of these things no two will be the same.
 
Point taken. Think the problem lies in the fact I have seen too many novice riders with insecure lower legs using spurs and kids kicking like mad with them on. Think people fall back on these as quick fixes when they do not have the necessary level of skill.
 
Thankyou marydoll, like ime, the pony helps a lot, rides mine who is a schoolmistress, & hers tends to throw in 90 degree swerves & tank off if she thinks rider is trying to start a fight. Or zooms off if daughter not paying attention. Ask her nicely though & she'll try her best.
 
lme said:
I think riding something that takes no s**t from its jockey helps. Daughters horse will work beautifully, if asked correctly (and politely). Unclear aids are met with 'sorry I have no idea what you're asking me to do so I'll just impersonate a camel' and rudeness would resullt in toys being thrown out of pram.
Click to expand...

:D:D
 
missy_mare said:
Even if the rider is capable, do you think there is a minimum age for wearing/using these things?
Click to expand...

When they have run out of other tools which could do the job with less risk of miss-use and severity.


Never say never, but I would be very surprised if I found a situation which I agreed that it was right for a 7 year old to be riding in both.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top