Spurs - poll

My perfect meal is ...........

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I use spurs alot when competing SJ, XC, Team Chasing etc with Peter as he tends to get lazy and have found with im that he needs that extra bit to get him going and he goes very well when i have them on, i have no problem with people using spurs aslong as they know how to ride correctly with them on, it does tend to annoy my when you get these little children wearing spurs and just kicking the poor ponies!
 
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If you use spurs every day on your horse - do they lose their effectiveness?

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This is the million dollar question which i have been mulling over for some time now!!!
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I ride my very lazy horse in short spurs for everything except hacking, he mostly responds to them and moves off the leg, (i should add here he is 13 and fairly advanced working at about adv medium at home).

Will he eventually stop reacting to the spurs until i put bigger nastier spurs on OR do the spurs mean he works better and so this better quality work becomes the norm for him so this it what he offers on a daily basis?

At the moment with this horse i am leaning towards the latter.
 
I ride at home in them - to school/jump etc. but not out hacking or competing as he doesn't need them. Started using them as he became totally dead to the leg in the school (ended up with bald patches from nagging him & fantastic calf muscles!). They stop me nagging, make me keep my leg still & ensure he knows when I ask I expect him to respond.

Out of home he's a different horse totally forward so there's no need.
 
I don't use them with Chex, slowing down is far more of an issue than speeding up! Would consider using them on different horses if I was schooling, but not for hacking.
 
I dont use them but am considering doing so for XC. when im in pairs i dont have a problem but when on my own pony needs some encouragement and doing so too much compromises my position, especially as she is so small i need to be perfectly balanced. if i do i will use short shanked ones or maybe the new roller ball ones
 
I dont ride in spurs - and wouldent allow anyone to ride my mare in them. this is not because i have anything against them, but my mare would be in the next county before you knew what had happened if ridden in spurs - she is VERY quick off the leg. i suppose i have never needed to ride a horse in them - therefore am wary of my ability to use them. i havea pretty secure lower leg but knowing me would worry about 'catching' the horse with them unintentionally.
 
my horse is forward going and doesnt need spurs to 'make him move', but seems to prefer them when schooling, he gets grumpy if he's nagged at and the spur allows more precision
 
"The idea behind spurs is to add sophistication to the touch not to create impulsion with is the purpose of the leg, supported by the whip." Adapted from Paul Belasik Dressage For the 21st Century. That is also what I was taught, no one was permitted to ride with spurs until they could control their lower leg & could ride with an independant seat.
 
are you thinking that you need to use some?

i only used them for competitions and when doing 'proper' schooling at home to enhance my aids.
in three years he responded the same way - he isn't dead to my leg so i dont see why he'd become dead to my small button spur either.
 
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