spurs

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dopeesophee

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well i have been thinking after my lesson

i had to keep kick kick kicking to make sure she maintained the power from behind

would it be better to ride in spurs?
she is a really sensitive mare; but after a while seemed to go dead to the leg and stick (i ride with a huge stick :P)

mum absolutely detests children riding in spurs; as she feels were still not completely secure in our riding like an adult would be
she just has the image of pc childen when she was a rider
and people who keep them in the sides of the horse all the time

thoughts would be great... and which sort to get, if i should get them how do i persuade mum??

xx
 
i would try impluse spurs first and just be gentle and she her reaction. aslong s you aren't kicking ten tonnes of s***t out of her and are sensible then i don't see why not.
 
there is no way i would kick her to pieces, even when i kick her; its not a huge great big pony club flappy kick its a squeeze, harder squeeze, tap, then a bit of a boot

i will have a look, i dont want to be spending loads on them if i cant use them
tongue.gif

x
 
Your gentle method may be where you're going wrong if she's ignoring you till you get to the "bit of a boot".

Next time you're working her try with no spurs but ask politely once only and if she doesn't listen either follow up immediately with a big boot or your stick used in conjunction with your leg. She'll probably let out a huge groan to let everyone in the vicinity know just how mean you have been but the fact of the matter is she's being rude and needs to know that legs mean "get a move on straight away or I'll boot you".

Your mother will be happier too!
grin.gif


Edited to add: this doesn't mean use a big kick every time, just once might be enough to make her mind her manners.
 
Hi,
I tend to feel that spurs should be used for refining an aid and should not be used when a horse has 'gone off the aids'. You will generally find that horses which are a bit lazy or quiet off the leg will just get used to the spur and you are back where you started. I would tend to address your horses response to your leg first and make sure you are not nagging with your leg, if you horse does not listen first touch then by all means give a big 'pony club kick' but make sure that you praise the forward response you get and do not pull back on the reins. With repeated work like this you should be able to get your horse in front of the leg without spurs.
Hope this makes sense and although not the quick fix I really feel it would be worth it in the long run.
laugh.gif
 
ok, spurs were the only thing i could think of that could help, my instructor did get me to give her a few big pony club kicks though..
i will try to work on that for the rest of the week
and see if it improves
if it does i will continue for the next few weeks, if it doesnt then i guess i will have to talk to my instructor about it

x
 
From what you've described, I'd agree with jemima_too and clare_j. It sounds to me like your horse thinks that "move" is indicated by four or five progressively stronger leg aids, rather than just one gentle one. If she ignores your first squeeze, immediately repeat the aid, backing it up with your stick behind the leg. If you're consistent in your insistence that she respond to that first squeeze, it probably won't take her long to learn!
 
I was in a dilemma as to whether to use spurs as well.
In the end I relented, and used them a few times.
Horse woke up and worked beautifully.
Now I don't have to use them.
I intend to use them a bit like the electric on the fence. When they start getting complacent, switch on the elec so they get a zap. Then no need to use it for a while.
with the spurs, I will use them every so often to wake him up, then not use them for a few weeks.
I wouldn't like to have to rely on them for every day use.
 
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