What is so wrong with spurs then???

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SecretSquirrell379

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I must admit that I havn't seen any of the anti spurs posts but I am curious as to why they are thought to be so bad??!! I am not trying to start a debate at all, I genuinely am interested and want to know the pro's and con's

My mare has been on restriced excercise for 3 weeks now. She was in the vets for lameness and it turned out to be 'navicular changes' causing bilateral caudal foot pain.

The vet suggested that she had her shoes changed to natural balance ones on the fronts and normal ones on the back, which she had done the day after she came home from the vets. She has 1 bute a day with her breakfast (after excercise) and has been gently excercised each day.

For the first week (30 mins walking only) she was very slow and I was feeling sorry for her thinking that her hooves were probably sore. I was having to constantly push her on, if I took my leg off for one step then she would stop, but, I soon noticed though that as soon as she realised that we were on the home straight she walked out perfectly ok, no lameness, tracking up very well and walking at a decent pace. I gave her the benefit of the doubt for the first couple of weeks but my legs were killing me from pushing her on and she wasn't really listening to my legs, I carry a stick but don't like to smack/tap her unless its really needed.

My riding out friend suggested that I try his spurs (only small ones) and see how she goes. I have used them twice now and the difference is amazing. I don't have to kick her on at all, just gently touch her sides and she listens and moves away. There are no ears back, unhappy faces or grumpy looks. She seems perfectly happy and I don't feel like I am nagging her all the time.

I am sure she is/was just being nappy as she is fed up with going round the same block each day (only short ride we have! lots and lots of longers ones though
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) I won't use them for ever but they have helped over the last few days. If I thought that her 'slowness' was down to pain then I would be able to tell, but, its just her being lazy and taking the mick.

What are your thoughts or experiences with spurs?
 
i have just started using spurs in the school this week as im sick of leg leg leg - it cant be any fune for pony either - he went beautifully with a little help from the spurs all transitions much better and much better than me bouncing up and down on his back - so i dont care if anyone slags me off - i love my pony and would never never intentionally hurt him!!!! SO THERE!!!! xxx
 
that is exactly how I feel, to be honest I was worried about hurting her as I was having to push her on so much constantly, I only have to gently touch her and she listens so its good for her and me I think
 
If I am just hacking I don't wear them but I do carry a schooling wyhip as backup. However for jumping lessons when I need to be really precise with my aids and for her to respond immediately I use them. I am always very aware when I have them on not to accidentally jab her or rub her etc. I've never left a mark on her and she responds calmly to them. I was horrified when my instructor first suggested it, but it has made her move better off the leg without them too. So.... to cut a long story short, if your horse responds to them then I think it is better to mindfully use spurs once instead of hammering his sides repeatedly, and you may find they will sharpen him up a bit as well.
 
I've had a very similar experience to yours recently. I've never felt the need to use spurs on my lad until the last few months - after an operation on his collatoral ligament last June, the last year has been spent bringing him slowly back into work. I think he's learnt that I haven't pushed him to hard until recently and now can't be bothered. I bought a pair of spurs and have used them for a few weeks. Earlier this week, I rode without them and he was much better - my thinking behind buying them, was just to remind him that he's to move forward and the message seems to be getting through!
 
Me too,my damn legs would drop off without them,lol!!Would rather use spurs than slap him every time he does not respond quickly enough,he is also a lazy beggar,lol!!
 
i think the thing is that, to purists, the spur is not used to make the horse go forward. that's what your legs and seat are for. it is used to refine the aid, to give a more precise signal to a trained horse, with a very controlled and carefully positioned leg. the horse, ideally, should be in front of the leg without the need for spurs. if it isn't, then the schooling whip is used to convince the horse that a light leg aid is enough, that it should respond correctly to just that. light leg aid, no response, flick with whip behind leg. repeat light leg aid, get correct response (hopefully!)
however, that's in an ideal world, i guess. the thing is that a lot of damage can be done with spurs (well, i wouldn't want them dug into my ribs), especially by riders with loose lower legs who are prepared to kick hard with spurs on...
but if they work for you and your horse, and make life easier for both of you, then great.
 
excellent. all replies that make me feel good
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I always have my own ideas and theorys behind what I do but its nice to get other people's opinions just incase mine are total twaddle!!!
 
I've tried the flick with the schooling whip behind my leg to back it up but it doesn't work, she just gets the hump, stores up all the flicks and explodes when we finally do get moving
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I am very careful with my legs, keep them very still and make sure I don't flap them about at all. My friend keeps an eye on them too!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
I've tried the flick with the schooling whip behind my leg to back it up but it doesn't work, she just gets the hump, stores up all the flicks and explodes when we finally do get moving
crazy.gif


I am very careful with my legs, keep them very still and make sure I don't flap them about at all. My friend keeps an eye on them too!!

[/ QUOTE ]

totally agree - only use the spurs in the school very carefully although i do admit that i have used them this week to get him to go out for 5 minutes hack on his own with out him napping and running backwards - but i think he knew i had them as i didnt really use them at all!
if i try the schooling whip he bucks in temper!!! Naughty boy!
 

I'm another recent convert to spurs. Never used them before - never needed them but have workshy mare at the moment who I think has been produced with spurs. Put them on yesterday and she is a different horse - she is moving forward though, rather than away from them which is an important distinction.
I find that she respects them and I barely have to use them - I clamp my legs to her sides most of the time and just use them when I feel she is being lazy, plus, i am not 'on at her' all the time trying to get her forward which actually stops me moving my lower leg at all (was problem when having to 'ponyclubkick')

Therefore - I have no problem with them at all but I don't think they should be used excessively.
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LOL

I was worried as I hadn't used them before and I was worried about hurting her, but, I have to agree the difference is amazing. She seems really happy........and so do my legs!!
 
I think it is the same as any artificial aid - if used well and properly then no prob - if used wrongly to inflict unnecessary pain then wrong.
 
Without spurs:
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With spurs:
P1020012.jpg


I spent 18 months riding meg without spurs before me and my instructor admitted defeat and started using them, and we're finally making real progress.
 
Only tend to use them with Blue when i've borrowed the dressage saddle, purely because i find it hard to reach his sides in that saddle and with spurs it seems a bit easier!
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I've been riding in this saddle on and off for over a year now with varying stirrup lengths and without stirrups and i still find it hard to reach his sides without spurs, think it must be the different position your legs are in?
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I'm another recent convert. I spent a year battling without them, as I was determined to get horse moving off the leg sharply first. When I managed that, I got some spurs and we are going a lot better now.

One of my pet hates though, is people who ride in them on anything. One girl I know had 2 forward going horses and rode them both in spurs. She jabbed them when SJing, but when I rode them both I didn't think they even needed them.
I guess people think they look like a better rider if they are seen to be wearing them.
 
I always ride my horse in them, he is a little lazy and I prefer a gently prod with the spurs to a big kick in the ribs.

I also rind it hard to do more precise schooling without them on my horse.
 
I'm a recent convert, I never used to be keen on them as I was worried I'd ended up hurting my horse (I always thought it was something that only the really good people ride in - or the really bad ones!). As I certainly wasn't in the first category, I didn't want to find myself in the second...

However, current horse can be backwards at times and even a flick both sides with a schooling whip in each hand only earns me a small sigh from him (no forward movement). Riding in spurs once a week just seems to sharpen him up, and are fantastic for lateral work, I seem to be able to control whichever leg I want to and get it to move where I want it to. I don't jump in them in case I hurt him (I seem to have regressed in the quality of my jumping seat).

So I am now pro-spurs, even for not-brilliant riders like me.
 
You've seen the spurs I wear (westerns with blunted rowls) any anti spur person on here would probably shoot me on site (picture stand off in the ok corral!). We use them to ask a horse to move away from the leg would never kick with them on but then with our western trained horses we don't really use much lower leg as they respond to seat balance.
 
Spurs are fine if correctly used.
I have always been taught that spurs aren't for making a lazy horse go forward to the leg aid - for that you ask twice with your leg - if no response, on the third leg aid, smack firmly behind your leg simultaneously (but make sure you let the horse go forward even if it is in canter from halt).
Spurs are for refining the leg aids still further in a very well trained horse.
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And I have issues with people who regard marking a horse with spurs as a normal course of events, although I'm sure no one here would think that.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Spurs are fine if correctly used.
I have always been taught that spurs aren't for making a lazy horse go forward to the leg aid - for that you ask twice with your leg - if no response, on the third leg aid, smack firmly behind your leg simultaneously (but make sure you let the horse go forward even if it is in canter from halt).
Spurs are for refining the leg aids still further in a very well trained horse.
smile.gif

And I have issues with people who regard marking a horse with spurs as a normal course of events, although I'm sure no one here would think that.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have in the past smacked her quite firmly with the stick and she does not move at all
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she totally turns off. You'll finally get her going and a few minutes later the smack seems to register with her brain and she goes like a flipping rocket
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I have checked her sides after riding her and there are no marks what so ever, not surprising really as I barely touch her LOL

Cazza - Hi hun, havn't seen you for ages
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Spurs are fine if correctly used.
I have always been taught that spurs aren't for making a lazy horse go forward to the leg aid - for that you ask twice with your leg - if no response, on the third leg aid, smack firmly behind your leg simultaneously (but make sure you let the horse go forward even if it is in canter from halt).
Spurs are for refining the leg aids still further in a very well trained horse.
smile.gif

And I have issues with people who regard marking a horse with spurs as a normal course of events, although I'm sure no one here would think that.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have in the past smacked her quite firmly with the stick and she does not move at all
shocked.gif
she totally turns off. You'll finally get her going and a few minutes later the smack seems to register with her brain and she goes like a flipping rocket
crazy.gif


I have checked her sides after riding her and there are no marks what so ever, not surprising really as I barely touch her LOL

Cazza - Hi hun, havn't seen you for ages
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I'd persist with the smacking (but only if you're confident that you can ride the resulting rodeo
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). And I don't believe you about spurs - I'll bet she has 1000 perforations.
laugh.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]

I have in the past smacked her quite firmly with the stick and she does not move at all
shocked.gif
she totally turns off. You'll finally get her going and a few minutes later the smack seems to register with her brain and she goes like a flipping rocket
crazy.gif


I have checked her sides after riding her and there are no marks what so ever, not surprising really as I barely touch her LOL


[/ QUOTE ]

I'd persist with the smacking (but only if you're confident that you can ride the resulting rodeo
laugh.gif
). And I don't believe you about spurs - I'll bet she has 1000 perforations.
laugh.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Yeh she looks like a T-bag!!!! and no I won't be persisting with the smacking, I'll be off by the 3rd buck, my arse is not that sticky!!!
 
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