Why spurs?

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zeuscleoharmony

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Having looked at Ellen Whittaker again in the Derby and her rather nasty dig in the sides with her spurs to her horse for refusing to come down the bank, it has provoked me to ask why spurs are used in this day and age? They seem quite barbaric to me. I have never worn spurs, never even contemplated them but know they are a regular aid in different spheres of our sport. Are they really necessary?

I would also welcome your comments, dare I say arguments, for and against, please.
 
I wear spur as my horse is very very lazy [very very is an understatement lol] so i think that it is actually better for him just to get a little touch from the spurs rather than having my heels constantly kicking and dulling his sides
 
For me personally I would much rather see an assertive but fair sqeeze (or whatever you want to call it) with a pair of spurs than see someone booting their horse in the ribs. To me if all it takes to get your horse a little more responsive is the use of spurs then I have no problem with it. As I would rather have it this way than have a poor horse with the riders leg constantly on it. Putting unnecessary pressure on the horses rig cage etc.
I chose sometimes as with my last horse I wore spurs from time to time as they seemed to give him that bit extra when jumping big and made it easier for him to go off a long stride, not sure why (maybe he felt the aid clearer). However with my current horse I don't use spurs as they make her more backward than she already is.
I will be honest though and say that one of my pet peeves at local shows is the amount of under 10/12 year olds wearing spurs! As they do not no how to use them properly (in the majority).
 
In mostcases I think schooling the horse to respond to the leg would work better than spurs, although I can see in top level competition and hunting they may be needed. I hate eventers and SJer who dig their spurs in over the jumps by mistake from wierd positions, and dressage riders who niggle the whole time with spurs as this seems so pointless.
 
Yes I wear (Impulse or Roller ball) spurs on both Bodey and Badger, and wear them most of the time. On Bodey I wear them because they give me more precise aids, now we have moved up a level, doing counter canter, mediums etc, etc. I found they help to give me more ‘up’ in the strides, rather then kicking, I’m touching, does that make sense?

For Badger the Fjord I wear them because he instantly respects my leg when I have them on (I don’t even have to touch him, he knows), you have to remember that this pony was brought as a pure plod pony for my Mum, which is fab when she rides, but I want more from him (he can do a half decent dressage pony impression).
I’m not one was smacking with the whip, for one it looks untidy in a test, even thought obviously will back my leg up if I have too.

Spurs work for my ponies and I will ride in them no matter what people’s opinions are, however I don’t use then like Ellen does!!
 
i wear them occasionally, on a wimpy one xc i would, or for A dressage. i don't wear them on young horses, ever. if i need to do a pony-club kick i want to know i can!
what people forget is that they are designed to refine the aid, to give a pin-point accurate poke rather than a push over a bigger area. they are not designed to teach a horse to go forward... schooling does that, progressively teaching the horse to accept but stay in front of the leg.
i hate seeing them over-used, or used to punish the horse. i hate seeing them on kids or adults who do not have a quiet secure leg position, too.
horses that are used to being ridden in them can be very idle if you try to ride them without, though!
 
I used to ride my old horse in spurs for dressage as it makes your aids clearer and helps with accuracy for lateral work. I haven't begun riding my youngster in them yet but I feel I soon will need to as I will find it easier to teach him haunches in and halfpass with them on. I think there is no problem in using spurs so long as they are used correctly and only by people who have enough control over their legs not to go accidently digging them in the horse's sides!
 
QR spurs are a refinement of the aids, when you have a highly schooled horse there are many, many extra buttons, spurs make it clearer which one you're going for. Then are supposed to me used to just touch. Should and practice are very different and they can be usful for reschooling and getting horses forward.
 
I use spurs at shows normally and find it much easier than 'nagging' the horses but i noticed Ellen Whitaker doing that yesterday too and i really thought it was absolutely awful - she lost her temper it seemed and booted the spurs in when the horse came down the other side of the bank at which point the horse hadnt done anything wrong. Like anything in the wrong hands i suppose they can be barbaric but used correctly i think its much kinder to squeeze gently with spurs than kick without.
 
I wear them sometimes on my big horse. He tends to be a bit lazy off the leg (I'm not talking Thelwell kicks needed lazy, just not as sharp as I'd like) and pays no attention whatsoever to a whip, so I use spurs for schooling. I know that people say "spurs are for refining the aids" but surely me only needing to give a little nudge instead of a kick is a refinement of the forwards aids..?

I actually don't often need to use them, it seems to be enough to wear them and just occasionally remind him with them. I use them in walk because that's the pace he tends to die in if he's in a lazy mood - not every stride, just if he's dropped off my leg a bit. Also will use them for lateral work if using just my leg hasn't had the desired result. Never need them for canter work (he likes canter work
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I don't think they're barbaric when used correctly. It's one thing to use them to back up your leg aid, another to use them as a punishment. I really don't have a problem with them being used. I have a big horse (I'm 5ft4 and he's just shy of 17.1hh) and sometimes my legs just aren't strong or long enough for such a big lad.
 
I sometimes use them, usually for dressage / lateral movements. I have also had some riders use them under supervision when they are not strong enough / too small / horses has deadened sides as I would far prefer to see the correct use of a spur once than repeated booting of the horse in the ribs. I do think there are very very few occassions where a kick is really warrented. I have very very rarely had children use them, as their legs are often not under control enough for their use to be fair. I prefer children to use a stick to back up their legs, as that cannot be used by mistake / loss of balance.
 
i wear them on the heavy weight cob i ride as he is noramlly a novice happy plod cob.
I get on and all the tricks come out for showing off (get lots of ooos from spectators! hehe)

I used to ride my 17hh2 in them as well but only in shows to achieve extended canter/gallop as just legs got a slightly faster canter....
 
On Genie they most certainly are not necessary... you'd be gone into the distance and never come back! I can see why they're used sensibly on lazy horses or for precision aids, but should, imo, only be used by those with a secure lower leg.
 
Why use a whip? Why use a bit? Why use stirrups? Why use a saddle?

You know back in the day people would ride horses bareback and with only a halter to move them it worked quite well.

But to make things easier we introduced the saddle safer and more comfortable on those hot days, stirrups to secure the lower leg, the bridle for easier and quick movement, fancy bits for different horses, whips for control of the quarters, spurs to enhance the aid there is nothing barbaric about spurs. Every single piece of tack CAN be used to punish the horse it about how you use it that makes the difference.

Oh and yes I do wear spurs, I ride with a whip (2 at times) stirrups, a well fitted saddle and a bridle with a bit to fit my horse's mouth confo
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What i've never understood is why spurs are mandatory in some classes, like the higher levels of dressage. Anyone care to enlighten me?
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Because if you compete at above PSG and can aid your horse to do all the many many movements without spurs then you are either psychic or cheating.
 
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What i've never understood is why spurs are mandatory in some classes, like the higher levels of dressage. Anyone care to enlighten me?
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Because if you compete at above PSG and can aid your horse to do all the many many movements without spurs then you are either psychic or cheating.

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Ha! I see!
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But surely you should still be given the choice?? You never know, afterall.
 
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Why use a whip? Why use a bit? Why use stirrups? Why use a saddle?

You know back in the day people would ride horses bareback and with only a halter to move them it worked quite well.

But to make things easier we introduced the saddle safer and more comfortable on those hot days, stirrups to secure the lower leg, the bridle for easier and quick movement, fancy bits for different horses, whips for control of the quarters, spurs to enhance the aid there is nothing barbaric about spurs. Every single piece of tack CAN be used to punish the horse it about how you use it that makes the difference.

Oh and yes I do wear spurs, I ride with a whip (2 at times) stirrups, a well fitted saddle and a bridle with a bit to fit my horse's mouth confo
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OH WELL SAID!!!
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I wear spurs as I sometimes have a hard time particularly with my left leg - it's more that it's just really weak and ineffective. I ask for bend/lateral movements etc with the left leg without spurs once, twice, and then ask again WITH. I don't ever boot with it or dig it in...just because I'm wearing them doesn't mean I have to use them. But to make it clear to the horse exactly what I'm asking, it does get the point across better than my weakling left leg.
 
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The choice to use them or not is there regardless of whether they are attached to your boots or not.

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Still doesn't really answer my quesiton as to why they are mandatory.
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Is it just for show then? 'Dressage bling'?

(NB i am not against the use of spurs, just curious
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)
 
Well, you lot have definitely enlightened me, so thanks for that. I love this forum because I ask a question because generally I am ignorant in that field and you lot put me right.

My boy is a plod and I never, ever thought of wearing spurs (yes, I did think they look a bit barbaric) but with your comments I may well consider using them in the future if I felt I needed a little help in the aiding department. And yes, like anything, if used incorrectly they are nasty things, in the right hands, or should I say on the right feet, they are a helpful aid.

xxx
 
I like the balance in this post; it's fab.

I would like to point out that there are many different types of spurs, also - longer shanks give more leverage in the same way they do to bits.

Also, no horse should 'need' spurs to go forward, but almost all horses are more 'up' if you ride with them, even with the tiniest aid.

My mare was very sharp (we've had to work to get her from TOO forward going to push-button, but she's perfect now) and obviously used to being ridden in spurs. Whilst I'd rather have her as a bit of a donk with nice active paces, stick a better rider with some spurs on and she turns into a machine who will give an extra dimension you'd never get with legs alone & goes in a much more advanced frame as there's so much power being produced.

So, like strong bits, there's also no argument for them making a horse dead to the leg - there's a baby horse on our yard who seemed thick as two planks & didn't really understand the concept of going forward off the leg but she was ridden in spurs a few times & is now amazingly responsive and has muscled up incredibly because she's now working properly.
 
I use them totally depending on the horse and level of schooling. On a horse that was schooled to a 'reasonable' level, I'd always use them - providing I'm certain of my position :P (might be doubtful at the moment, I haven't had lessons for faaar too long! I'm getting lazy!)
Don't use them on my baby boy right now, he's so quick to react as it is, he tends to over-do what I ask and confuse himself easily, throwing spurs into the equation would only make life difficult for him and I don't want to risk it yet. Once he's more certain of the basics, I'll start with little ones that don't even feel like spurs, then put my real ones on! Simply as it allows me to refine my aids further - thus refine his schooling
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Well... that'd be my plan anyway xD
 
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