# Little kids and spurs



## calicokatt (Mar 5, 2012)

No, I don't think they should have an age limit for spurs. I think that the owner of the horse, parent of the child, and trainer should make that decision. I have one child who rides with spurs, 2 that do not, and 1 that uses them occasionally to reinforce her cues when her mare is having a stubborn day. I would be pretty irritated if the organization we were part of put an age limit on spurs. We have over-spurring disqualification rules for just that reason.


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## oh vair oh (Mar 27, 2012)

Lucky kids... LOL. I wasn't allowed to get my spurs until I was 14...


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## myyky (Sep 8, 2010)

They most likely need spurs because as a young child, they do have the leg control to keep from kicking the horse and giving it unclear aids when they DON'T want to pony to do anything.

So when it comes time for them to ask something, the pony is so used to being kicked all the time that they CAN'T squeeze and get canter, the pony is so dull to the aids that you must give a tap with the spurs to get them to move.

I think kids should just have more lessons and the pony have more tune ups, rather than chucking spurs on when things don't go the way you want. People are too quick to put gadgets on rather than actually educating horse and rider. I agree SOME ponies are just so slow and take advantage of kids, but that is not all. Education is the key thing, IMO.


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## Amir (Nov 18, 2009)

I see this in people in their 20's and even 30's +. With rollers. People in speed events, want to go faster and they just kick.

Most associations will have a zero blood policy, but you can spend the day booting your horse in the guts with rollers on and still have no blood.

For children, it should be up to the parents to assess how they are using them and hopefully make the right decision, but we all know how likely that is to happen...
Show organizers need to pay a heck of a lot more attention to the types of spurs people are using and how they are being used and act accordingly.

Don't put age limits on spurs, make sure you pay attention to how they're used.

I for one will only use them in dressage. I don't trust myself when I jump to keep a still leg 100% of the time and I can get far too competitive when I sport. I just don't want to risk anything. Sad to say that not everyone has the same or similar mentality.

* Not trying to say that I'm right in how I choose to use spurs or anything like that.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

There are a lot of children I would rather see using spurs than many adult riders I have seen. Spurs are simply another tool and, like any of the tools we use, are best in the hands..or feet..of someone who uses the tool correctly. Correct use has little to do with age.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I wouldn't mind an age limit. I'd actually quite like it.

I mean sure, there are some who legitimately don't cause harm and who it does help but there are many others who will use it the wrong way. And people can go on all day long about how parents and trainers should be more responsible and such but that isn't going to happen. People aren't going to magically change overnight. If you make rules there will always be the exceptions that get burned by them - but for the others I think it would be good. To change things there sometimes needs to be rules. 

And while it may be more difficult, if the child cannot ride the horse at all without spurs then maybe it's not the right horse for them. It's not the end of the world if they stop using spurs, or even stop riding that horse. 

Might seem harsh but I get so sick of kids using spurs without any regard for the horse and it makes them worse. Or they just don't understand the way their hands and legs interact, I don't think they should ever be used as "faster" aids anyway, just refinement for more advanced riding. Train the horse, train the kids and hopefully it should all fix itself.


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## torty (Dec 14, 2011)

Where i live there are no trainers. Its all up to the parents. And most of the kids wearing spurs are beginners and their parents know as much about horses as the kids do. The parents see the horse is being slow and will go buy the kids spurs. Its ruining the horses and the riders.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

torty - Sounds like you live in an awful place. Many young children in my area ride with spurs and use them appropriately.


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## torty (Dec 14, 2011)

Horse ridding is pretty bad where i live. Especially at pony club.


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