# Spur Training



## LauraB (Nov 11, 2008)

My horses have been "spur" trained but it really isn't anything new. It is basically just knowing how to use your legs properly. It is hard for me to explain things in type rather than show someone in person. It will take some getting used to if you haven't been using your legs but once you get it you will get it and ride that way all of the time. I guess I would start by just getting him to move off of your leg in half pass. Do it each way but take your time and don't get pushy.


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## Mira (Aug 4, 2008)

Half pass as in side pass or are those two totally different things? He can sidepass both ways with my leg on (if I want him to move left, I use my right leg) and clucking.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Mine is spur broke and I do like it alot. if you have a solid seat you would probably really like it. I didn't train him though, I have a trainer that did that for me so I can't really offer any help onhow to do it...


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## LauraB (Nov 11, 2008)

Try to do that but keep him moving forward at the same time. That is just one thing to get him used to you laying your legs on him. Also do lots of bending, use your inside leg to keep his shoulder up and your outside leg to keep his rear engaged. When walking ask for his face and sqeeze lightly to get him to pick up his belly. When you are ready try it at the trot. Also remember that you can use your legs independently.


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## Mira (Aug 4, 2008)

Thank you very much!


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## Skippy! (Dec 18, 2006)

Hey guys!

I have dabbled in Western Pleasure, but only on the backyard show circuit (we still gave some cues through the reins and whatnot ^^)

I have a question for ya on this topic...

When I was brought up in riding/training horses, i had always learned that a Whip/Crop and Spurs are Training Aids, but not Riding Tools. They should be used to re-sensitize your horse and then they can be taken off/removed. The best analogy they gave me, is that they should never become a "crutch", meaning you cannot ride your horse without them.

In "professional" (lol i don't know what else to call them!) Western Pleasure horses... do they ever learn to ride without the Spur? Or has the Spur become a permanent extention of your heel? Can't you eventually train the horse to cue off your heel, not the spur?

Please don't think me dense! I'm always up for learning something new! Jasmine, my Buckskin mare, was an 80's Peanut Roller WP horse. When I showed her in the backyard circuit she turned heads and always placed in the blues. She never had the crippled lope, her lope was a 3 beat walk. It was charming to ride. She didn't short her strides in any of her gaits, she stepped fully into them, only she was moving her legs at the jog and lope as slow as she did when she walks. I was able to control her with my heels, but i preferred using the reins (i ride with a tom thumb, not a high port or med. port bit)

Anywhoo... I look forward to your repsonses! =) I hope you don't mind me side tracking the thread for a minute ^^


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## LauraB (Nov 11, 2008)

My spurs are an extension of my leg. My legs are too short and my horse is too big for me to get his belly picked up without them. Most pleasure horses are trained with spurs and always ridden with spurs. I have also noticed that a lot of high level dressage riders also wear spurs.


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## Skippy! (Dec 18, 2006)

I have noticed a lot of people who take a certain discipline to a more "serious" level tend to use a crop and/or spurs all time. Barrel Racers, Jumpers, Eventers, Hunters, Reiners, Team Penners, Ropers, etc. it's always bugged me, truth be told, lol!

Thanks for the reply Laura! I noticed your horsie is a giant  the leg extension makes sense in your case! =)


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## bgood400 (Nov 10, 2008)

I would not reccomend training your horse with spur stop, or getting the horse to slow off of your spur. The result of these this often are not plesant. Many horses tend to get grumpy the more and more that you ride them like this and therefore are always pinning there ears, which is not pretty in the ring. Spur stop also seems to get the horse to stop heavy on the forehand, and it tends to shorten the horses stride. I would go with another method of training your horse to slow down. I know that many AQHA judges hate to see horses that are trained spur stop and will often mark you down because of it. It is very unnatural and will mess up your horses natural movement. I dont want you to think that I am one of these people that are against WP and there speed and headsets because I am not. I show WP at AQHA shows and I am all for a gorgeous slow lope, although I am extremly against spur stop.


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## CJ82Sky (Dec 19, 2008)

Skippy! said:


> Hey guys!
> 
> (i ride with a tom thumb, not a high port or med. port bit)
> 
> Anywhoo... I look forward to your repsonses! =) I hope you don't mind me side tracking the thread for a minute ^^


Just an aside - a tom thumb is a very server bit....more so than a simple curb with a low or med port....


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I don't know. I don't agree with training your horse the spur stop and I am with bgood on this one. Constant spur pressure or bumping can create tail wringers and ear pinners. In my mind, it is much better just to teach them to keep a certain pace until you tell them to change it and keep with the traditional cues.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

CJ82Sky said:


> Just an aside - a tom thumb is a very server bit....more so than a simple curb with a low or med port....


just remember a bit is only as severe as the hands...


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## Mira (Aug 4, 2008)

Thank you every one for you comments, I'll take everything into careful consideration.


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## Starlight (Dec 15, 2008)

I dont realy spurs are nessary. Beacuse you just take the back of your heel and do the same thing.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I'm on the other side of the fence... I've ridden in spurs maybe once or twice? I just hate the idea that my horse might become dependant on them, and I wont be able to ride him without them.

I find the idea of a spur stop very strange... lol. I've always learnt that the 'whoa' aids come from your seat and to a degree your hands/voice. Your legs are there to position your horses body, lift their belly, etc... Not to enforce a whoa. I aim for my horse to always move off my leg, not into it... Hmmm. So not sure how a spur stop would work!!


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## Mira (Aug 4, 2008)

Starlight said:


> I dont realy spurs are nessary. Beacuse you just take the back of your heel and do the same thing.


I use spurs for refinement. If I were to just 'take the back of my heel' as you say, and ask for a pivot on the haunches, I'm only giving him a vague idea of what I want, seeing as my cues for other things are in that general area of his side. My heel isn't small enough to push that one specific button to get what I want.


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## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

You are correct Mira, spurs are for refinement! They are also for the 'yes, you HAVE to' aid. Remember that every aid should not be given from the spur first--you always use the calf, and then the spur when the horse does not listen to a light touch. Spurs are like whips--you use them if you have to, but not all the time.

The AQHA has a few videos and articles about how spur stopping is incorrect (On the same page at 4-beating and low heads), and that they are trying to get it OUT of the western world. This is for one main reason--you need forward impulsion to engage the hind end, and it is very hard to pinpoint the impulsion of each hind leg when your horse has been taught to stop when you squeeze! Or even worse, go slower when you hold in your spurs. In order to collect your horse, the first thing you need is forward motion--and you can not achieve that whilst riding the brake.

I do understand the appeal of spur-training, however. You can get your horse to do a lot without ever touching the reins, which looks good in a class. However, you can achieve the same result with training your horse off of your seat--it just takes longer. My horse stops, backs, and rounds his back off of my seat, and my legs are used as they have been intended--to encourage forward motion and engagement of the hind end.

Good luck in whichever you choose.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

I like your post, Mayfield!!!

My horse also stops, backs etc. off my seat, and haunch turns, rollbacks etc off my leg, minus spurs. Nearly everyone in the ASH showing world uses spurs for these manouvers, but if I'm getting the same results without them, I don't see why.


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