# Spurs and Sitting Trot? Advice Please!



## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Hey all!

Yesterday my instructor told me I should use spurs on Dakota. Apparently a crop doesn't look good in shows. I have never worn spurs before and I actually have no clue what to look for when I go to buy a pair. So below is a list of questions I have... if you could answer any of them it would be much appreciated!

Do they come in sizes?
How do they attach?
Do they fit on any boot?
Are they okay for wearing when I am grooming and stuff, or should I only put them on right before I get on?
Are there different types?
Any specific type I should be looking at?
Any specific type I definitely don't want?
How would I ride differently with spurs... would I be able to kick still?
Anything else to keep in mind?

Thanks so much in advance. =)

Also, completely off topic, but I need some tips on how I should be sitting the trot. In my lesson yesterday I was trying to do a sitting trot and I was bouncing all over the place! Anybody know any secrets that might help me be more still in the saddle?


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

You ride western, right?
I don't think they come in differant sizes, but i could be wrong. they attach with a strap that goes under the heel over your boot. You can wear them grooming and walking around or whatever. there are differant types but most of the types I see in english are he blunt ended spurs. I don't like big rowls. 

When you ride with spurs, you use it as an aide. I wouldn't kick with the spur, but that's just me. I use it by rolling the spur along the horses side after the other aides havent worked or to be more clear to the horse. 


Sitting Trot: Have you tried bareback?


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

How they attach 








blunt end spur


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## blossom856 (Apr 5, 2007)

The only sizes I've seen spurs come in is mens, womens and childrens. 

Get blunt ends and try not to get them longer than 1/2 an inch. I think anything longer than that doesn't look very good, plus they're harsher.

If you're showing you need leather straps to attach them. But go with nylon for schooling. Those are less of a pain to deal with. Or if you're in a pinch bailing twine works just great!:grin:


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## free_sprtd (Oct 18, 2007)

Sitting trot works well if you just keep sitting on your pockets deep in the saddle. I find that I also work my hips and thighs a bit more in order to keep my leg position when I'm sitting the trot. Sorry if that's not the correct way, that's just how ive been told to do it


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Spastic_Dove said:


> You ride western, right?
> I don't think they come in differant sizes, but i could be wrong. they attach with a strap that goes under the heel over your boot. You can wear them grooming and walking around or whatever. there are differant types but most of the types I see in english are he blunt ended spurs. I don't like big rowls.
> 
> When you ride with spurs, you use it as an aide. I wouldn't kick with the spur, but that's just me. I use it by rolling the spur along the horses side after the other aides havent worked or to be more clear to the horse.
> ...


Thanks for the information and pictures! I ride English. As for the sitting trot, I haven't gone bareback in years but I have found when I drop my stirrups it's a lot easier to sit, so maybe it has something to do with how I am putting my weight in my heels in the stirrups.


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

blossom856 said:


> The only sizes I've seen spurs come in is mens, womens and childrens.
> 
> Get blunt ends and try not to get them longer than 1/2 an inch. I think anything longer than that doesn't look very good, plus they're harsher.
> 
> If you're showing you need leather straps to attach them. But go with nylon for schooling. Those are less of a pain to deal with. Or if you're in a pinch bailing twine works just great!:grin:


Awesome. Do you buy the straps separately from the spurs or do you need a certain strap to go with a certain stirrup?


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

Equuestriaan said:


> Thanks for the information and pictures! I ride English. As for the sitting trot, I haven't gone bareback in years but I have found when I drop my stirrups it's a lot easier to sit, so maybe it has something to do with how I am putting my weight in my heels in the stirrups.


Could be. Maybe have an instructor watch you and they can offer some advice or post something on here and I'm sure someone could offer some suggestions.


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## fozzie (Jan 20, 2009)

In sitting trot, if you drop your stirrups and you can do it better than with stirrups, it could be possible that your stirrups are a tad too short. try lowering them 1 hole and really push your weight down onto your bottom through to your heels, allow your knees to fall away for the saddle, by opening your hips and letting your lower leg come into contact with the horses sides. By maintaining contact with the lower leg you may not need the use for spurs.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I ride western but I will try to help. When I sit a trot, I make sure that I don't have any more weight on my feet then necessary to keep them in the stirrups, it is harder for me to ride with weight on my feet. When I have spurs on, I never kick. I will use my calf for the initial signal and if they don't respond, then I press the spur into their side with the slightest pressure needed. If you kick with them or use too much pressure, your horse will start wringing their tail any time you give a cue.


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## TwendeHaraka (Oct 5, 2008)

Equuestriaan said:


> Thanks for the information and pictures! I ride English. As for the sitting trot, I haven't gone bareback in years but I have found when I drop my stirrups it's a lot easier to sit, so maybe it has something to do with how I am putting my weight in my heels in the stirrups.


That sounds right to me. It's easier to sit the sitting trot when your leg is long and your heel is down, so try putting your stirrup down one hole-like fozzie said- and really stretching your heel down. Move with the horse, too...sit deep..etc, etc.


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## FoxyRoxy1507 (Jul 15, 2008)

what i would suggest is if your going to start using spurs, dont use them when ur trying to learn the sitting trot until you get it down really well or in the process you'll make your horse become deadened even to the spur and may agitate him with the consistent rubbing and bumping while your trying to learn the sitting trot.

I'm not trying to be mean or anything i just dont want you to cause another problem you'll have to fix in the future.


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

FoxyRoxy1507 said:


> what i would suggest is if your going to start using spurs, dont use them when ur trying to learn the sitting trot until you get it down really well or in the process you'll make your horse become deadened even to the spur and may agitate him with the consistent rubbing and bumping while your trying to learn the sitting trot.
> 
> I'm not trying to be mean or anything i just dont want you to cause another problem you'll have to fix in the future.


I don't think my instructor would have told me to use spurs if she didn't think I could use them properly, but I see your point. I'm not really new to the sitting trot, but I recently switched to a rather bumpy horse after years of sitting the trot on an amazingly smooth pony! Lol.


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## x3melissa (Jan 17, 2009)

to make the sitting trot less bouncy, close your leg, close your hands, and straighten your back. it collects the trot. start with closing your leg so the horse doesn't break, then close your hand to slow the trot down, but keep your leg on. it works for me.


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

Riding with spurs is a little different and it takes a little getting used to. The smaller the spur, the easier it is to use. No, you would not be kicking your horse. Just remember that they are a reinforcement to your leg, just like a crop is, but it's less noticable. So you ask your horse to do something with your leg nicely (then harder) and if your horse doesn't listen you can ask them with your spur. The hardest thing to learn is how to ride without accidently jabbing them when you don't mean to. Also make sure that your leg is very still with your toes forward. I've seen people rub spur marks by letting their leg swing or by riding with their toes out. Your instructor should be able to help you out quite a bit getting used to them.

There are millions of different kinds of spurs and I would recommend the smallest and roundest ones to start off with, like a Prince of Wales, I think it's called. I also like Impulse spurs. they have a little rolling ball on the end that is pretty gentle but I find that horses respond very well to that. The original Impulse spurs are kind of long (which is hard to get used to) so I'd go with the shorter ones. Some spurs come with straps, some don't. Most are black but get whatever color matches your boots. Usually they all come in adult and childrens sizes. As for fitting the spurs Spastic Dove posted a great picture. The metal slides around the back of your foot. One side of the "U" shape will be longer then the other. That part goes on the outside of your foot. Make sure the spur points DOWN (if it has an angle to it). It should be wide enough to easily slide on but not so wide that they are flopping up and down. You can pull the metal sides apart or push the sides together to make them fit your foot better. 
Putting the straps on the spur can be hard to figure out. Just mess with them until you can figure out how make them go through the holes and have it buckle on top of your foot with the extra leather pointing out (away from the horse).


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## PoohLP (Jan 15, 2009)

Equuestriaan said:


> Thanks for the information and pictures! I ride English. As for the sitting trot, I haven't gone bareback in years but I have found when I drop my stirrups it's a lot easier to sit, so maybe it has something to do with how I am putting my weight in my heels in the stirrups.


Yup. I was going to suggest dropping your stirrups. I think it works because it makes you sink deep into the saddle and really wrap your legs around the horse, as opposed to balancing in your stirrups. Once you get how it feels on that horse, it will be easier to sit down with your stirrups.

As for the spurs, you shouldn't need to kick with them on, but if you find you do, you should use the side of your foot/leg, as opposed to turning your heel into the horse, so as not to kick the spur into the horse. To apply the spur, you don't want to kick so much as turn your heel into the horses flank and apply a little pressure. A little goes a long way! Sometimes, just knowing you have them on is enough to make a horse more peppy.


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## bgood400 (Nov 10, 2008)

Do they come in sizes?
they come in different lengths.
How do they attach?
they have a strap where they attach. buckle goes to the outside when putting them on
Do they fit on any boot?
you can normally strech them or push them together to make them fit your boot better
Are they okay for wearing when I am grooming and stuff, or should I only put them on right before I get on?
There fine for grooming and doing almost anything else in. They will just take some getting used to
Are there different types?
there are ones with rounded ends and ones that are more squared off. They also come in different lengths. I have black ones because if they are silver in equitation they stick out and show every movement that you make.
Any specific type I should be looking at?
I would only get like 1/2-1 inch ones.
Any specific type I definitely don't want?
western ones =] lol
How would I ride differently with spurs... would I be able to kick still?
Yes you can still kick. You just have to turn your toe in if you dont want the spur to touch the horse when your using your leg and turn your toe out a little more when you want to use the spur on the horse.
Anything else to keep in mind?
Make sure the leathers are put on correctly. You may need someone to help you with that.



As for the sitting trot, work on relaxing your legs and pushing all the bounces down into your heals. It may also help some if you work without stirrups.

hope this helped =]


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## Ne0n Zero (Dec 25, 2008)

Ride without stirrups and bareback for a little bit; it helps a ton to get you to know the feel of the horse's movement. 

What really worked for me, is relax your hips. Your leg will come into play only when you need it. Just relax your hips and obviously keep your leg still and quiet on your horse's sides, but when your hips are relaxed, your whole leg relaxes.

Also, make sure your abdomen is very flexible and elastic; it will help to absorb the movement.


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## kchfuller (Feb 1, 2008)

i have these and love them ... they just give a little bit of aid:

Never Rust Humane Spurs


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## Equuestriaan (Nov 5, 2008)

Thanks so much for all the suggestions! Today I had much more success with the sitting trot. I talked to my instructor about the spurs and she said I don't need them until it gets warmer.


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