# Spur or no spur?



## luxurylife88 (Apr 3, 2011)

Hello Horse friends!

I am not an expert rider but I love riding. I take lessons as much as I can. 
Today while I was riding alone I heard an instructor/trainer saying " My people (student) don't use spur" I got really curious, does this mean it's better not to use spur? This is not my first time to hear this. There was one trainer I met who told me "Oh you have spurs, you must have a difficult horse"
I need your comments/say on this:?. Thank you








-I am no expert rider - love love love riding
-wants to learn that is why I invest in lessons
-I have 2 horses right now


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## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

I've ridden for just over 3 years, but as of yet I've never had a riding lesson, and for the horses I've ridden so far I haven't needed spurs, although that could change soon as I find it hard to reach Mitch and give him the cues I need to.

My question to you is, why do you ride in spurs? Is your horse lazy, do you need them to be able to reach? Have you been brought up with them? Or do you have them just to look cool etc.

It's not bad to have spurs so long as they are used correctly (IMO) but if you don't need them, then why have them, it's just extra gear that can get in the way if you don't have a set purpose for using them.
I personally prefer whips if my horse isn't listening (for now) but I don't full on hit him with it, its more of an "Oi you, wake up." brush over the shoulder/behind my leg. But he recently got a fright from it and turned into an exploding bomb.. So I haven't ridden with a whip since then.


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## luxurylife88 (Apr 3, 2011)

Thanks for the input. I use them in the beginning because I had really weak legs. Actually up until now I still am weak I believe.


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## luxurylife88 (Apr 3, 2011)

^ and I am short 5'2
In the beginning, I did not even want to use spur because it's not the"cool" look I was scared I might hurt my dear horsey-funny : )


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## Mythilus (Aug 16, 2010)

The use of spurs is different for every horse and rider and what discipline you are riding. Example, my showjumper gets super fiery when we enter the jump ring cause she wants to go, but when we do our flatwork, she needs a whip and spur to keep her forward, as she dawdles and eventually stops if you're not on her all the time.

But, my mother's dressage horse would go absolutely NUTS with a spur.
If you have been riding with spurs, then keep at it, as you would know if you are doing damage or it wasn't working. Spurs are something everyone thinks different of. I believe if they are used correctly, they are an extremely useful training aid. Like a whip. Most people know you don't use a whip to beat your horse, and when used lightly and in the right way, can teach a horse wonderful things.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

personally i hate spurs. unless you are doing the upper levels of your sport i dont think you need the refinement of the spur. spurs should not be used to create a forward moving horse. if you cant get your horse to move off of your leg, you can use a crop/whip. 

also, it can be pretty easy for someone to accidentally spur there horse, its hard to imagine someone accidentally using a whip on them....


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## MyLittleHunter (Jul 20, 2009)

gypsygirl said:


> personally i hate spurs. unless you are doing the upper levels of your sport i dont think you need the refinement of the spur. spurs should not be used to create a forward moving horse. if you cant get your horse to move off of your leg, you can use a crop/whip.
> 
> also, it can be pretty easy for someone to accidentally spur there horse, its hard to imagine someone accidentally using a whip on them....


Just keep in mind some of us can't use a crop/whip on our horse. Or some horses just do not do well with a crop/whip. They are not the miracle cure for a lazy horse that won't move off your leg. My horse Dallas was beaten badly over the head and in the legs with crops and whips while cornered in his stall. And when being riding the abusive trainer would carry a whip and beat on him the whole ride, over the head, on the butt, you name it. If you try to carry one while riding him he'll become very nervous and sweaty, and once you use it he'll ditch you. Doesn't matter who you are, if you're carrying a crop and hit him with it, he'll make you eat dust. IMO a crop can be just as 'bad' as spurs if in the wrong hands. A crop shouldn't be a way around proper training and getting the horse to move off your leg either. Both spurs and crops are tools, not weapons, and should be treated as such.

I wear spurs on Dallas, he's well trained and moves off my leg but the spurs give us a more refined ride. The spurs must be used correctly, they aren't a way around using your leg, they are for refinement. We show upper level hunters and if I want him really paying attention and totally focused on his work I wear spurs. You need a solid leg to use spurs, yes. But if you ride with a solid and secure leg then there should not be accidental use of the spur. I have also seen riders accidentally hit their horse with a crop while turning, or switching it from one hand to the other. Spurs are a very useful tool, they should be used as an *extension of your leg*.

Everyone has there own opinion on things like this, I just wanted to point out that crops are not always the answer to a horse that won't move off your leg, and that spurs aren't always _bad_. Hope that didn't come off as rude, as I had no intention of that. My purpose was to share another point of view.

~~~

As for the OP, the trainer who told you "Oh you have spurs, you must have a difficult horse," is very ignorant. There are many different uses for spurs. Some of the best trained horses you'll meet are ridden with spurs. It really depends on what you and your horse need, and what you want to use the spur for. As I said, the spur is an extension of your leg. I never jab my horse with my spur, I use a pressing action when I use them. Sometimes even just brushing the spur on my horses side is enough. Some people seem to believe the only way to use spurs is to jab with them. If you watch a good rider with spurs you will barely ever see obvious movement of the spur. There are also many different kinds of spurs for both English and Western. Spurs back up and reinforce your natural aids. Spurs are used to give very subtle signals that you can barely see when watching. Spur use should be subtle and quiet. A rider who flaps their spurs all over the place should not be wearing them, and does not know how to use them properly. I don't think spurs should be given to begins to just go to town with. One must be taught how to use them correctly. 

I also have a friend who has National and International titles, and he rides his horse in spurs. His horse is one of the best trained horses I know, and is not at all _difficult_. When you watch him ride it looks like he's doing nothing at all. That's how it should be. 

If you don't need spurs don't use them, but there is nothing wrong with using them correctly if they will improve or refine your ride. I think spurs get a bad wrap from people who don't truly understand their purpose and use.


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## luxurylife88 (Apr 3, 2011)

^thanks guys! I am learning from all you guys!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

I use spurs if I'm doing a discipline class with a trained horse and would like that extra stretch to reach back and ask for a haunch/shoulder turn/sidepass. I never use them on my horses for everyday work, as they're just not necessary. Then again, my horses are all very forward and don't need much to keep moving.


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## Oakley Eastern Miss (Aug 10, 2010)

MyLittleHunter said:


> Both spurs and crops are tools, not weapons, and should be treated as such.


I agree, spurs will work for some horses but not others. You can overuse spurs, crops or just your leg with potentially damaging effects, so I think as long as you're careful with your aids and are sensible with how you use them, then its ok. Like anything really you should understand the reasons they are used and what you're aiming to achieve to make sure they are effective for you and your horse. Good luck


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

my horse was severely beaten in the face and while being ridden. he was beaten so bad that he wouldnt let anyone walk up to him while he was being ridden bc the rider and trainer would both beat him while he was being ridden [yes i witnessed this, i know his previous owner and trainer] i worked for hours on getting him comfortable with the crop - it is possible. im sorry but i dont accept the my horses was beaten/was abused/was a rescue reason for not being able to carry a crop, but thats just me. it is VERY easy to carry a crop and not use it !

i never said you MUST use a crop, i just said its an alternative to spurs if you want your horse to move forward. a crop is not a way to get around proper training, it is a tool that can be used to better your horses training.


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## sierrams1123 (Jul 8, 2011)

it blows my mind how people get so up tight with some things! my lord! haha but I agree with an above comment "Both spurs and crops are tools, not weapons, and should be treated as such" that is 100% how I feel.
I ride in bumper spurs on my barrel mare sometimes, depending on if she is being a little harder to pick up so that is a training tool for me I do not abuse them but I do feel like for a barrel horse you should not use anything harsher then a little bumber or ball because I do own and have used the "spinny"  spurs on other horses and sometimes you do not realize how hard you kick or how much you really use your feet until you go to unsaddle and your horse has a cut on her side  that was the end of those kind on my barrel horse!!!

but really in the end I believe it is up to the rider and the horse owner like I have said before in some of my other post you know your horse better then anyone else does 9 times out of 10 so what you want to do or use is up to you.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I have no issue with people wearing spurs, or carrying a whip, yes they are tools not weapons.

My issue is with the person using them, if you haven't been trained to use tools properly then they can become weapons by accident:wink:

If you know how and when to use spurs then fine, if you don't then you shouldn't be wearing them. Personally I've only worn them a few times, I don't trust the stability of my lower leg not to use them by accident


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

I don't use spurs as I don't know how (and I don't really need them - leg + whip tap so far been enough for me). But I don't see it being a problem if you KNOW how to use it. Unfortunately sometime people put them on just to jab the horse to "go forward".


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## HollyBubbles (Jun 22, 2009)

gypsygirl said:


> im sorry but i dont accept the my horses was beaten/was abused/was a rescue reason for not being able to carry a crop, but thats just me. it is VERY easy to carry a crop and not use it !


Just wondering... Have you ever tried tapping a big muscle filled off the track thoroughbred to get him to go forwards? -That doesn't end well, I know that from experience, and when he couldn't gallop, he bucked, and I mean he *really* went off his nut, ever since I stopped riding with that whip he's been excellent and he's only just been 15 months off the track where he won 4 races.

While in general yes I agree it is very easy to carry a crop and not use it, there are circumstances (IMO) where you can very easily accidentally use a crop also. For example say your horse spooks and you lose your balance(pretty common:lol, the last thing your gonna be thinking at that very moment is "Must not touch horse with whip" -well if your me anyway.

-and I tried out a mare one day who was pretty lazy, but the owner showed me scars and lumps which were from a stock whip, they beat her for no reason, and you couldn't get near her with a whip anymore. No amount of trust/training/desensitizing was going to let you get on that horse with a whip, which was a shame because she was a really lovely horse, but if something flicked beside her (like a whip being used by a rider on a different horse) she would go nuts.

--Btw, not at all meaning my post to be rude if thats how it come off (Suppose thats a downside on computers) just showing my view of this seeing as every person will have a slightly different view.


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## luxurylife88 (Apr 3, 2011)

MadamKing,
Thanks for sharing. I love your horse! Hyper when in the jump ring but quiet when not - kinda my dream horse : )


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## luxurylife88 (Apr 3, 2011)

MyLittleHunter,
Thanks for the insights. Learned a lot 
You are right spur ARE EXTENSION OF THE LEG in my case 



MyLittleHunter said:


> Just keep in mind some of us can't use a crop/whip on our horse. Or some horses just do not do well with a crop/whip. They are not the miracle cure for a lazy horse that won't move off your leg. My horse Dallas was beaten badly over the head and in the legs with crops and whips while cornered in his stall. And when being riding the abusive trainer would carry a whip and beat on him the whole ride, over the head, on the butt, you name it. If you try to carry one while riding him he'll become very nervous and sweaty, and once you use it he'll ditch you. Doesn't matter who you are, if you're carrying a crop and hit him with it, he'll make you eat dust. IMO a crop can be just as 'bad' as spurs if in the wrong hands. A crop shouldn't be a way around proper training and getting the horse to move off your leg either. Both spurs and crops are tools, not weapons, and should be treated as such.
> 
> I wear spurs on Dallas, he's well trained and moves off my leg but the spurs give us a more refined ride. The spurs must be used correctly, they aren't a way around using your leg, they are for refinement. We show upper level hunters and if I want him really paying attention and totally focused on his work I wear spurs. You need a solid leg to use spurs, yes. But if you ride with a solid and secure leg then there should not be accidental use of the spur. I have also seen riders accidentally hit their horse with a crop while turning, or switching it from one hand to the other. Spurs are a very useful tool, they should be used as an *extension of your leg*.
> 
> ...


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## luxurylife88 (Apr 3, 2011)

OMG so sorry gypsygirl for what happened to your horse!
~hugs~


gypsygirl said:


> my horse was severely beaten in the face and while being ridden. he was beaten so bad that he wouldnt let anyone walk up to him while he was being ridden bc the rider and trainer would both beat him while he was being ridden [yes i witnessed this, i know his previous owner and trainer] i worked for hours on getting him comfortable with the crop - it is possible. im sorry but i dont accept the my horses was beaten/was abused/was a rescue reason for not being able to carry a crop, but thats just me. it is VERY easy to carry a crop and not use it !
> 
> i never said you MUST use a crop, i just said its an alternative to spurs if you want your horse to move forward. a crop is not a way to get around proper training, it is a tool that can be used to better your horses training.


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## luxurylife88 (Apr 3, 2011)

Thanks so much Holly Bubbles, Equiniphile, Oakley Eastern Miss, Golden Horse, Kitten_Val & Sierrams1123 for the input !!


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## luxurylife88 (Apr 3, 2011)

:thumbsup:


Golden Horse said:


> I have no issue with people wearing spurs, or carrying a whip, yes they are tools not weapons.
> 
> My issue is with the person using them, if you haven't been trained to use tools properly then they can become weapons by accident:wink:
> 
> If you know how and when to use spurs then fine, if you don't then you shouldn't be wearing them. Personally I've only worn them a few times, I don't trust the stability of my lower leg not to use them by accident


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## DejaVu (Jul 6, 2011)

I always get on a horse without spurs, if I don't know the horse that well, of course. But, come to find, some have just always been ridden with spurs, and respond only to that. They've become ingnorant to the leg, and spur is really all they know. (Lesson horses)

My own gelding, moves fine off of leg and seat, but sometimes for more advanced flatting, he needs a little extra. I own half inch knob spurs, and one inch knob spurs. I primarily just always use the half inch. That's all he really needs. I rarely have to actually touch the spur to him, but as long as he knows they're there, he moves off nicer.
He gets flat out spaztic with a crop. 

So, spurs can be a touchy subject, and are very easy to mis-use but I don't look at a person with spurs on, and think their horse has issues.


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## corporate pride (Feb 23, 2010)

i ride ozzie in spurs all the time, he is igorant to your leg. he's also sooooo lazy LOL
i stopped riding in spurs for a 6 month period bc i had this insane theory that i didn't need them, my instructors at pony club told me to put spurs on him bc he's barely trotting, my legs were dead!!! put the spurs back on, he didn't lazy around.
i do dressage, showjumping, cross country and bush riding in them. he was always strong in the bush and xc and fine in showjumping but i wore them bc he doesn't listen to the leg, he would go out xc and would lug around corners and go sideways without spurs, put spurs on he acutally turns. out in the bush he get strong and full of himself and is forward but wiouth spurs won't turn or listen to your leg. he would run sideways straight into another horse that was in the way while he's jogging and carrying on without spurs, with spurs you could steer him around the other horse.
also they are really good for his higher up dressage movements that require him to actually MOVE LOL


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## raywonk (Jan 9, 2011)

Someone once told me this and I really like it. Spurs are nothing more than an extension of your leg. So you will not spur a horse unless you turn you heal in. You should not turn your heal in unless you need more reach or pressure. Spurs do not always mean go forward. Sometimes it can mean back or stop. So I am getting to a point. If you are comfortable with them and you are using them for a good reason do not worry about others trainer or not. There are several different ways to get the end result you want in the horse world. Most people think that their way is the right and best way. Just remember to keep learning and moving forward and you will be ok.


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

I rarely use spurs when first putting a horse under saddle. On my more experienced horses, I will often use a spur. If I don't need it, I simply press with the inside of my leg. If I need more response I will turn my foot out and barely press it into them. I almost never kick with a spur. I agree that a spur is an extension of the leg and not to be used in lieu of the leg.

As for a whip....I remember Jack LeGoff once tell me.."a good rider always carries a whip...and never uses it".


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_I ride in a tiny POW spur. Tiny enough that I physically have to move my leg and point my toe out to actually apply the spur. Since this is the first time I've worn spurs, I much prefer it this way...no inadverdant poking. _

_BUT, I also don't "nag" with my leg/spur either. If I don't get a response with a squeeze or a nudge...I apply my crop smartly behind my leg. Doesn't take long for a horse to learn to listen to your leg this way. I normally only need to do this every few lessons on the school horse I ride._


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## OpusOne (Jul 26, 2011)

I ride almost every horse in spurs, unless they are green. On most horses i don't use them at all; and even when i do it is more often for lateral work than impulsion. I love my spurs. 
Crops just don't work on some horses. My horse will get you off his back if you are holding one and it touches him; in spurs he goes like a champ.


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## huntrjumprjenn (Jul 26, 2011)

I have trained for ten years in the Hunter/Jumper world, and one in the Dressage. I have used spurs in both, but more so in Dressage. My trainer taught me a fantastic lesson with spurs: it forces your lower leg into the proper position if you do not need to use them on your horse. By rolling your knee and inner thigh inwards, you have better control of your position as well as contact. Spurs also allow you to be more subtle with your aids and cues. It is a much more pleasant look when you can simply nudge your horse for the upward transition instead of swinging your lower leg out in order to sharply "urge" him along.


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