# Spur broke vs. Spur stop



## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

This may be a really dumb question but here goes...

I have noticed the last couple of days on here the term "spur broke". I just _assumed_ that meant horses trained for a "spur stop" which I remember being exclusive to western pleasure horses. Has this fad leaked over to other disciplines as well or does it to some "spur broke" means horses that are ridden with spurs(without a TRUE spur stop)?
I am confused.


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## Wahya (Nov 6, 2012)

I haven't thought of this before, its a really good question, I would like to know the answer as well


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Spur broke/trained and spur stop are not interchangable in my book. My horses are all spur broke, but none of them have been trained to spur stop. By spur broke, I mean they respond to very minimal cues with spur pressure in different places.

Does that make sense?


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## Janna (Apr 19, 2012)

I heard some referring to it as a horse that works off your legs/seat/body
Well I always thought that's how they're sposed to be done but guess there's more people that pull them around by their mouth than I thought xD 

That's how I was taught. Bareback/bridless I done forever so never found what the big deal was haha


Yup I thought spur trained was 'spur stop' too


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Since I always ride ride with spurs I have never referred to my horses as spur broke. In my opinion, any horse should be able to be ridden with spurs or without. I guess to me the term "spur broke" sounds very specialized like a spur stop which is a very different method and without previous knowledge it might take some time to figure out a spur stop trained horse. To me, in a way, is the opposite of a spur broke horse.


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Over the summer i rode quite a few spur stop hunter under saddle horses. Currently, i am riding a spur stop Western Riding horse. It can be slightly tricky to change leads on a spur stop horse, you put both spurs in and he stops. So timing is crucial. 

If you know how to do it correctly and not "ride the brake" spur stop horses can be very nice rides. I liked riding the HUS horses that had a spur stop.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I am by no means bashing spur stop trained horses or looking to pick a fight about training methods, I am just making sure I am getting the terminology correct. Was wondering if I missed something 

I could only imagine your timing and leg position being crucial!


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## busysmurf (Feb 16, 2012)

I have honestly never heard of "spur stop". "spur broke" yeah, but not stop. Interested in finding out what/if the difference is.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I think the spur broke can go in both worlds. It's more of an AQHA/APHA type of thing I think.....


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

Spur stop horses are taught to go slower the harder you squeeze with both spurs. 

They are also taught to drop their necks when you put both spurs in. So essentially eliminating the need for contact on the mouth. 

Say I'm loping down the rail and I want to move my horse's hip over. I squeeze harder with my outside spur and soften my inside spur. But I still keep pressure with both to maintain the speed I want. It's all about using combinations of different amounts of pressure. If I want my horse to stop I squeeze hard with both my spurs and sit deep. If I continue squeezing the horse should back. If my horse is loping too fast I will hug his sides with my calves first asking for a slow down then I will go to my spurs. I will continue to squeeze harder till my horse goes the desired speed, then I will soften my spurs. 

In a nutshell, like mentioned above, the spurs are used to rate the horses speed.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

.Delete. said:


> Spur stop horses are taught to go slower the harder you squeeze with both spurs.
> 
> They are also taught to drop their necks when you put both spurs in. So essentially eliminating the need for contact on the mouth.
> 
> ...


^^^This what I know as a spur stop trained horse as. 
The last I checked the opposite of a reiner, if you take the legs off and show him your feet he is dragging his *** and coming backward if he is stopped and you still have your legs off.

So I guess I was confused of the exact meaning of a spur broke horse. If a horse is broke to understand moving off of pressure, moving off a spur shouldn't be a big deal. And not requiring a description of being spur broke, am I wrong?


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## .Delete. (Jan 7, 2008)

COWCHICK77 said:


> So I guess I was confused of the exact meaning of a spur broke horse. If a horse is broke to understand moving off of pressure, moving off a spur shouldn't be a big deal. And not requiring a description of being spur broke, am I wrong?


No you are not entirely wrong. Some people use the term spur broke as "we ride him with spurs" not "he stops off your spur". Spur broke is a very vague term. Most people who have spur stop horses for sale do advertise specifically that they are "spur stop" or "spur broke". If you are looking at a horse to buy i would recommend asking them to clarify if it only says "spur broke".


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