How many of you ride/school with spurs?

[coloredred]

Just curious really, since i've started using them when schooling Magic things have been so much easier for us both, i don't nag him yet he offers to keep moving forwards in walk/trot/canter, his turn on the forehand, leg yield and rein back have improved 100% and he's no longer lazy when walking. He's also lifting his back more and concentrates a lot more All this is probably because he's enjoying me not nagging him with my legs (bad habbit i got into!)

[vels mum]

Never used them in my life! Ive always found my horses responsive enough to the leg without them.

[coloredred]

Magic may have been perfectly responsive to my leg if my legs weren't too long on his sides, i found myself bringing up my heels a heck of a lot to get any contact with his sides, he just didn't know what i was asking. Now i can use just pressure from my calf most of the time and he moves off it well.

[Puss in boots]

I have never used them

[CityLights]

i tend to ride Ollie is spurs just small ones becasue he is used to spurs and is otherwise very switched off, he is much better with them on but i dont always ride in them, i find switching pairs or not wearing any keeps him more swtched on to them

i used to ride Dennis in them when i was doing more lateral work and my old horse i always rode in spurs with swan necks on as i had very long legs on her and they helped me use leg aids in a better place

[Twizzel]

I just wrote a long reply but deleted it by accident

I use spurs nearly all of the time, my legs are short and twig like so don't have a huge amount of strength. The spurs are an extension of my legs and refine the leg aids, making it clearer to the horse what I want them to do especially when schooling and doing lateral work. They are invaluable when hunting/jumping when the horse needs a bit of encouragement to jump something. I hack in my spurs too as one of the horses tends to take the pee, ignores your leg and naps badly on his own... the spurs just reinforce the face that he must go on and make my leg aids a bit stronger.

Don't see the problem in people using spurs... they are a bit of a taboo thing like draw reins (people have preconceptions that they are bad and therefore won't use them), they have their place and as long as they are used for the right reasons, they can be really effective. I'd rather use spurs than do pony club kicks every other stride to get the horse going forwards!

[coloredred]

Originally Posted by Twizzel

Don't see the problem in people using spurs... they are a bit of a taboo thing like draw reins (people have preconceptions that they are bad and therefore won't use them), they have their place and as long as they are used for the right reasons, they can be really effective. I'd rather use spurs than do pony club kicks every other stride to get the horse going forwards!

I completely agree, i really don't see the problem with using them as long as you aren't being stupid with them and making holes in the horses side. I'd much rather use my spurs than nag at him constantly or ask with force.

[xgliskax]

i dont use them, but agree, if you need them and are used properly i dont see any probs, i may use them in the future on different horses etc depending on if i need them or not...