Riders: Kind of western event you ride in, and how you use your spurs?

[Akane]

I just don't try to use lazy horses in events requiring energy and speed. I have my barrel horses, my reining horse, and my more laid back trail horses for other people to ride. I never need spurs. The only time I've used them was a plain pair of english spurs for a college class where they gave me this incredibly lazy paint gelding and wanted me to make him move. I had to push him with every stride or he'd stop. I kept wondering about him and pointing things out to the instructor but I got ignored until they finally had him checked by a vet and found his back was out of alignment. I'm told he's a much better horse these days but I refuse to touch him again. I like my horses with energy. My barrel horses aren't so much telling them to go as telling them they can go. Let up on the reins, change your seat, and hope you are ready or you'll find yourself sitting on air.

The one foal I had out of my barrel mare who doesn't live for running is a trail horse and my future english horse since she has good stride but no desire to take off and run all out. I'm not going to push her to be something she's not and that's why I bred the mare again for a second filly to be my barrel and speed event horse. If I have to put on spurs I'm probably doing something wrong or that the horse doesn't have enough experience in.

 

[noodleroo]

My daddy was a rancher; a real cowboy. He was born in 1900 and rode horses when they were the only transportation besides his feet. He never used spurrs on horses that were already broke. Not ever.

 

[welsummerchicks]

how are the spurs used on horses that aren't broke?

lots of good info, thanks - anyone else? anyone do reining or cutting or western pleasure and use spurs?

 

[EweSheep]

Never used spurs, I do not know how to use them so I have NO business wearing them.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Quote:
Western pleasure:
Use as a leg-pressure thing. If he won't pay attention to my cues, a gentle bit of pressure on his side with the brass-knuckle doohickies get the message going. There's no point and I would never "kick" with them. I can only imagine how much of a bruise that would leave on me. A gentle tap is all he needs. Sometimes he doesn't pay attention and is more interested in spooking at the feed sacks in the ring, most of the time though...he's a perfect gentleman. The spurs are for those times when he's in a less than desirable mood.

 

[noodleroo]

Quote:
The point is, that spurs are a heavy handed way to make a horse do what you want. A well trained horse (with a good rider) knows what to do and the spurs aren't necessary. I, like EweSheep, would have no business wearing them...

 

[Akane]

Short pinwheel spurs are sometimes used in reining but reining horses have to be so light that spurs should be unnecessary. Mine hardly even requires my heel. My calf and knee are enough to give signals. I only showed western pleasure in 4-h and the yearly fair show so I don't know what the standard would be in higher shows. I did see a few riders in open shows wearing them but it was more for the look than the use. Otherwise I only saw people interested in yanking and kicking their horse around when they got frustrated actually use them.

Really a finished and well trained horse does not need spurs. They should be light enough to at least respond to your heel. I've never ridden a horse ready for competition that didn't respond to knee pressure and didn't jump when tapped with a heel. I might give spurs to children especially if their legs don't reach. I have ridden up behind and whacked a horse or 2 for being lazy and not listening to a young rider when I know they understood the command.

 

[babyblue]

Quote:
well there would be a few ways for them to be used, as a part of training to get a very lethargic horse to move along without an absurd amount of kicking. (my twin had a very very laid back and zen appy gelding that just didn't like to move) or as just part of their training to not desensitize them but to teach them spurs aren't bad. they wont kill you with a little accidental bump. my little paint mare was super super sensitive, the tinniest bit of leg pressure meant go and the mer whisper of whoa meant stop. but I occasionally rode her with spurs just to get her use to the feel of them even though they were totally unnecessarily. I wouldn't have needed spurs on her ever, but her next owner might just have a pair they love or the whole extra shiny show equipment thing. Id rather not have a horse I trained blow up over that when I could have taught them better.

that said it takes a rider with a good seat and properly trained to use spurs on an untrained horse. one that can sit a few bucks without accidental digging the spurs in. a lot of ridding without stirrups and a lot of bareback ridding is what I was taught. using spurs then was simple to learn once I had that down good.

 

[babyblue]

Quote:
yup the look is sometimes pretty important to people. I laughed out loud at the comment in bold. I will admit to doing some pretty obnoxious things to the old horse when he wanted to stop and eat leaves or just stop and take a nap when my niece was really doing everything right and he just didn't feel like getting his butt in gear.

 

[verthandi]

Quote:
The point is, that spurs are a heavy handed way to make a horse do what you want. A well trained horse (with a good rider) knows what to do and the spurs aren't necessary. I, like EweSheep, would have no business wearing them...

I find this interesting and felt the same way at one time. But, what is the difference in using a spur or using a crop? For me a spur used correctly is just an extension of my aids. If I have applied my leg and not receive a give to that pressure, I may apply the spur lightly. With in a few lightly reinforced tries, the horse will usually move off lightly without the spur backing up the aid. I do not enjoy riding a horse that I have to thunk on with my legs like riding a stubborn little pony. (pony people, please do not take offense.)

This is the sidewinder spur. This site calls it a bumper spur.