Should You Use Spurs When Riding?
Spurs are used to cue the horse to respond to leg aids (such as “canter now”, or “move over”.)
Riders usually resort to using spurs or whips because they think their horses are stubborn or lazy. In reality, the problem usually is that the rider’s aids are noisy or ill-timed.
Let me give you an example from dressage: There is a movement called leg yielding in which you ask the horse to move sideways by crossing his legs under his belly. It is easy to make this happen if the rider’s timing is right. The horse’s belly swings from side to side as he walks (less so while trotting), so all you have to do is nudge the horse’s barrel with your leg just as the belly starts to swing away from your leg. At that point, the horse’s hind leg on that side is lifting up to take the next step. Your well-timed leg aid nudges the leg under the belly, and the horse glides sideways.
Let me give you an example from dressage: There is a movement called leg yielding in which you ask the horse to move sideways by crossing his legs under his belly. It is easy to make this happen if the rider’s timing is right. The horse’s belly swings from side to side as he walks (less so while trotting), so all you have to do is nudge the horse’s barrel with your leg just as the belly starts to swing away from your leg. At that point, the horse’s hind leg on that side is lifting up to take the next step. Your well-timed leg aid nudges the leg under the belly, and the horse glides sideways.
But inexperienced or poor riders will apply the leg aid at the wrong time (i.e., when the leg they are trying to influence is on the ground and the horse’s weight is on it). When the horse doesn’t respond the way they want, they’ll dig into the horse’s barrel with their spur or tap the horse with their whip. To them, the horse is just being lazy.
Same thing happens when trying to get a horse to move forward energetically. Usually, the horse moves slowly because the rider has a death grip on the reins. That is very uncomfortable for horses, and they resist going forward into that uncomfortable rein contact. So the rider uses spurs and whips to make their “lazy” horses go forward. In reality, what they need to do is develop a more elastic rein contact.
Sometimes spurs are needed to cue the horse for advanced movements. In that case, I recommend using the smallest spur that gets you the response you need, such as a Prince of Wales spurs, or Tom Thumb spurs.
As long as you’re here, check these out!
Equestrian Products That Make Your Riding and Horse Care Easier and Better!
How to develop elastic rein contact
How To Leg Yield (or SidePass) A Horse
How to make your horse more forward
How to Engage a Horse's Hindquarters
Happy Riding!
Copyright Denise Cummins, May 20, 2019; Updated May 31,2024
The Thinking Equestrian
Opening photo credit; ID 40845915 © Pltphotography | Dreamstime.com
Same thing happens when trying to get a horse to move forward energetically. Usually, the horse moves slowly because the rider has a death grip on the reins. That is very uncomfortable for horses, and they resist going forward into that uncomfortable rein contact. So the rider uses spurs and whips to make their “lazy” horses go forward. In reality, what they need to do is develop a more elastic rein contact.
Sometimes spurs are needed to cue the horse for advanced movements. In that case, I recommend using the smallest spur that gets you the response you need, such as a Prince of Wales spurs, or Tom Thumb spurs.
As long as you’re here, check these out!
Equestrian Products That Make Your Riding and Horse Care Easier and Better!
How to develop elastic rein contact
How To Leg Yield (or SidePass) A Horse
How to make your horse more forward
How to Engage a Horse's Hindquarters
Happy Riding!
Copyright Denise Cummins, May 20, 2019; Updated May 31,2024
The Thinking Equestrian
Opening photo credit; ID 40845915 © Pltphotography | Dreamstime.com
