Hi there I've been reading all the posts for last few weeks and decided to finally take the plunge anyways (2 days ago) my trainer suggested that I start wearing spurs to reinforce my bending leg aids as my young young greenie falls in on corners and when doing 20m circles and my trainer. So basically just wanting all your opinions on this p.s Trainer said I've got good stable legs sorry cant think of the correct word. Thanks Posted via Mobile Device
in my opinion spurs could help you as long as you dont fully depend on them. only use them when you really need to. for me i use spurs only occasionally on my trained horse to give me a little extra leg aids but definitely not all the time because i dont want my horse to be dull. If you and your trainer have talked about spurs and they think you have a stable enough leg for them you will probably be fine. Also, if your horse is falling in make sure you and your trainer look at all aspects of the way your horse is going and you are riding to see if theres any particular reason your horse is falling in. hope this makes sense and is helpful! good luck with your horse
Is there another horse you can ride, to get used to having spurs on, before you use them with your greenie?
If your trainer feels your leg is quiet enough, and they're used sparingly for reinforcement only, then there's nothing wrong with it. You just have to make sure, you only roll your spur on them when absolutely needed. You don't want him to become numb to the spur.
It wont fix, but it will help the problem. Your spur is just a more concentrated cue. He'll get more feel, than the widespread range of your whole leg on him.
I've ridden my mare with spurs for about 6 years now (western) and have found them very helpful. Snickers is veryyy responsive to pressure and has never become dull from them. If your trainer thinks that would help, I say go for it. I'm not sure how much they would help with your falling in problem, but they can be useful for other things. I'd say make sure you are staying straight and not leaning into the circle (putting more weight on the inside stirrup) and if you aren't, what I do with Snickers is lift my inside rein pretty much straight up (indirect rein of opposition). I don't know if the same thing goes for english stuff though...
what I do with Snickers is lift my inside rein pretty much straight up (indirect rein of opposition). I don't know if the same thing goes for english stuff though...
It works exactly the same way. In fact, the aid is called the same.
However, with contact an indirect rein of opposition is merely brought across and over the withers so that there is a direct line from that rein to the opposite hind leg. No need to raise it under normal circumstances. Though you could raise it if you need to adjust the neck.
OP - spurs, with the right rider, can be very helpful. I think what you can do on your end to make it successful is understand that there is a right and wrong way to use them and to really work with your trainer on how they should be used. It should only reinforce an aid that is being ignored. Same as the dressage whip.
Another question then say if I was to wear spurs I've always being taught that for an upward transition you apply the leg aid slightly behind the girth so would that not mean I'd be using the spur everytime I ask for an upwards transition. Posted via Mobile Device
Lynnie, if you are using your leg properly even when wearing spurs you wont be using the spurs every time you ask your horse for something with your leg. Definitely make sure if you do put the spurs on that the part you use on the horse is pointed down NOT up!
Also, I believe you can do an indirect rein during English riding (meaning crossing the neck towards the opposite hind with the inside rein). or at least that is how I was taught!
i supose cross the neck may be a little dramatic sounding for the actual rein aid since its more like over the neck and in that general direction. you are really nit-picking this to death lol
I have ridden for a long time, and for some reason really resisted riding in spurs until this year. Since riding in them now, I can't believe I was such an idiot for resisting for so long, as you don't have to engage the spur at all, you use the side of your foot if you don't want to use them.
These are the ones I ride in. The ball means that it rolls on the horses side and is not as easy to jab into them.
I would just like to point out that it's not her fault she was never taught to bend and is only starting to learn. My trainer just thought that spurs would help the process. Posted via Mobile Device
i have successfully reschooled horses who where as stiff as planks without ever using spurs.
My current baby is learning to bend and we do have an issue on the right rein. It just means that I need to get him bending properly, lots and lots of circles, serpintines and turns.
Try putting 2 cones or blocks or jump wings in the school (as though you were setting up a jump but with no poles) bend her around it on each rein asking her to bend through her entire body and get her as close and tight to it as possible, you are aiming for her to start yielding her hind end and starting to almost do a turn on the forehand, then start doing a figure of 8 tight to the wings.
Change rein quite often.
Anouther exercise to teach bending is called the celtic knot Using a 5m circle as your centre point set up 3 poled radiating out from the circle to form an equalatteral triangle. once you have that set up then you want to do almost a celtic knot type shape, over the centre of one pole, round the outside edge of the next, over the centre of the next etc, change rein and keep doing it.
(if that isnt very clear I will try and draw a picture)
I would never ever cross reins or move them over the neck. It is an extremely bad habit, normaly resulting in a crooked horse who falls out through his outside shoulder. It also affects your balance as a rider and the consitancy of the contact.
I've only used spurs on one of my horses, and it was more of a refinement thing. I had trained him to be pretty sensitive off the leg so I in no way needed them in way of general riding but I found them helpful especially in showjumping where I could just angle my foot to give a stronger aid if needed. I guess in the end I used to use them when he'd lean in, but I could do the same thing without spurs but with a bit more work on my behalf. Even when I used them I certainly wouldn't use them every ride, just sometimes, mixing things up. I really don't like it when someone "needs" spurs, or "needs" anything for that matter. I've met people whose horses won't do halt to canter transitions or whatever without spurs, but things take work and people are always looking for short cuts. To get that horse so good off the leg I worked on it everyday, transitions and more transitions, making leg circles etc, and he was super great in the end. I think spurs should be reserved for refinement or for when things are already learned.
I guess listen to your trainer, but I wouldn't want to have a horse that could only do correct 20m circles with spurs. I kind of think they are good for making things easier when you've already got it down pat.
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