I use spurs as I don't have to give as much as a squeeze before she's off cantering. She's one of those clever mares so one squeeze with spurs in the beginning keeps her very responsive the whole lesson.
I like the refinement spurs give me when riding a fairly well trained horse. If forced to choose one over the other I'd have to pick spurs. However, when training dressage I'm known to have a dressage whip in hand ;] Also, out on cross country I find a crop a must! If only simply as a safety measure. But sometimes that extra umph a well placed tap can give you is just necessary.
I've never used a crop, spurs are easier to use, because you don't have to hold the crop in your hand throughout the ride. But when I use spurs (sometimes, depends on the day) I use ballpoint spurs. My horse's are very responsive, so there's no need for a "harsher" spur.
I have a fairly powerful kick so I'm too paranoid to use spurs. But then again I always drop crops...so if possible I just use leg. But I prefer crops if I need something extra.
I use a dressage whip, I have never used spurs. If he doesn't respond to my leg aid properly, he gets a light tap, works every time. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
Spurs. Occassionally in dressage I'll carry a whip as well, but it depends on the horse. Willie loves working, so the spurs just help him wake up a tiny bit and I usually don't even need to use them after the first 25 minutes, plus at AECs you can't use a dressage whip, so when I was preparing for that I didn't use a dressage whip anyway.
However on an Oldenburg I used to ride spurs were a no go and I used a crop or dressage whip instead.
And as others have said, always have your crop on cross country! Always.
I don't know that that is correct. There is most definitely a length restriction but IDK about banning them all together. Why would it be illegal at the national level if it ok at the local level horse trial?
I have never used spurs, I never need them. On a horse I ride in lessons I ALWAYS use a crop. He likes to be wiggly, cut corners, and he is a "pokey pony", no doubt. I use the crop for corrections, and when he slows down 'll give him a good slap.
With spurs I would be afraid of tearing the poor creature's sides open :shock:.. What if I kick to hard? I might rip their flesh open! :-o Lol.
haha, yeah I'm always scared of that happening with the spikey western ones. I like the ballpoint english spurs. nice and round and don't have as much potential to hurt him.
I ride with my spurs on almost every horse. Partly because it's a pain to take them off my boots, and partly because I know how to NOT use them, if that makes sense. However, I'm not anti-whip. I used to ride a Fjord with spurs and a dressage whip in each hand, hahah.
Spurs for sure. Spurs shouldn't be for speed, they're for refinement of the aids and lateral movements. If a pokey pony won't move after I've used my voice, given leg pressure, slight tap of the whip, then I would tap them with my spurs.
I use a crop..never used spurs on my pony..
SHe has to much energy, but if she's being a mare and not wanting to work/listen there is always that third leg (crop) .
Spurs would scare me...but i have a feeling they are in my future..im teaching my mare a flying lead change and i see them now out in the tack trunk...I Hope not!!!
I just noticed i make no sense... Just forget about my blabbering!!
Mostly for lateral work and turns, and also to enable my aids for things like canter depart to become minute.
I can ask for either canter lead from a walk by just shifting my hip bone, dropping my outside leg, and moving my spur a whisker closer to his side. Up he bounces into canter.
I can move his shoulders, his rib cage, and his hind end with a tiny movement of my heel so my spur contacts.
When i'm doing a haunch turn (a 180 at a gallop) again all I have to do is drop my hip, bring my outside leg back, and open one rein slightly and close the other.
A rollback is similar.
When I have my spurs on, he becomes light as a feather - he is tuned in to the muscles in my legs tensing - I actually hardly have to touch him with my spur. It gives him 'incentive' to move off my leg.
Without the spurs, he will still do the manouvers, but he is sluggish and I need to contact him with my whole heel to get the response.
We also have some isues with losing momentum through turns - For this I use a soft cotton braid (A giddy up rope/wip ***) and once the turn is finished, I swing it around onto his butt. If I tried to urge him forward with the spur, he would jack up and get pissy, which does not look fluid.
ive never used spus, i always carry a crop in my boot when i out riding, i rarely use it though, only if the horse is misbehaving and needs an extra push to move it forward
i prefer spurs but only if you dont have to kick/squeeze the crap out of the horse... ' i will only use spurs sensabily ' ... unless im in a dangerous situation then i will.
My horse is propelled by jet fuel so spurs are a definite no-no. I'd imagine I could get a good steady strong canter on him with no shoes on, to be honest.
I don't use a whip for the most part. I carry a whip with a short lash on the flat so I can flick it to tuck in his hindquarters. I carry a whip jumping in my lessons because my instructor likes us too, and of course I carry a whip cross country because its a good idea. But in the seven years I've had my gelding, and six and a half eventing/competing jumper with him.. He's stopped a grand total of once.
I very rarely ride without my crop Right now it's kind of even a bit of a comfort thing for me...I'll go weeks on end without using it. BUT...there are times when it comes in handy and I'm always thankful to have it (aka...when Brooke decides to be a little snot, or when she tries to refuse a jump). Apparently, I am one of the only riders who do NOT ride Brooke with spurs (probably cause my legs are actually long enough for her barrel), but I have used spurs before (very blunt ones) on other horses. Right now I have hardly any muscle in my leg so I wouldn't trust myself with spurs.
I think both tools have their place, it just all depends on the rider, the situation and the horse.
For more GO I use a crop.
For lateral work/dressage/bending I go to my spurs.
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