Hey there,
I recently bought a new pair of spurs at a local feed store. They were the cheapest pair I could find, because the rest were very fancy and ran from $60-$100. I realized later when I read the tag that they said bull spurs. What are bull spurs? Are they ok to use on horses? I have absolutely no idea what they are, i'm just wondering if I need to exchange them and get something different.The picture attached is what they look like.
They are meant for bull riding and usually have locked rowel.
You don't want a locked rowel for riding a horse. You are not using the spur to gain traction,lol, you want to be able to roll the rowel up their side. You can't do that with a locked rowel bull riding spur.
If the rowels spin, I woulnt worry a whole lot other than you are going to get a few looks :) But I do believe in picking a spur to help you achieve the best response for your leg length, horse size and ability. Depending on those factors you may want to rethink your choice.
They are meant for riding rough stock and the shanks are shaped and bent more to the inside also they are usually longer shanked. The rowels are also "locked" but some have a pin that you can remove which will allow the rowel to spin. And the fixed towel helps the rider with grip to stay centered on the bull. The towels are also a lot harsher then regular riding spurs.
So I wouldn't ride a horse in them personally... Posted via Mobile Device
If the rowels on yours are a sharp as the ones in the picture look, I wouldn't want to ride a horse in them. Cowhide is a whole lot tougher and thicker than horse hide. What barely stings a bull can tear a horse up bad.
Like Chick said, the type of spur you'll want will greatly depend on your body size, the type of horse you're riding, and your ability. If you are brand new to spurs, something with either flat rowels or blunted rowels would probably work best. If you have really long legs or are riding a really small-barreled horse...basically any situation where you have a difficult time reaching the horse's sides, then you'd want one with a longer shank If you have short legs or a big barreled horse, you'd want something shorter shanked. If you have really short legs, something with a downturned shank might work better.
Generally speaking, a rowel with more points is milder than a rowel with fewer points. I prefer a nice roping spur similar to this
If the rider has short legs then the bull spurs, with a spinning rowel will be fine. She'd barely have to turn her toes out to have the rowel touch the horse. For the longer shanked rider the upswept spur is often needed to create contact.Spurs are used as a signal not as punishment. In speed events such as barrels they actually slow the horse down if employed during the run for home.
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