Spurs for the horse who hates them

[Ready_To_Riot]

My mare is a pissy one and doesn’t much care for Spurs, but we are at the point in our dressage training where I need to refine my aids and add more small buttons. She isn’t dead to my leg, quite the opposite, but I need more precision. I’ve tried just regular like 1in small Spurs, but she just pins her ears and gets very upset.

So I’m wondering if there is anything out there for a horse like this. I’ve seen the “roller ball” type, but that seems like a hard pointy plastic and I’m not sure if that would always make her angry…

Any suggestions?

[fordtraktor]

I have tiny Herm Sprengers and even tinier 1/4 inch Spurs. Some horses just need a small spur. You can also try the blackplastic ones which are quite soft feeling.

[WNT]

Stubben makes some metal roller spurs that are small and nubby (maybe about 1/2" and 3/4"). They seem really popular, and we can’t keep them in stock. I prefer a nubby non-roller 1/2" for my fairly reactive off the leg TB, and they are my general go-to spur.

[islgrl]

Have you looked at these? http://www.spursuader.com/

[Saskatoonian]

be careful of some of the roller ball spurs - a friend gave her horse (not even a thin skinned TB!) big rubs in a single ride with some that were plastic or rubber (black ball). Suffice to say I’m not into the roller ball thing.

I’d look for a pair that are very rounded - some of the POW spurs I see are small but quite squared off, which makes them harsher. Mine are almost like teardrops. I have to really try to offend a horse with them. Of course I can’t find a photo - sigh - they’re about a zillion years old and korsteel, so not fancy.

[SolarFlare]

I have these: http://www.bahrsaddlery.com/sprenger-ultra-fit-extra-grip-spur-39464.html

And while I was looking for the photo I saw these - maybe they would help with the rubbing issue? http://www.bahrsaddlery.com/sidezavers-spur-covers.html

I’ve never used the covers before so can’t give any personal experience.

[Stitch_In_Time]

I bought these for a mare that was easily offended. She was slightly offended at the beginning of the first ride, and then she was fine.

http://www.ridingwarehouse.com/Stubben_SEQ_Rubber_Covered_Soft_Touch_Spurs_20mm/descpage-SSRCSTS.html

[jen-s]

I have these which have gone over quite well on several different horses.

[TBFAN]

I love my Spursuaders. Definitely good for the touchy horses I’ve used them on.

[fordtraktor]

FYI my blunt Spurs look similar to this without the rubber. They are quite mild. http://www.doversaddlery.com/t/stubben-seq-knob-spur/p/X1-25294/

I use them for dressage on a horse that can’t do spurs over fences (though I usually always wear Spurs and carry a crop, like a good GM acolyte).

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I like these.

http://www.doversaddlery.com/stubben-dynamic-smooth-rwl-spr/p/X1-25295/

or these

http://www.doversaddlery.com/stubben-soft-touch-spurs/p/X1-25215/

I also have another soft touch type with a bit longer neck.

[Ready_To_Riot]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I’m going to try the knobby ones as those were what I was thinking might work, but I wanted opinions first.

Are the smooth rowel type legal? I though that te spur had to be fixed/not spin

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=Ready To Riot;8800968]
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions! I’m going to try the knobby ones as those were what I was thinking might work, but I wanted opinions first.

Are the smooth rowel type legal? I though that te spur had to be fixed/not spin[/QUOTE]

The soft touch ones are legal in eventing dressage. Rules are pretty clear. Nothing about fixed…and clearly permits “impulse” spurs.

[Jackie_Cochran]

I have MS. My riding teacher used to take my spurs off EVERY summer when it got hot and I lost the fine control of my lower leg.

Now I use the SPURSUADERS and I’ve used them over the last several years. My riding teacher has let me keep them on no matter how hot it is or when my lower leg gets unsteady because these spurs do not seem to irritate the horses at all. I’ve used them on Arabs, including a super sensitive, old, opinionated Arab mare, as well as an Arab gelding that was looking for ANY reason to bolt, without any difficulty.

I HIGHLY recommend the Spursuaders for horses that do not like regular spurs. I bless them every summer, when otherwise my heels would be naked and I would exhaust myself by using my legs.

[Dutchmare433]

If you can find a pair of short roller-ball spurs, but where the ball is metal, not plastic/rubber, those are usually pretty well received. The rubber/plastic balls can be super soft, but can also rub. The metal ones seem to just slide better, and seem to be very unoffensive.

I also have these:

http://www.dressageextensions.com/hs-knob-spur/p/1240/?eid=WGSH00&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=Feed&zmam=56693488&zmas=1&zmac=1&zmap=00012402675051240&gclid=Cj0KEQjw88q9BRDB5qLcwLXr7_sBEiQAZsGja8u9JDBcKz-8oPMXZdUQgMrvaVHUTd9OxWLuU2QNOeUaAqae8P8HAQ

They are rounded and short, they’re my go to for sensitive types who don’t need any more go, but maybe need a little bit clearer cue for sideways or activating a hind leg.

[Ceylon_Star]

A word of caution about roller ball spurs:

Be extra sure that the part that holds the ball in place is recessed from the edge of the roller. I had a pair of roller spurs from Greenhawk that rubbed the $#!! out of the horse I was riding because the piece holding the ball in place was not flush and stuck out from the top and bottom of the ball a fair bit.

I switched to Stubben Soft Touch roller spurs, which look like small, rounded, POW spurs from afar, but are actually “flattened” roller spurs. My pony responds really well to them, and they are small enough that when my bad leg is having a fit I don’t accidentally spur him.

[Joan_from_Flatlands]

Another vote for Spursuader! We find they allow you to get the response from your aid w/o the crankiness that some horses have to a traditional spur. It really is amazing the difference with the sensitive horse.