I have been trying my spurs on my horse. She really doesn't appreciate this at all. I also find it hard to ride because I don't want to keep stabbing my horse. I believe it will just take time for me to get used to riding with them.

Why are you using spurs on your horse? Most problems people try to solve with spurs can be changed through other training methods. Also if your leg isn't dead quiet when you are not actively using your spurs you will annoy the daylights out of her, and rightly so. A bouncing leg is jabbing her every time it moves. Spurs are normally a last resort for leg signals. Have you tried a crop instead?

If you really must use a spur you might want to try a waterford spur. This would be more comfortable for her and might eliminate the noise. You're less likely to cause spur rubs and so on.

For what it's worth I wouldn't appreciate them either.

I think its all about training. There are different ways for a horse to follow instructions. Spurs would be at the very least of my options. You could try going for a lesson with a horse trainer how to handle horses without the use of spurs.

What are waterford spurs? I don't like the idea of using spurs, there has to be a better way. I don't think I would want jabbed either, on any part of my body.

Most people don't understand spurs and how they are used. I have seen people pound on their horses without spurs. You don't jab your horse with a spur. A horse knows you are wearing spurs and all you do it lightly touch the horse with a spur. That is enough to get a horse to move out. You can actually become lighter with your legs with spurs.

So my question is this, do spurs (I assume the blunt ones) help the horse to move or not?

If the feet could be used to signal a horse to move then why do we need to use a spur. But if a spur could make a better signal and lighter touch to the horse then I guess spur is the way to do it.

A Waterford spur has no spikes. Instead it has a ball at the end of it that you touch the horse with.

And yes, I fully believe that a horse can be trained to respond without the need for spurs. A Waterford spur is little different than using your foot.