SpiritWind

I saw a horse in idaho with scars on his side. My grandpa almost came unglued because the guy apparantly sharpened his spurs and he told me spurs are supposed to be dull, never sharp.

I don't think any well trained horse needs one, and if the horse isn't well trained, well, spurs aren't the way to do it. Of course, I'm just saying what my grandpa told me, but you know.

What do you think?

dcrivers

I often wonder how the people digging those sharp spurs into the horse, would like it if the situation was reversed.

Thaworth

I absolutely loathe the thought of spurs. It has to hurt so badly. I feel bad for any horse that has to go through being spurred.

mark

I wonder why some animal cruelty society hasn’t raised a fuss about them. Seems to me that you should be able to control your horse without hurting it. If not, someone needs some more training. I’m not sure if it would be the rider or the horse.

BlackStallion

I think the rider needs more training on how to control the horse without the use of spurs.

I also don't like the idea of spurs on the boots of a horse rider. Hurting someone or even a horse just to follow you is cruelty. The authorities on horses must ban this kind of equipment used on horses.

fotog

I would be the type of person that smacked people in the head with a spur if they used them. I see no reason to have them anyways. If a horse wants to move, it will, and if it doesn't, you don't torture it like that. I'm pretty sure had the situation reversed like someone mentioned, the person wouldn't be too happy getting smacked in the ribs/gut with something sharp.

crazyhorse

When did the using of the spurs started anyway? I guess it started from the wild west era for it is the fashion and norm in those days. I haven't seen anyone who have spurs in Europe or in Asia. I only have seen this kind of boots with spurs in America. Is this true or its just my own observation? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

stuffabunny

Have you ever been to a Grand Prix level Dressage show? I know alot of high level dressage riders use spurs. Not the star pattern western riders do, but there are plenty of different types of spurs. Spurs are used instead of a whip/crop to increase the reaction to leg pressure. Proper usage should be no more abusive than using a crop or whip and definitely not result in bleeding or scarring. Here are some examples from State Line Tack an online supplier of tack and equipment for horses.

A western spur, notice the blunt edges, although still a star pattern.


A standard English spur often called a hunter bump or something similar. Used instead of a crop/whip in shows. Very blunt.

There is also a style which is thicker on the inside of the Y shape and has a few grooves cut in it, instead of a protrusion on the back. I also noticed alot of "rolling" style spurs which I don't know a thing about.

Rider

Nice find stuffabunny! This would really make the horses more comfortable rather than the sharpened spurs. I hope they would use these kind of equipments in order not to hurt the horses.

PonyAtWalmart

Wouln't using sharpened spurs that scar the animal be treated as animal cruelty?

horsegurl03801

It could be, depending on the actual case. A rider who was riding with spurs and had a traumatic accident which resulted in the spurs puncturing the horses skin and causing scarring would be treated differently than someone who has been seen to repeatedly kick their horse with sharp spurs causing repeated bleeding and scarring. In all my years I've never seen anyone using sharpened spurs. I've seen lots of other things but never spurs that punctured the skin. In today's society people are very apt to intervene and report you which could lead to losing the horse and financial loss.

PonyAtWalmart

To be honest, most people probably don't give a hoot while seeing the horse show, because they do not notice it that well. Even if they did, most people wouldn't say something.

pumpkinflirt

They do around here. Its frankly annoying people are so invasive. I've had people tell me their opinion on everything from my polo wrap job to the ribbons in Pumpkin's tail. And thats what a ring steward at a show is for if memory serves me right.

flatback_frannie

It makes my heart ache to think of those horses who have been mistreated by spurs. As those before me have said, they are meant as a gentle tool in lieu of the crop of whip. They should never be sharpened or cause injury. I really wish there were more agencies who took animal cruelty seriously. It's a clear sign of sociopathy!

sallyanna

I think that some spurs would be fine. The ones that are simply an extension of the foot. The dull ones simply pronounce for the horse, what the heel is trying to say. Sharp ones are ineffective because as they wound, they also cause the horse to lose concentration. I can't stand people being mean like that. There's no reason except that they can.