I pulled on my boots to feed just now and it reminded me of a question I've been meaning to ask.
What is everyone's gut reaction to spurs?
Everytime I have shown Harley, I've been questioned about my spurs. I use spurs all the time. They just stay on my boots all the time unless I'm on the bike (can't scratch the bike:).
Anyway, it has seemed to me that there are two reactions, (1) I'm mean to use spurs or (2) the horse must have problems if you need spurs to ride with.
Your thoughts. I know we've discussed spurs, but we've never really talked about what someone riding with spurs implies to observers. I'm curious, maybe I should not have them on when I'm showing him. He would be fine with or without, but it is easier on my legs to have them.
Becky
I might have asked you too, just as a point of interest, whether he ~needed~ spurs... much like I asked if Cyn really ~needed~ the moderately severe bit they were using on her. I don't think it would discourage their interest. They'll probably believe your answer and it will end with that.
But I do know people like my friend Bob who just wear them all the time too.
We always wear spurs except on young horses just starting out. Why is it mean to wear spurs? For heavens sake, you aren't hurting the horse, you are cueing it.
Well, I will admit I didn't use them on my old mare but she was very good with leg or heal pressure and the one time I did ride with spurs (forgot I even had them on) she bucked. She was always a real problem for my husband if he rode her because he will not ride without spurs (except for the babies) and she really disliked them. She may have been hurt with spurs in her previous life before I got her.
I don't think that it's mean to use spurs if they're used judiciously and in the right way. If I see someone really kick a horse hard with spurs I think that it's cruel and unusual punishment. I think that if a horse doesn't need them they shouldn't be used, but if he needs a reminder to move off you're leg, it's fine. And just because you wear spurs doesn't mean that you have to use them when you're using your leg. :-)