Abusing your spur is like misfiring a weapon of mass destruction
~Buck Brannaman 7/9/10 Dayton Clinic
The DOR has never ridden with spurs, although she did ride Hank the Tank with bumpers until he learned when she used her leg she meant it. She has watched trainers and other riders use spurs and always cringed. The DOR has seen riders draw blood with their spurs. Her friend rescued a horse whose sides were a bloody mess from having the rowels dug in and mercilessly rip at its flesh. While she knew there are plenty of people who didn't harm their horses with their spurs, she preferred to see spurs artfully arranged on a self or used as book-stops.
She learned at the clinic this weekend that spurs do have a place and purpose. Buck said that much like a necklace or a pair of earrings, they are a piece of jewelry for him. He applies them to his horse judiciously and fairly, with the intent of never having to use them as an aid more than once. The DOR has a new appreciation for the appropriate use of the spur, although she will most likely never use a pair. Good thing because as sensitive as I am, a simple tightening of her thigh muscles sends me off in a hurry, a spur would launch me to Mars.
What do you thing of spurs?
Enjoy your day and don't forget to hug your DOR!
3 comments:
I bought a very mild pair, thinking that if Poco had been a working ranch horse, he was probably used to them. But he is also very sensitive, and I'm afraid I'd be launched to the moon also. So they're basically boot jewelry.
I dug out my little stubby English spurs to "motivate" Kate last year, but this year she's moving out much better. Beth, however, was started by a trainer who used his big western ones (kindly, I think--no marks left behind) but now she doesn't respect my go-forward leg. So I've put them back on for now, hope to work through it soon.
"As much as is necessary, as little as possible."
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