Spurs

I've never been much of a spur guy. I know they look cool, but they've usually gotten me in more trouble than they've done me good. Now, having a fuller knowledge of how they are to be used, it was time to introduces them to the horses.

These aren't your average spurs. Fr. Carl Beavers gave them to me just before he died. They are Kelly Bros spurs and are probably about 100 years old. They fit perfect on my boots, and boy do they sound good when I walk down the hall of the office. 

The purpose of the spur is not to stab the horse, but to make your intentions known. The main need I have for them is to steer the horse with my legs. We'll call this point 3, behind the back cinch. When pressure is applied here, the horse unhitches his hind quarters and moves away from the pressure. 

The center of the horse is point 2. Here's where you get your side pass. Pressure on one side and they'll shift all fours in the opposite direction. Pressure on point 2 from both sides and we're going forward. 

Point one is in the front just behind his legs. Here tells the horse to cross over his front legs, making a quick side step. If you put pressure on R1 and L3 you'll get a super quick counter-clockwise turn. 

Steering your horse with your legs is handy especially in the branding pen when your hands are pretty full.  It's fun to teach the horses new things, but I'm probably the one who learns the most. The more I learn about the horsemanship the more I realize how much I don't know. It's all attainable, though, with a little patience and perseverance. Giddy up.