Spurs

RubyGlee

Does using spurs hurt horses? Noticed marks on a horse when I asked the rider about them she said that's normal when you use spurs but they don't feel it. The horse flinched when I rubbed there. Are they cruel? They don't look that sharp?

Ave Sodalis

It really depends entirely on the rider, and the horse, and the spur. Do spurs hurt all the time? No. Can they hurt? Yes, and there's generally a strict blood rule at competition. If you draw blood, you're out. There's no if, buts or maybe. To say a horse can't feel a spur isn't entirely honest. However, a horse flinching at someone touching them isn't necessarily a negative sign either.

I use spurs on certain horses, at certain times. There's generally two circumstances I would use spurs. One would be on a horse that's learned to ignore your heel. These horses generally have gotten so good at ignoring someone's heel that there's no reaction anymore, so a spur helps just to remind them that there's something there. The other time I use spurs is for slightly more complicated dressage moves. If I know I'm going to be doing lateral work with a horse, I'll use spurs. A nudge at one point means one thing, a nudge an inch or two higher means another thing, which isn't really something you can do with a broad heel.

Like a bit, even the mildest spur is cruel on the wrong foot, and the sharpest spur can be okay on the right foot. You also have to take into account that horse's can have different depth of skin. Some are very lighted skinned and can rub/bleed easily. Some are thick skinned and you don't have to worry about them marking.

Spurs are supposed to be used as an aid. They're meant to be used to tell the horse more accurately what it's supposed to be doing. A small nudge at the right spot and the right time to give the right reaction is better than someone kicking and kicking and kicking and there being no reaction. They aren't designed to make the horse go faster, they aren't designed as a punishment. There are people who use them for that, and there are rules in place at competitions with that in mind (you can't do much with people at home though).

Try pressing one against you sometime!

isaos

When badly used, spurs are said to be razorblades in the hand of monkeys..

Ave Sodalis said it all, they are and should only be an aid, a mean of communicating with your horse when the leg isn't enough.
A small spur with a round end is perfect for someone who has already some experience and is dealing with a very cold horse, as it will obviously help the leg. Any sharp spur should be avoided.. and no, in normal circumstances there shouldn't be any visible sign of spur on the horse's body. This would be an indication that the rider's heel is constantly at work, which is not a good thing, indicating either a bad position of the legs or a misunderstanding of the role of the leg.
A horse constantly pushed by the rider's legs will become more and more unresponsive, this a fact to remember when you are on a horse. Don't go on asking if he has already given you the right answer, otherwise he will give up!