How do I put on spurs, and do I need them?

I've never sat on a horse, but what are spurs used for is one of the questions riders type into search the most, so let's start there. A spur is a small aid that attaches to the heel of a riding boot so the rider can give the horse a quiet, precise signal without adding more pressure from the whole leg. That is how Horse & Hound describes it in its guide to spurs, and it is the same job every source I read gives them.

The part that touches the horse is the shank, also called the neck. The yoke, or heel band, wraps around the boot heel, and some spurs carry a rowel, a small wheel or disc, on the end of the shank. Horse & Hound explains the correct use: the rider deliberately turns the leg a little to bring the end of the shank or rowel briefly against the horse's side, and the moment the horse responds, the leg goes back to its normal place so the pressure releases. It should never be jabbed, and the pressure should not be held.

Horse & Hound quotes international dressage rider Hannah Biggs saying spurs help keep a calm conversation going so you are not shouting at the horse with your legs. That fits what I hear from riders: a spur is for a whisper, not for more force.

The 2026 USEF Equitation chapter (EQ106) says spurs, crops or bats are optional, and that if used they must be a conservative color. The 2026 USEF Dressage chapter (DR120) says spurs are optional during competition in all FEI tests.

On the riding side, Horse & Hound says you should have an established, balanced position and be able to use all your aids independently before you try spurs, because an unstable leg will jab the shank into the horse's side and can leave an irritated or distracted horse. Its advice is to wear spurs for the first time under an instructor's supervision.

So the honest answer to do I need them is a question for your trainer: is your lower leg quiet, and is there something your horse isn't answering from the leg alone? If the answer is no, you may not need them yet. If your trainer says yes, they can help you choose a style and watch how you use it.

Horse & Hound and Wikipedia both describe it this way: the spur sits on the boot's spur rest, if there is one, and the buckle of the strap goes on the outside of the foot. Wikipedia adds that the strap usually goes over the arch of the foot and under the sole in front of the boot heel. Some spurs have no strap at all and stay on because the yoke is a tight fit.

The USEF Dressage chapter spells out the direction the shank may take: it must point straight back from the center of the spur, or be curved, and a curved shank may be worn only directed downwards. It also allows swan-necked spurs. If you can't remember, ask your trainer to check it from behind while you stand.

• 1. Put your boots on first. If the boots have a spur rest on the heel, that is where the yoke sits.
• 2. Slide the yoke around the heel so the shank points straight back from the center of the heel, with the end angled slightly down.
• 3. Thread the strap through the slots or buttons and run it over the instep and under the sole in front of the heel.
• 4. Buckle it on the outside of the boot.
• 5. Do the same on the other boot, then look at both from behind. They should match, with neither shank twisted to one side.

Horse & Hound says the general rule is to use as little as possible, but as much as you need, to begin with small spurs and move to longer ones only if needed, and that a thick wheel or a dull end is the softer choice for a sensitive horse.

For the USEF rings I read, the text is close to identical across hunters, equitation and jumpers. The 2026 chapters say spurs must be smooth metal or plastic, rowel spurs with serrated edges are not permitted, hammer spurs are allowed, and so are metal or plastic impulse spurs with round hard knobs and dummy spurs. The contact surface and all edges must be smooth and rounded, and a rider may wear only one spur on each boot when mounted. Those are USEF Hunter HU106, Equitation EQ106 and Jumper JP111.

Dressage has its own list in DR120. Spurs must be metal and English style, with rowels, if used, blunt and free to rotate. The maximum length in most classes is 2 inches including rowels. Children's and pony tests have shorter limits. The chapter also says offset spurs without a rowel are allowed with the right federation dispensation. These are the rules as published for 2026, so check the current rulebook for any change.

That is Horse & Hound's description of correct use, and it matches what the show rules say they want to see. The USEF Hunter chapter lists excessive use of the spurs, or spurring that results in broken and bleeding skin, among the prohibited acts under horse welfare (HU100). The Equitation chapter's welfare rule (EQ104) carries the same line.

A few practical points follow from that. Spurs are a finer tool than the leg, so they need a rider who can hold her leg still. Horse & Hound adds that some horses respond better to a clear, light spur aid than to ongoing leg pressure, and that horses can be especially sensitive with a delicate coat or skin, particularly during coat change. In that case it suggests soft spurs or a thick wheel.

If your horse seems annoyed, tense or worried about your spurs, take them off and talk to your trainer. If he has sore skin on the sides, ask your vet. I can tell you what customers ask us. I can't diagnose a horse.

Not every boot has one. If yours doesn't, ask your trainer or a boot repair shop how riders in your discipline handle it, and make sure the strap is snug under the heel so the spur stays at the height your trainer wants.

If you ride in paddock boots with half chaps, try the spur on with the half chaps on and at your regular stirrup length, then check that the strap and buckle sit clear of everything. Our pages on half chaps and paddock or jodhpur boots cover the other pieces of that setup, and our Whips, Crops and Spurs page has spurs, spur straps and crops all in one place.