I no the feeling i have ridden horses like that in the past , i would say you are the person that knows your horse the best so you should diside whether to use spurs or not , but if you go i would go to a tack shop and get advise and get tort on how to use them.

I have to use them on my TB ex-racer, he can be very nappy & will just ignore my leg & will sometimes rear if I use the whip. I wear spurs every time I ride him, just so that I know if I have to back up my leg aids I can. Personally I would rather give him one poke with the spurs than keep on kicking at his sides or risk him rearing with the whip.

Nope. If I use spurs it's with a trained horse and for refinement of leg aids, lateral work and collection, not to make a horse move forward.

Ex racehorses aren't usually taught what leg means, as they are ridden with very short stirrups, even when exercised. They can also be nappy as they may not be used to going out on their own, they're usually in a string. I would retrain them so that they know what leg means and get them used to going out on their own, but then I've spent a lot of years retraining horses and it ain't always that easy.

If someone wants to use blunt spurs instead, they don't particularly hurt and if it works then it's up to them of course.

I know what your'e saying, but Romeo knows full well what leg on means. He will school beautifully, leg yeilding with the best of them when he is in the mood, I sometimes feel like I only have to think of the movement I want him to perform & he does it. Out hacking he will be absolutely fine, go past tractors & the heaviest traffic, even horse drawn vehicles without so much as a blink. Then, for no apparent reason, he will take exception to somebody's lawn ornament or a vague smell in the air or god knows what, & I have 17 hands of total idiot underneath me. I can't have him backing up, spinning & rearing in the middle of the road so I wear spurs. When I say forward, it means forward, if he doesn't respond in these situations it is just dangerous.

E2A- I have had him from 6yo, he is 10 now, he goes out alone or in company & can have an idiot moment in either situation. He is so good most of the time it's not something that really bothers me, it's the only time he really shows any 'thoroughbredyness' & as long as I can back up my leg with spurs it's not an issue. He is always ridden in a snaffle (even XC or hunting) & is a lovely, gentle boy, so I can forgive him his quirks lol

Sounds like you've done a good job.