Tack is a general term for the various bits of equipment used in horse riding. In a professional horse show, it includes shoes, saddles, bridles, etc. Spurs are a particular type of tack used in dressage and other equestrian disciplines. Spurs are used to make horses more responsive to aids, and are certainly not meant as a punishment nor should be ever used as such. Spurs help us to get more out of our horses and help them to behave better by being responsive to more subtle movements and cues.