Reins Leather

Reins Leather

Types of Side Reins (pros and cons of each)?

I have heard of elastic, donut, rubber rod, and solid leather, but I've only ever used the elastic ones. I am needing to buy a new pair (the elastic no longer stretches on my old pair) and I would like to do my research before I buy them. I live in a "western" town, so stores don't sell side reins and no one around can tell me the advantages and disadvantages to each type.

My main use of side reins is for the Andalusian stallion I train. He has a habit of smelling the ground and the air. Which becomes a danger when lunging because he could hook a foreleg over the lunge line when he gets his head too low (he has very dynamic and high-stepping movement of his forelegs). So I want to know what would be best for him, but I will also use them to get some neck flexation out of the old track TBs I work.

Well, elastic side reins afford a horse the most "give" before they get too resistant. Rings are a bit more ridged but to offer some give, followed by rubber rod. Solid leather has no give.

If your horse already knows how to give to pressure you could use any of the materials and they will be fine. If they don't or are still shaky with the concept, as in the case of your OTTB's, you might want elastic or donut types so they can get some give should they panic and not know how to escape the pressure.

Keep in mind though that rubber rings add considerable mass to a side rein and if one goes slack, either by them being adjusted incorrectly, a horse getting behind the vertical or over bending, it will bounce and jiggle the bit.

Leather types will break in an emergency, where as nylon will not. Leather ones don't stretch out so much that they become useless, but, like I said, they offer no give so if a horse isn't trained solidly to give to pressure, they could panic if they hit the limit and can't escape.

All types of side reins are great for keeping an already trained horse in "frame" (really a false one unless you force them to engage and use their hind end and get off their forehand) when lunging. They keep the horses outside shoulder from 'popping out' or not staying straight on a circle. They train the muscles a horse that is working in frame properly will need when a rider is on them. They also allow nervous or fidgety horses to learn to melt into the bridle and not worry about the bouncy, busy hands of a rider.

On the other hand, by their nature, they force a horse to hold their neck in one position, which can lead to stiffness, cramping, heaviness on the forehand and false frames. Some horses shorten their stride because they feel constricted in front. Also, if you're working with OTTBs you will want to work them long and low to build topline and encourage a lower, more relaxed neck before you work on tucking their nose. You can't do this in side reins. They wont allow a horse to stretch down, which can be counter-productive.

I would say that you should try another set of elastic ones as they will work best for all of the horses you're working, wont bounce as much as rubber ring or rod types and have enough give to keep from panicking a strung-out OTTB.

Here are a few sites for further reference, so you don't have to just take my word for it :

http://www.classicaldressage.co.uk/html/side_reins.html

http://www.cheval-haute-ecole.com/indexA202.html

http://www.artofriding.com/articles/lungeing.html

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