carl hester flexi reins?

I haven't got the Carl Hester ones but have got a pair of flexi-reins.

I use them sometimes on youngsters/green horses who can be 'shy' about the contact- only for a few sessions and it can sometimes help sped up the process of them becoming more confident down the rein.

I have had mine for 10+ years and probably only used them on 3-4 horses but they are a handy tool to have in the box imo.
 
thanks mt....was thinking of trying some with V...he is a bit reluctant to take the contact forwards and he often will try to suck back...probably not helped by my wobbly hands....thought that they might help?
 
I have used a similar idea for teaching contact to those who have struggled to be elastic for many many years (starting around the time that Carl was eventing a little skewbald mare!!!!). It proved very useful and I would say definitely worth a try but be aware that you need to use them with the idea of improving your contact rather than as a cure all.
 
thanks folks....oldvic yes it was trainer that mentioned them actually as she thought that it might help me as i can get quite rigid and fixed in the hand....
does anyone know where i can get the non-carl hester ones that are actually decent quality?
 
I haven't tried the Carl Hester flexi reins although I did buy some flexi attachments that fit to your ordinary reins about three years ago.

They cost about £10 then and they really helped me to use my hands better which also stopped my horse leaning.
 
Why not try riding with side reins as reins just to see if V takes to it before splashing the cash?? Just an idea and perhaps not very sensible but worth a go ??
 
Scoundrel said:
Why not try riding with side reins as reins just to see if V takes to it before splashing the cash?? Just an idea and perhaps not very sensible but worth a go ??
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i think he'd be fine. when he was first backed i had to ride with side reins on for safety reasons (helped prevent the worst of his idiotic behaviour :rolleyes:)...but i want some to try help my hands as much as him trying to evade me! :o
 
diggerbez said:
i think he'd be fine. when he was first backed i had to ride with side reins on for safety reasons (helped prevent the worst of his idiotic behaviour :rolleyes:)...but i want some to try help my hands as much as him trying to evade me! :o
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I meant ride holding the sidereins as reins. Pretty much exactly the same as what flexireins are. Only difference is that they are a bit thicker than normal reins. You need leather ones though I don't fancy riding with the nylon ones too slippy. :D
 
I have a pair and i love them. i have an exracer who is really fussy in his mouth and will throw the head if contact isn't perfect. He is much happier in the carl hester reins and takes a much more confident contact.
 
Am considering these with my lad as we struggle with contact. Just wondering, for the people who use them, do you use them all the time or just occasionally. And what do you find happens when you ride without them, especially at competitions? Thanks. :)
 
Scoundrel said:
I meant ride holding the sidereins as reins. Pretty much exactly the same as what flexireins are. Only difference is that they are a bit thicker than normal reins. You need leather ones though I don't fancy riding with the nylon ones too slippy. :D
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ah yes i see! good plan stan :p
 
I have some of the ones you attach to your own reins-as others have said,great to have in your 'toolkit'! I use occasionally (not every time we school) and like them a lot.
 
I have seen them be useful for teaching and have successfully used a diy version in the past. (Although I've also used a set up to make the rein 'stiffer' for riders with contact issues so courses for horses, depending on the specific problem.)

On a personal note though, I can't stand them. :) I rode in a pair recently when I hopped on a fairly familiar horse and couldn't school in them at all. To each, their own. :)
 
I have a pair and use them for SJ (they are BE legal for jumping phases only) I love mine. They were more for my benefit than horse though as I was getting a bit hooky into a fence and causing horse to lose confidence in me so we started having the odd stop. Put the reins on and I cant pull so much so confidence was restored!
Dont really find they make much difference on mine in the contact in general though, but each horse is different!
 
I've got the flexi-rein inserts which I've used on both my horses with success. Both horses came to me with major contact issues and these have helped them at various stages. My older horse used to be very reluctant to work into a contact so I bought them for him originally, I had to keep him in them for a few months before I noticed a consistent difference but he did become much softer in the mouth and more willing to seek a contact, he is now back in normal reins. My younger horse develope a problem awhile ago of not wanting to stretch down into the contact and setting his neck and jaw so I put the flex-reins on him and he gradually became more confident in the contact again. I did find his saddle wasn't fitting correctly though too so no doubt this was the real cause of the problem! I have now had that sorted and he is going much better though I still keep the flexi-reins on as he does seem to go better in them (he has a natural tendancy to set in his body so these help to keep him loose and supple).

I got mine off ebay for about £5 so it's not much money wasted if they don't work out.
 
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