Controversial subject - can draw reins ever be used to help a horse?

cob&onion

cob&onion

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Very controversial subject i know :If you had a difficult horse to school ( say the horse finds it hard to maintain a consistent even contact and head is up in the air, evading contact, pulling etc but everything else was working correctly - ie back end) and everything had been checked so there was nothing physically wrong and the horse did it with everyone including experienced riders, would you use draw reins to *show* your horse the way?? what difference is it to lunging in side reins for 5 mins then taking them off, hopping on your self and the horse seems to accept contact more?
Can draw reins ever be used in a good way ? say if they where used by an experienced rider for 10 mins in a schooling session then taken off..........same goes for all these types of artificial aids......
Experiences please, good or bad and whether they have helped a horse.
 
Yes they can be used in a good way but I wouldn't use them in the situation you're talking about.
 
Yes they can be used in a good way...as a very well known top trainer has told someone who goes for lessons with him on our yard...but you must have the horse going forward first and it was to teach the horse a consistant contact however the rider is a very experienced dressage rider and he only used them for a month or so (on and off and not for hacking), now the horse is working well over his back and coming into the contact well. As the horse needs to come into the contact naturally not forced with tension, he must learn that that is the correct and easiest and comfiest way to work.

I use a pessoa to lunge - its really good at getting the horse to use their back properly and my horse has improved dramatically over the last couple of months on the pessoa twice a week. Strengthened him up no end!
 
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