Does anyone use elastic bungie reins?

Sometimes use them for lungeing, lightweight and flexible, but never ride in them. Unless you mean the ones that are like real reins with a small elastic insert?
 
Ah, yes they are the ones I sometimes lunge in but do not ride in.

TBH I would worry about the risk of the horse getting his leg over the part that goes to the girth when fitted as in the advert, as they are very stretchy. They go to the side for my horse, but even so I would not feel comfortable with a device when riding that puts poll pressure on that has no control from the rider.

But then, my horse was a habitual rearer before I bought him, so I would be sensitive to that possibility.
 
I've used them to school nearly every horse I've owned. They are a god send. They don't bring a horse into a proper outline of course, but it stops them sticking their head sky-high, especially for those who go hollow in upwards transitions.

I've never had a problem with them, I've used them on a cob/tb/warmblood, all sorts. If a horse can get its leg caught in it whilst ridden, I'll give u a fiver !!!

Bungees are great but don't have them too tight or horse will over bend, too loose and they are useless. They are my favourite training aid. I use one 7/10 tines that I school, and I school a lot !
 
Have only ever lunged in them and with them set higher, like side-reins, not between the front legs. Worked well on a hollow tb x han and she accepted them without issue.
 
Yes I use them for lunging ( I use lots of things for lunging depending on the horse ) and some of our horses hack in them if the grooms are riding them and they have been cheeky with them .
I occasionally pop them on a horse in the school rarely when I am riding but I do sometimes .
 
I have ridden in them but not a big fan. Had them for my old mare, had to buy several pairs in a row because the buckle at the top used to keep breaking and sliding up, making them next to useless. Also I don't like the fact that you can't really adjust when on so can't start without them then gradually work them up. I know a lot of people hate them but I much prefer draw reins if you feel the need to use anything as you have more control and can easily soften them and work with the horses natural movement
 
I don't HAVE to use them everyone I school! My horses work very well without one, they are a training aid. If they didn't work, then the times I don't use them, the horses wouldn't perform very well. But that doesn't happen.

Why don't people comprehend the idea if a training aid? It's not a necessity, it's an aid when you take it away, the horse has been trained to do something a certain way.

Take this for an example, i do advance Pilates, and Pilates teaches to do every exercise with your stomach held in because you are training your stomach flatter. Itt means that whilst doing hard work you are training your stomach to be flat, and that transpires into everyday life, that's how you get tight abs. You train your stomach muscles. if you did pilates with your belly stucking out, you would be training it out. Now, think of a horse going hollow or throwing its head in the air with upwards transitions. If the bungee helps train it's head into the correct position, then ur half way there, the horse learns not to chuck it's head up and when the bungee is removed, the horse alreadylready has the idea.

I am in no way saying they make a horse work from behind or in an outline, but they help!
 
I'm on the fence re:elastic bungees. I've lunged a horse with one and have ridden a friends in one. Yes to lunging and no to riding.
Have also seen one break while on a horse. Horse got his leg caught on it, bungee got pulled tight and then pick off, clips flying up around his face.

I also think that when you are trying to train a horse in one, you can become compliant and end up not engaging the rear, giving you a false outline. I also dislike how restrictive they are. Compared to draw reins (not trying to start the draw reins debate!) where you can release the shape easily if needed, bungees cannot be easily released if a horse did get into bother/rear/panic... and I think this discourages allowing the horse to take a break from holding his neck in that shape...

There's a local equestrian school that puts them on school ponies and I've seen one of their riders school a livery in one, including jumping. Disgusting practice imo but perhaps that's another reason why I'm biased against them!
 
Exactly what I was trying to say about draw reins but phrased better :) I have also seen people jump in them, one girl who didn't ride without one for a year including jumping! That is wrong, that will cause the horse problems. But as long as you are aware they can produce a false outline without engaging the rear, are a competent rider and are only using them to give the horse the idea instead of all the time, I don't have a huge problem with them
 
And Harri Green, I think what people are getting at is that, like bungees, pulling in your stomach is a training aid. It is not actually the same as having a flat stomach. Using a bungee all the time would be like always walking around constantly pulling your stomach in. You'd look thinner and fitter but you wouldn't actually be.
 
A bungee is certainly not for constant use, and I can't believe anyone would jump in one!
If you fit a bungee correctly, the horse can stretch its neck down when you release your contact. And this is imperative because you can't force a horse to work with its head down constantly.
I usually release my contact and let the horses neck stretch down and walk every few mins.

I find the bungee really helps lift a horses back too so even when I release the contact, the horses back is lifted so they can do a nice free-walk.

I'm clearly outnumbered on this debate. But everyone who watches me school at my yard ends up getting a bungee after seeing my results. Hehe.

Draw reins have such a bad name, again I think people mis use them!
 
Harri Green said:
I don't HAVE to use them everyone I school! My horses work very well without one, they are a training aid. If they didn't work, then the times I don't use them, the horses wouldn't perform very well. But that doesn't happen.

Why don't people comprehend the idea if a training aid? It's not a necessity, it's an aid when you take it away, the horse has been trained to do something a certain way.

Take this for an example, i do advance Pilates, and Pilates teaches to do every exercise with your stomach held in because you are training your stomach flatter. Itt means that whilst doing hard work you are training your stomach to be flat, and that transpires into everyday life, that's how you get tight abs. You train your stomach muscles. if you did pilates with your belly stucking out, you would be training it out. Now, think of a horse going hollow or throwing its head in the air with upwards transitions. If the bungee helps train it's head into the correct position, then ur half way there, the horse learns not to chuck it's head up and when the bungee is removed, the horse alreadylready has the idea.

I am in no way saying they make a horse work from behind or in an outline, but they help!
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With all due respect - I can comprehend the idea of training aids very well, and i use them judiciously for a specific reason. I do not agree with using them to do a job that can be done correctly by working the horse through from behind, improving its muscular strength and balance. Once these basic requirements have been fulfilled, the horse should be sufficiently strong and balanced not to go like a giraffe, or chuck its head up - that's how they balance themselves if they are not working from behind/physically strong enough to work in a consistent outline. Sticking its head down with a training aid is a bit too much of a quick fix for my liking. I prefer to address the issue through quietly and patiently working the horse correctly from behind - until it is able to carry out an exercise without putting its head up to balance itself. When working a young or weak horse, I don't care where the head is - it's the least important element in the mixture. Focus on establishing a correct way of going from the outset, and a horse should not need to have its head tied down. I can vaguely see what you're getting at, but it's all a bit front to back for my liking.

For me, a training aid is useful with an older, well established horse who has proven that he is more than capable of working correctly, but who has worked out how to evade. in that situation, i would have no hesitation in dishing out a reminder of how I expect him to go, using a training aid if that's what's needed, but that's the only time I personally choose to use them.
 
Harri Green said:
I've never had a problem with them, I've used them on a cob/tb/warmblood, all sorts. If a horse can get its leg caught in it whilst ridden, I'll give u a fiver !!!
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I*HM said:
I'm on the fence re:elastic bungees. I've lunged a horse with one and have ridden a friends in one. Yes to lunging and no to riding.
Have also seen one break while on a horse. Horse got his leg caught on it, bungee got pulled tight and then pick off, clips flying up around his face.
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Deal!!!

Mine can be "interesting" to lunge and once got his leg caught, hence he wears the bungee to the side, not between the legs.
 
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I school my ex racehorse in one instead of using a standing martingale as he likes try and headbutt me in the face and stick his ears up my nose. I find he's much happier in it as it's less restrictive while still doing a similar job as a standing :)
 
Red-1 said:
TBH I would worry about the risk of the horse getting his leg over the part that goes to the girth when fitted as in the advert,
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They fit quite close to the chest so l think this would be unlikely... Probably about as likely as getting cause in some of the martingales that come from the girth area.

l have used them on youngsters as they are quite kind. Wearing one, the horse is perfectly able to go around with their head in the air if they like - it is just more difficult. The soon learn if they soften and relax it is much easier for them. l find them much more use than a martingale for nose breakers as they don't interfere with the reins.

l wouldn't use one for jumping though - too much pressure on the neck then lMO.
 
I have used them for a short time when I needed a little help with my 17hh ID and that was on recommendation of a well respected FBHS dressage trainer. I even hacked out in walk and trot with it as well as flatwork schooled for that period of time. Mine was not on tight and I could adjust the length when I was in the saddle. Like any training aid, it depends on how it is used and who is using it.

I used it as the photo between the legs but clipped it on to a loop with ring that I put over the girth.
 
We used to have to hack out in them at the event yard I worked at &used them on some on the gallops... others had draw reins when canter

I wasn't a fan of them tbh !
 
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