Double bridle reins - how do you hold yours

[ycbm]

Definitely horses for courses. I rode a previous WB horse with the same fingers but the reins crossed. My cob I rode like CJD it just seemed to work better.
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[Palindrome]

View attachment 54708 <<<< This is how CDJ does it..... View attachment 54709 <<<< This is how most people do it.....

Ok, Yes, I do the second.
I meant between ring and little finger when I wrote between the 4th and 5th finger (am fairly lazy and it was shorter to type)

 

[Cortez]

Ok, Yes, I do the second.
I meant between ring and little finger when I wrote between the 4th and 5th finger (am fairly lazy and it was shorter to type)

I gotcha; was just fascinated that you might have five fingers/six digits......

 

[Carlosmum]

Reins crossed, Bradoon on the inside between pinky & ring finger. Snaffle on outside. Sometimes i move my fingers over one, but always the same way round. Been riding like that since I was 10 and first started riding in a double in the show ring!

 

[Cortez]

Reins crossed, Bradoon on the inside between pinky & ring finger. Snaffle on outside. Sometimes i move my fingers over one, but always the same way round. Been riding like that since I was 10 and first started riding in a double in the show ring!

Erm, the bradoon is the snaffle.....(pedant alert).

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Erm, the bradoon is the snaffle.....(pedant alert).

Yup, 2 bits: bradoon and curb
You beat me to it Cortez!

 

[Carlosmum]

Erm, the bradoon is the snaffle.....(pedant alert).

HaHa!! I knew what i meant !! Senior moment I guess

 

[AUB]

Bradoon between ring and little finger, and curb above that between rind and middle finger. I’ve tried the fillis hold, but it just feels weird.

 

[splashgirl45]

Bradoon between ring and little finger, and curb above that between rind and middle finger. I’ve tried the fillis hold, but it just feels weird.[/QUOTE

i thought i was wrong so did try but found it difficult with the reins crossed. once i noticed that CJD did the same as me i felt more relaxed about it...

 

[Polos]

I ride holding the ‘normal’ way as it’s the only way I’ve been taught but I’m interested to try the fillis way.
I have fibromyalgia and dyspraxia so my grip isn’t very good. Sometimes I find it hard to be clear with my hand aids and I feel like I’m using curb and snaffle rain at the same time which is counter productive and confusing for the horse. I wonder if the fillis hold will help eliminate this...

 

[Double_choc_lab]

I've always spelt it as "bridoon"? Who's correct or is it perhaps a colloquial thing?

 

[Cortez]

I've always spelt it as "bridoon"? Who's correct or is it perhaps a colloquial thing?

Bridoon is correct, but often seen as bradoon, so that's correct too.

 

[Wheels]

I ride holding the ‘normal’ way as it’s the only way I’ve been taught but I’m interested to try the fillis way.
I have fibromyalgia and dyspraxia so my grip isn’t very good. Sometimes I find it hard to be clear with my hand aids and I feel like I’m using curb and snaffle rain at the same time which is counter productive and confusing for the horse. I wonder if the fillis hold will help eliminate this...

I dont think there is a 'normal' way, even on this thread there are 5 or 6 different ways and they each feel 'normal' to that particular poster

Try the fillis / french hold and see if it helps

 

[palo1]

I wonder why the fillis/French/Russian hold isn't more popular? It is how I was taught (though I rarely ride in a double these days) and I found that very straightforward and logical. I also found it gave me a steadier contact and was easy to adjust. I am interested now because my older horse seems to find a double suiting him better these days - probably because I can be a bit clearer. I don't school him to any level but do need a better level of communication when hunting!

 

[milliepops]

I can understand why the fillis hold is effective but for me it's a completely different way of holding the snaffle rein and that's the one i want to use the most instinctively, so that's what keeps my snaffle rein under my ring finger where I expect it was thinking about it on Sunday and that's kind of what I concluded anyway

 

[palo1]

I can understand why the fillis hold is effective but for me it's a completely different way of holding the snaffle rein and that's the one i want to use the most instinctively, so that's what keeps my snaffle rein under my ring finger where I expect it was thinking about it on Sunday and that's kind of what I concluded anyway

Well I have so much less experience of riding with a double that I am tempted to try some of the other holds now as the one I was originally taught is less popular - presumably for a reason!! On the other hand I could just throw all 4 sides in the air, catch them on the way down and see how that works out lol

 

[milliepops]

Well I have so much less experience of riding with a double that I am tempted to try some of the other holds now as the one I was originally taught is less popular - presumably for a reason!! On the other hand I could just throw all 4 sides in the air, catch them on the way down and see how that works out lol

haha! some days I think that might be just as effective (the rhino being disguised as a horse is part of the reason why mine was in a double as soon as comp legal she is sensitive.... but only sometimes)
but if the fillis works for you then no reason to change really.