draw rein techinque..

[ldlp111]

Does she look long and low enough Am wondering whether I need to shorten reins slightly.




Sorry videos aren't brill

 

[Kelpie]

don't get me started on the great draw rein debate...... but even trying to ignore that, don't you think on the vid's the movement of the horse's shoulder as he is walking along is causing the reins to move quite a lot? - so if you shortened then actually the horse is going to experience rather a lot of (unintended) movement in the bit? Draw reins in the hands of a steady rider with good timing are maybe one thing (even tho I still am not a fan) but to be honest I really can't at all see why you'd want to use them as you are in those vids. Personally I'd have something of a wholesale rethink on why you want to use this particular arrangement. Sorry, I don't mean to sound too negative.

 

[gunnergundog]

Hi....it's probably my eyesight as glasses not to hand at the moment, but could you please clarify just how you have those draw reins fitted?

Thanks

 

[GingerCat]

Best thing you can do with draw reins is throw them in the bin.

 

[ngrace]

OP i'd also like you to clarify how they are fitted..it looks like they are coming around his back, under each shoulder, up his chest under his neck (if you know what i mean) to the bit, and possible up over his poll?

It looks like each step he is jabbing his mouth as his shoulder moves back.

More importantly, doesnt this look dangerous? If they are fitted the way it looks, if he were to throw his head up in panic alot of damage could be done to his mouth, poll, neck, back, shoulders etc etc..

Draw reins are NOT (edited - forgot the 'not') meant for lunging in, there are many other safe kind ways to encourage long and low.

 

[KatB]

Edited to say, Sorry can't see vids, and just realised you are lunging in them

They should be relatively loose, and encouraging the horse to work over their back, and not BTV so imagine the horse dropping their neck, and rounding their back to get the right outline. They shouldn't be at all restricting, or tight enough to be "jabbing" the horse in the mouth It can take a while for the horse to "get" it, but when they do it works wonders

 

[VGM]

surely by tightening them this will just pull on her mouth more? i cant see how you have them fitted but it looks bizarre and i have never seen this arrangement before. i wouldnt work mine in this.

 

[ldlp111]

The draw reins are actually connected to the cavesson
They go from cavesson under and between front legs and up over her back unless i've got this wrong it is a technique developed by someone on her which I am trying out

 

[ngrace]

So they dont go over the poll, and there is no bit?

 

[VGM]

why not just actually ride her long and low?

 

[kit279]

I think this is quite a well established way of lunging - Laura Bechtolsheimer starts her youngsters in it.

OP, actually the looser they are, the more likely the horse is to stretch down. If they are too tight, it makes them curl up too much.

 

[ldlp111]

I think this is quite a well established way of lunging - Laura Bechtolsheimer starts her youngsters in it.

OP, actually the looser they are, the more likely the horse is to stretch down. If they are too tight, it makes them curl up too much.

Thank you
So leave as they are then

 

[Ilovefoals]

I do mine the same way.

 

[teddyt]

I dont like the arrangement at all, sorry. Contact with the horse's mouth should always be elastic. The way these reins are used in the photos/videos posted here just means the horse gets a jab if the head is raised. Not very constructive help for you OP but i dont like it

 

[JessandCharlie]

I do the same, but I use elastic straps so they have some give It really, really helps them to stretch down IME, even on giraffe horse

J&C

 

[meardsall_millie]

And yet again HHO excels itself in answering questions that weren't asked

OP - this is a well established and very useful way of lungeing that is used by many people who actually know what they're talking about

The draw reins don't need to be tight and, like you, I usually attach them to the noseband rather than the bit.

I find it takes some horses a few sessions to really 'get it' and start to work in the ideal way.

Keep at it - and best of luck

 

[VGM]

im not sure what your point is? and actually find you quite rude. i have no idea who you are, and you dont know who i am, so i am not sure you can make the assumption i don't know what im talking about? or any other poster? but you may know something i dont about the others. i would rather teach my horse to stretch into a elastic contact than use a gadget that could cause problems if something happened.

 

[meardsall_millie]

im not sure what your point is? and actually find you quite rude. i have no idea who you are, and you dont know who i am, so i am not sure you can make the assumption i don't know what im talking about? or any other poster? but you may know something i dont about the others. i would rather teach my horse to stretch into a elastic contact than use a gadget that could cause problems if something happened.

Hmmm. Perhaps when you have been on the forum for a little longer you will appreciate when comments are made in a tongue in cheek manner (the use of was certainly a clue in my post).

My comments were aimed at no-one in particular - if they were I would have used a quote or referred to them directly.

You are, of course, entitled to your opinion however the OP asked if the draw reins were fitted correctly or if they needed to be tighter. She did not ask if everyone liked the use of them, or thought it was cruel or dangerous.

You'll find, if you do a search, that many forum members use this technique as do many well respected professional riders, so to simply dismiss it is rather premature.

 

[kit279]

VGM, I think the point is that the OP asked if the draw reins were too loose, not whether or not she should or should not use the technique in question or whether it was valid and that is why m_m commented. I don't think she intended to be rude at all and I didn't read it that way at all.

 

[monkeybum13]

OP- I lunge my horse in the same method, it has really helped her.
She took a couple of sessions to get used to it and now she is great, I'm sure your horse will get used to it quickly as well. I also clip them to the cavesson rather than the bit. One thing I do is use a neck strap so that the reins aren't so droopy in front of the legs.

Some users on here do make me giggle!

 

[ldlp111]

And yet again HHO excels itself in answering questions that weren't asked

OP - this is a well established and very useful way of lungeing that is used by many people who actually know what they're talking about

The draw reins don't need to be tight and, like you, I usually attach them to the noseband rather than the bit.

I find it takes some horses a few sessions to really 'get it' and start to work in the ideal way.

Keep at it - and best of luck

Thank you So they look ok not too tight as shortened them alittle as they were abit long I thought

 

[kerilli]

they look fine to me, if anything i'd have them slightly longer not shorter.
to those who are ripping into this way of lunging: it is used by Laura Bechtolsheimer, but she clips the reins to the bit. but of course she's obviously utterly rubbish...
i prefer to clip them to the lunge cavesson sides as OP has done, so there is no mouth pressure at all even if the horse trips, prats about etc. this is a good way of showing a horse that it can stretch forwards downwards and swing. it really isn't abusive. draw reins in the hand to the bit, now, don't even get me started on the way those can be abused.

edited to add: monkeybum is right, if you thread them through a neckstrap it keeps them up out of the way, having said which, i've never had a horse tread on 1 even when it is stretching v long and low.

 

[ldlp111]

So if you had them longer would you use as someone else does use a neck strap, just thought they were quite low.

 

[Tnavas]

Not going to make any comment about draw reins but was always taught that side reins should not be attached in walk for the prime reason that they catch the horse with every stride.

If you are going to work your horse in draw reins on the lunge then stick to trot.

 

[meardsall_millie]

Threading them through a neck strap would keep them out of the way, although like K I've never had a horse come even close to treading on one even when their nose has been almost on the floor!

Using a neck strap would alter the action slightly.

 

[Tnavas]

Ilovefoals - both your horses are behind the vertical because you have the reins too short.

I personally would not use this method because it is not easy to ensure that both sides of the rein are equal in length.

 

[Leg_end]

I've found this technique very useful and I put mine through a neck strap just in case. It really works and has taught him to work correctly on the lunge rather than the giraffe look he would prefer. Plus it's the only 'gadget' he's accepted, side reins and the Pessoa just made him curl up and back off, this is far better.

 

[SavingGrace]

I lunge my young mare with this method with them attached to a headcollar. I use draw reins that have a buckle and I keep an eye on it moving too far to either side and if I am honest it stays smack bang in the middle!

 

[ngrace]

You are, of course, entitled to your opinion however the OP asked if the draw reins were fitted correctly or if they needed to be tighter. She did not ask if everyone liked the use of them, or thought it was cruel or dangerous.

Ok, well that it was only me who suggested it was dangerous, so that refers to me.
I know she didnt ask but i'd rather be seen as bossy or interfering, than not say anything and tomorrow the horse panics and has an accident. Prehaps i'm just being paranoid, as I recently had a jumpy young horse where you have to always think about what would happen if he freaked out!

 

[kezimac]

i also use this technique, however i use the actual kalvalkade training aid. i use them on cavesson. i have never had a horse tread on them even with nose to ground. also somoeone said how do you keep both sides even - it does it it self.