Draw Reins For Hacking.

[Joandripple]

My boy has a nasty habit while out hacking of spooking and dropping his shoulder then pissing off. He had me off plenty of times when I first got him and always on the road! Well we have had a couple of calm years with me not dissmounting unintentionally! Until a couple of weeks ago! I am not a spring chicken and I tell you it hurts when you hit the Tarmac!


I am now quite anxious and have not hacked him out since. I don't want the rest of our life to be spent in the school and was contemplating using draw reins unti I get my confidence back and also maybe teach him not be such a yellow belly!

Opinions greatly appreciated. TIA

 

[stencilface]

Firstly I think you need to try to be less anxious,whether that can be improved by schooling or lunging before you hack to knock the edges off, or by having some lessons. If you're not confident your horse will only take the mickey IMHO

But I am a fan of draw reins as a short term fix for undesirable behaviour, especially on the roads. You don't always have the time/space to work through anything on a hack, not least because there's a hard surface and traffic! Sometimes they just need telling IMHO, you cannot recreate some things in a school they need to be done in the real world. I have used draw reins for rehab walk work in the past when the horse wanted to do everything but walk!

They are also great for long term use too, you can leave them knotted and loose on the neck and only pick them up when needed.

My old horse I used to warm up at competitions in draw reins for a period, as otherwise I would hit the floor in record time,using draw reins just delayed that happening til I was in the arena lol

 

[ecrozier]

^^ exactly what stencil face said. At certain times of year (autumn and spring!) and in certain (windy) weather conditions I hack my big boy in draw reins. Usually loose/knotted on neck, but when I need them they are there. He does exactly what yours does by sound of things OP, drops shoulder like lightening and spins. We have to hack up a main A road to get to our hacking, so I'm just not prepared to take any chances. I also used for his walk rehab work!

 

[star]

I quite often hack mine in draw reins. He is terrible for dropping his shoulder and spinning or rearing. I started using them when he had to do walk rehab work and became really quite dangerous and I use them quite frequently now. Much safer than trying to cope with his antics and risk falling off and him galloping home.

 

[Joandripple]

Thank you for your replies much appreciated and reaffirming my thoughts.

It is def a short term fix, mostly for my safety!

 

[stencilface]

Actually, since my boy has been without shoes I feel more confident if he had a spin tantrum in the road, as my open the hand one side, and boot the other works really well, but only if I'm confident we won't slip.

Our biggest tantrum was when he saw a tyre swing moving by itself in the breeze (maybe there was a ghost?!) that got me spins, rears, running away, rears, reversing into walls, trees mad more spins. What a plank! It's the spin then refusal to turn back the same way that gets me, gah, so annoying!

 

[Joandripple]

I agree with the refusing to go forward. Mine used to so I just made him reverse the way I wanted to then he would forget what was there and we could turn round back the right way! It's the sudden unexpected spin that gets me!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Thought about a market Harborough?
I had a big mare who was a poppet in 1 over each winter, but a right lout (hard work for me) without, tho was fine in the summer

 

[stencilface]

I agree with the refusing to go forward. Mine used to so I just made him reverse the way I wanted to then he would forget what was there and we could turn round back the right way! It's the sudden unexpected spin that gets me!

Ooh yes, love a good reverse! We had a pony who used to reverse as an evasion, then we made him reverse more and he got very confused, poor thing : D

 

[star]

Mine likes to go backwards - been round the whole school backwards before and we always end up going backwards if I try and make him stand still out hacking. Numpty pony.

 

[dominobrown]

Not a fan of draw reins but I have used them for hacking fresh naughty horses, especially on the roads. Control and safety are important and they do help.

 

[Joandripple]

Thought about a market Harborough?
I had a big mare who was a poppet in 1 over each winter, but a right lout (hard work for me) without, tho was fine in the summer

I did think of one, but only for a second, coz my boy does take the contact reasonable well when he is concentrating on me, so was thinking the DRs would be the way forward as the spooks and spins are, I think, due to lack of concern traction on me!

 

[nikkimariet]

Not a fan of draw reins but I have used them for hacking fresh naughty horses, especially on the roads. Control and safety are important and they do help.

I've used them for hacking in the past and they are great for the reasons above (I would never use them on something that goes 'up' though). Will quite happily admit it drives me bonkers seeing them used in the school, where they have absolutely no place.

 

[_GG_]

I've used them for hacking in the past and they are great for the reasons above (I would never use them on something that goes 'up' though). Will quite happily admit it drives me bonkers seeing them used in the school, where they have absolutely no place.

This^^^ with bells on. Well, quiet bells so as not to spook the horse

Seriously though, when Fly started getting some condition and fitness and feeling well in herself, she could be quite an interesting ride and so I would put the draw reins on and just knot them in front of the wither so that they would be loose when left, but could be picked up in an instant and not need any faffing. I didn't engage them all the time, as soon as she realised I could if I wanted to, she played ball. It didn't stop the exuberance, but it made her respectful and not stupid.

Safety first so as a short term hacking only fix, I don't see a problem with it.

 

[Girlracer]

I am another who has used draw reins for this reason, more than once.

My boy also used to spin so I used to hack him in them. Although I did also have a period where he had to have them in the school also because be didn't like the mirrors and I was hitting the deck much more often than I'd have liked!

 

[tilly_monster]

I always hack out in draw reins on one of mine, his trick is spook at anything, drop a shoulder and throw in a buck, i lost count of the amount of times he came home on his own, crossing two main roads, since the draw reins have been on, he doesn't spook and is lovely to hack

 

[Goldenstar]

I use draw reins for hacking to if a horse is overly fresh or has come off box rest.
I put bungee reins on when others ride in the same situations .
The horses tend to just think mmmm I'll not bother to muck about .

 

[Charlie007]

My big lad had a habit of spinning when I first bought him. I tried draw reins but it made him worse. Even though I tied a knot in them and only used them when I thought I needed to, they made him very backward, to the point he would then start messing about as soon as I took a slight contact on them. His history suggests that he was ridden alot in draw reins before I had him. He had massive muscles at the top of the neck and he didn't know how to go forward. Ten years down the line he is pretty good to hack but has his moments!!