Draw reins for jumping

Personally I'm not totally against this in general although for jumping I would have thought they would be better off using a market harborough (sp?) - which is a cross between a martingale and draw reins and much more suitable for use when jumping imo. Despite this I think there is a time and a place to train the horse and a time and a place to compete - so personally think draw reins and gadgets etc. should be used occasionally as an aid to correct schooling.

I appreciate what people are saying regarding schooling first, competing second. Although atm I am currently re-schooling my 2 horses, it's taking a lot of time and effort but I'm still taking them eventing too. Partly because they need to get out if they went a year without it then they would get out of the habit and start misbehaving when they did go out and my mare would not see enough and start stopping and we'd be back to the beginning again

I also appreciate what you say regarding strong bits but while my horses are going though their schooling I am competing in a slightly stronger bit which still enables me to get the best out of them (only a Dutch gag on the snaffle ring). As their schooling, balance etc, improves I will indeed slowly go back to their soft bits although in the meantime I think it's benefiting them too.

Market Harbouroughs are/were legal for competing under BSJA rules.
 
Thanks for everyone's comments and views, it's really interesting.

My first thoughts on seeing it today were that it looked horrid however I am the first to admit that there is a lot I don't know. Hence the reason for my post which was genuinely to find out what their purposes were and why they would be used.

It is always easy to jump to conclusions on appearances and I am really conscious of trying to understand things fully before critising.
 
crap, ineffective riders use gadgets (of any kind) .... draw reins being one of them!!!!
they hope it will fill the gap between ineffective and a position . it rarely ever does!!!
 
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crap, ineffective riders use gadgets (of any kind) .... draw reins being one of them!!!!
they hope it will fill the gap between ineffective and a position . it rarely ever does!!!

[/ QUOTE ]
So you believe that virtually all our top riders, wether they be show jumpers, dressage riders or eventers are crap. I think your generalisation is incredibly naive, if not possibly a little stupid.
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Many of those kids riding in pelhams ect and well able to ride, oftn just not strong enough or dont weigh enough to remind their ponies that they are in control - if you are saying they shouldnt be riding/competing unless they can ride in straightforward simple snaffles, then I would hasten to guess that you have a similar problem with pleasure riders etc who ride their horses (regardless of size/schooling etc - Im generalising here) in anything bar a snaffle and cavessonshould not ride them either?
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Not all horses or ponies can or will ever be ridden in a snaffle. Its not always a lack of schooling - fine if you like the boring straightforward oes, but many of us like a challenge and therefore from time to time may require the aid of a stronger bit/snaffle/spurs/whip/whatever, until we have mastered how best to ride our horses and get the best out of them.
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crap, ineffective riders use gadgets (of any kind) .... draw reins being one of them!!!!
they hope it will fill the gap between ineffective and a position . it rarely ever does!!!

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That is a really ignorant comment
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IMO, of course...
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Personally I'm not totally against this in general although for jumping I would have thought they would be better off using a market harborough (sp?) - which is a cross between a martingale and draw reins and much more suitable for use when jumping imo. Despite this I think there is a time and a place to train the horse and a time and a place to compete - so personally think draw reins and gadgets etc. should be used occasionally as an aid to correct schooling.

I appreciate what people are saying regarding schooling first, competing second. Although atm I am currently re-schooling my 2 horses, it's taking a lot of time and effort but I'm still taking them eventing too. Partly because they need to get out if they went a year without it then they would get out of the habit and start misbehaving when they did go out and my mare would not see enough and start stopping and we'd be back to the beginning again

I also appreciate what you say regarding strong bits but while my horses are going though their schooling I am competing in a slightly stronger bit which still enables me to get the best out of them (only a Dutch gag on the snaffle ring). As their schooling, balance etc, improves I will indeed slowly go back to their soft bits although in the meantime I think it's benefiting them too.

Market Harbouroughs are/were legal for competing under BSJA rules.

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I dont think they want to compete in the gadgets though - just warm up in them. So it's much quicker to put on and take off the draw reins than change the market harborough.

I repeat what i always say about gadgets - when used correctly in experienced and sympathetic hands, then i don't have a problem with them. It's when they're used by people who dont have a clue HOW to use them effectively for training purposes, or they are used as punishment or in malice, that i have a problem with them. Same with bits - they are only as harsh as the pair of hands pulling on them
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Well, if you think a gadget replaces good horsemanship thats very sad. I suggest you read posts more carefully before adding your sarcasm to a polite debate.
 
This one has been done endlessly. Always by someone who is sat watching, criticising everything that is not done to their "perfect book" If we all wait till everything is "perfect" then we would all be sat in the stands watching. I am not being sarcastic, however to make these comments whilst at a National/4* International SJ competition is downright bitchy.
 
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This one has been done endlessly. Always by someone who is sat watching, criticising everything that is not done to their "perfect book" If we all wait till everything is "perfect" then we would all be sat in the stands watching. I am not being sarcastic, however to make these comments whilst at a National/4* International SJ competition is downright bitchy.

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i have to say there is a point here.....................

i thinki t will always boil down to "each to their own"
 
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crap, ineffective riders use gadgets (of any kind) .... draw reins being one of them!!!!

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Crap, ineffective riders WILL use gadgets, but GOOD riders will use gadgets to their advantage. And what's a gadget anyway? a drop noseband? A martingale? A double bridle? How about spurs? Stacey Westfall can ride with NO tack at all. Does that mean we're all rubbish because we use 'gadgets' such as a saddle and bridle to stay on and keep control of our horses?
Sorry, but I think you're talking nonsense
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they hope it will fill the gap between ineffective and a position . it rarely ever does!!!

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Um, ineffective what and position what? I don't understand comment in bold.
 
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I no longer show jump. My mare is ridden now - for hacking, schooling and cross country - in a loose ring snaffle, plain cavesson noseband (sometimes no noseband), no martingale and no 'gadgets'.

However, when we DID showjump, we were known to use a happy mouth pelham, a French link, a Mexican Grackle, a running martingale. I also used to have frequent lessons using a bungee rein - and God forbid, I used to do gridwork with the bungee on too!
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I did use draw reins, but often found the bungee more effective as it was more forgiving and less restrictive - the horse can work however it likes, but the bungee makes it easier for it to work in a nicer outline. I cannot recall ever having jumped in draw reins, but I know for a fact that my SJ trainer - who has competed on GB teams internationally and whom I respect hugely - does so.

What I'm trying to say is this: I didnt use gadgets for gadgets sake - I used them and experimented with them to help find better ways of going for myself and my horse. Some were discounted as they had no effect on performance - we ditched the pelham in favour of a snaffle after a year or so as I felt she became too heavy in my hands; we also stopped using the grackle as she improved to the point that she didnt need it. There is a definite fashion trend in the SJ world, but I think on the whole you will find that most professional SJers use gadgets because they know they will help improve their horse. The only fashion article I ever used without my horse having a real need for it were my ear covers
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Why do all posts about draw reins seem to end up with replys verging on offensive.

We would not all be in the stands watching if we do not use draw reins the same as if we use draw reins we are not necessarily all crap ineffective riders.

My take is that I am sure the majority of the top show jumpers seen using them would rather school and produce a longer lasting natural result and not use draw reins however this takes time and time is something they do not have time is money so they resort to the draw reins for a quicker effect.
 
My point regarding the best riders are always in the stands means exactly that. The one's that are not actually out there doing the job are more often than not critical of those that are actually out trying to do what they do best. ie: Having a go. For no rhyme or reason & without any knowledge of the horse being ridden it is too often stated the rider is an idiot! just because a person does not agree with a certain viewpoint does not make it right or wrong. In particular I dont agree with riders bashing others, in this case showjumpers who are competing at a high level. National / 4* International (Bl**dy Showjumpers was a phrase used) They are talked about as if they are the scum of the earth. I agree bad riders use gadgets for all the wrong reasons. Good riders do not. At this particular show I feel it prudent to think the majority of riders would be decent. The Equestrian world has a difficult enough time without those within the different disciplines knocking others at every opportunity. It's as bad as a bitchy yard. A good piece of advice given to me years ago was this. Do not worry about what someone else is doing, you just concentrate on what you are doing.
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