draw reins

I was chatting to my friend and she was working in a riding school in Germany and all the horses for beginners/kids had draw reins on. She was a bit shocked asked the owner why and she said the horses cost a lot and by working in the correct outline they last longer. I personally thought this was a bit crazy as did my friend but this was her opinion.
 
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If you are good enough to use draw reins you are good enough to get the same results without them. Never used them on any of mine. I believe they are evil and the only thing they do is encourage a horse to go in a false outline. True outlines come from behind not from winching the head in.

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Very blinkered view! Your first comment is interesting seeing as numerous 4* riders and international showjumpers/dressage riders use them....you'd think they could ride wouldn't you?
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I know more 4* eventers that use them than don't. In fact nearly every 4* eventer I know uses them.
I never used draw reins before I started working for an eventer, but now I have learnt how to use them correctly, I use them on my mare occasionally, at the start of the showing season just to remind her of her job. I wouldn't however use them on my boy who hates being restricted. I think they are good for some horses but not on others. I certainly don't think that if you can ride you don't need them, my mare is very stubborn and I certainly wouldn't get results in the show ring without a using them briefly at the start of the season.
 
I saw them used by the daughter of an olympic jumper. It was a horrific sight when the horse got his front leg caught in the reins that went between the front legs and couldn't get it uncaught when he landed on the other side of the jump. The horse lost his balance and landed on his head and flipped over onto his back. The rider was lucky that she was thrown off and not rolled on by the horse.
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They can be misused, especially on young horses, I am currently trying to alter a horse's way of going that has had them on too much.

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yep same.
 
im a great believer in draw reins if they are used properly, and only PROPERLY............you see people riding around in them hanging off their poor horses necks which are tucked right in and so tightly held it just looks cruel.........

I however use them daily for schooling my mare, however i use them to make her 'long and low' and stretch down through her back from her hindleg into a soft loose contact so she swings through her back. As she tends to get tight in her neck and her head carriage is naturally high i use the draw reins to get her stretching down into them.


I would NEVER EVER jump in draw reins highly dangerous IMO............
 
I have just read all of the replys to this query with interest. I am of the opinion that. as with a lot of the training aids on the market, they are very useful for occasional use.
The problems that people describe which are a result of draw reins would only be from over use in inexperienced or hard hands. As with most things, i feel they have their use, and as every horse is different I would say give it a go and if it doesn't help, then dont try again.
*Useful tip: feed the draw reins through the neck strap of your martingale before you attatch it to the girth to minimise the risk of legs getting caught!
 
Not if used correctly but that is the crucial point. All too often they are used incorrectly.

So often through this thread it has been said that they must be in the correct hands.
May I rephrase that and say they must be used with the correct LEGS.

Of course, good hands are important but driving from behind is paramount to their correct use.

The danger lies when someone just uses them to lever the front end in without lowering the quarters at the same time as they 'suggest' a lower head carriage.


BTW Welcome bbmatt to the forum, nice horses.
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I would not of used them 2 stop horse from hollowing, a running martingale should be ok, anyway horses need 2 hollow alittle when jumping so they can get up off there shoulders and jump bigger & better, less weight on horses shoulders u should get a much better jump, so horse can get front legs up out of the way
 
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