Dumb question alert - jumping with two reins

Roxylola

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 March 2016
Messages
5,248
Visit site
I'm team chasing this weekend and Charlie can get a bit heavy and obnoxious down the rein in fast jumping company. It will only be the first few fences and I can mostly deal with it but rather than argue it out I was going to pop his running gag in - used successfully to correct this issue when it was a thing all the time with jumping.

I would rather have it on 2 reins as I don't think I'll need the "gag" rein that much once he's settled. On the off chance I lose my knitting I was thinking I might put a flash strap through one or both of the Ds on my saddle and just loop it through the bottom rein so if I get tangled I can drop it without panicking that it's going to disappear/trip him up/insert other overthinking nightmare fodder as appropriate.

I can and do ride on 2 reins - our dressage lessons are in a double bridle so I'm not a total doofus, but just for jumping at a pace in a group I thought a safety net might help. I can't think of any reason not to do it from a safety point of view. It might make it slightly harder for me to recover my reins if I do drop them but I'll live with that
 

milliepops

Wears headscarf aggressively
Joined
26 July 2008
Messages
27,538
Visit site
won't it make it really hard to use the rein though? it may just be that I don't have enough loop in my reins as I like fairly short ones but I can't imagine riding with my reins attached to the saddle. I've ridden with draw reins basically fixed that way with the intention that they would be there if I wanted them and i could pick them up if necessary, but it was slightly awkward and I don't think I'd want to be jumping like that.

I hunted in a double bridle and tbh if you lose your knitting i found i just grabbed everything in a handful and sorted it out as we went along.
 

Roxylola

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 March 2016
Messages
5,248
Visit site
That did cross my mind that it might be hard to use the rein ? I'd just like the option of dumping the bottom rein if I don't need it
The knot occurred to me TFF, but he's a hogged cob it's very easy to see a rein disappearing up his neck or in an unpredicted direction at times. ? You'd think this would make me less likely to get in a tangle but my ability to get in a tangle is second to none
 

RachelFerd

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 April 2005
Messages
3,492
Location
NW
www.facebook.com
I don't like the idea of knotting to the saddle... feels like it could go wrong in some kind of terrible way, although I'm not quite sure how!

Why not use some plaiting bands to strap your reins together, with the gag rein much looser - then wouldn't take much effort to pull harder on the gag rein to shorten it up if you needed an emergency brake.

I'm not sure i'd want to team chase with 2 reins (having teamchased quite a bit with 1 rein :D)
 

Roxylola

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 March 2016
Messages
5,248
Visit site
I don't like the idea of knotting to the saddle... feels like it could go wrong in some kind of terrible way, although I'm not quite sure how!

Why not use some plaiting bands to strap your reins together, with the gag rein much looser - then wouldn't take much effort to pull harder on the gag rein to shorten it up if you needed an emergency brake.

I'm not sure i'd want to team chase with 2 reins (having teamchased quite a bit with 1 rein :D)
Yeah its the could go wrong in some awful way - I feel the same in principle but I'm also usually very good at thinking of all the awful ways and I can't come up with anything. It does however fill me with a sense of impending doom - if I just thought it would be ok I'd have done it and not asked lol. I was hoping for at least one person saying oh yes I do that all the time and never had an issue...
The fact we all _feel_ its a bad idea makes me think it probably is.
Its only the fun class at belvoir before anyone gets too excited btw before anyone thinks I've forgotten that my avatar was photoshopped ?
 

The Fuzzy Furry

Getting old disgracefully
Joined
24 November 2010
Messages
28,454
Location
Pootling around......
Visit site
That did cross my mind that it might be hard to use the rein ? I'd just like the option of dumping the bottom rein if I don't need it
The knot occurred to me TFF, but he's a hogged cob it's very easy to see a rein disappearing up his neck or in an unpredicted direction at times. ? You'd think this would make me less likely to get in a tangle but my ability to get in a tangle is second to none
I've used the knot a couple of times on my late hogged cob for unsuspecting friends, who rode on the top ring but knotted one was on the bottom of the gag as an emergency handbrake.
He was an absolute bugger for bogging off when excited, despite me telling chums who did get to ride him, nobody believed me till he did it! ??
Measure your rein carefully, have a test out a couple of times 1st x
 

Roxylola

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 March 2016
Messages
5,248
Visit site
I could just use roundings, he isn't a super sensitive dude and I won't offend him if I mess it up- it troubles me far more than him tbh. I may need the extra help but I'd prefer the option to not use it at all than have it half on if I don't need it.
 

Roxylola

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 March 2016
Messages
5,248
Visit site
I'll likely splat in front of the first fence and they'll just have to finish as a 3 so all this over thinking will come to nothing anyway ?
 

Red-1

I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
Joined
7 February 2013
Messages
17,814
Location
Outstanding in my field!
Visit site
I would just fit the 2 reins and go, if you ride with 2 sometimes anyway with that horse.

My guess is that you will be busy with other things and your hands will sort the reinage out themselves.

I used to event with 2 reins, wasn't a problem at all. Generally I could just use them, but if I did get in a tangle, I would grab a slack handful to use them, then sort it out later.
 

Missidi

Active Member
Joined
23 June 2019
Messages
44
Visit site
Could you band both together at the buckle? Then you could ride off your snaffle rein but the gag rein would be ready if you needed it. I've never actually ridden with 2 reins though, so this might be even more messy ?
 

McFluff

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 April 2014
Messages
1,775
Visit site
I’ve used a Velcro loop to attach the rein to my saddle before. For horse archery, where you only pick the rein up at the end of the run. The idea of Velcro is that it can detach easily if needed. I’ve no idea if it would work team chasing though. I’ve never been that brave.
 

Roxylola

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 March 2016
Messages
5,248
Visit site
I might have a velcro from some tack purchase or other so that's not a bad call. I rode tonight with bottom knotted which was fine when I didn't want them but awkward when I went to use the bottom- just as practise. Because his party piece is haul you down then bronc, I want the gag for a quick no you don't. If he just bogged off a bit knotted would be fine. I think I'll probably band them at the buckle so they stay basically together but just deal with two reins. I'm by no means new to two reins so I'm probably just over thinking - its not even like xc where you jump a fence and sometimes only have a stride or two to the next so there'll be time to sort myself out
 

LEC

Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
Joined
22 July 2005
Messages
10,860
www.youtube.com
If its a running gag - I would just run in one rein. The wonderful thing about the running gag is it needs significant leverage from the rider to come into play in a meaningful way. A small half halt down a hill will not make much of a difference overall to it. You can also keep a bit of pressure in the hand with a running gag. I don't like them as the steering is negligible in them which is why you do not see them eventing so much anymore but fine for hunting. I would never try and teamchase in two reins but thats because you only need brakes for the sheep pen and nothing else.
 

sportsmansB

Well-Known Member
Joined
9 February 2009
Messages
1,326
Visit site
I echo LEC
I'd just use one rein, and only use it if you need it.
I had a very strong pully-down mare who I had to use a running gag on as nothing else worked, but I just gave it the tug when she was heading downwards and bogging off, and left a normal-feeling contact the rest of the time.
If its not a sharp mouthpiece and you might not have to use it all the time, its only as strong as the pull you have on it at any given time- and if you don't need to pull, you won't...
 

Roxylola

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 March 2016
Messages
5,248
Visit site
I would never try and teamchase in two reins but thats because you only need brakes for the sheep pen and nothing else.
I'm fairly sure there isn't a pen, it's not mentioned in the description and is mentioned in the inter and open description.
I'll be either second or third, the lead is experienced, our fourth is an experienced rider with a horse who I think has hunted. The other combination hunts but hasn't team chased and is similarly paced to Charlie hence second or third. So even if there is a pen I think we'll be fine as we will be similar paced.
But, in other words I need to stop over thinking and just keep it simple for myself - it's 6 minutes of his life, if he doesn't pull me about I won't need to pull him either.
 

LEC

Opinions are like bum holes, everyone has one.
Joined
22 July 2005
Messages
10,860
www.youtube.com
I'm fairly sure there isn't a pen, it's not mentioned in the description and is mentioned in the inter and open description.
I'll be either second or third, the lead is experienced, our fourth is an experienced rider with a horse who I think has hunted. The other combination hunts but hasn't team chased and is similarly paced to Charlie hence second or third. So even if there is a pen I think we'll be fine as we will be similar paced.
But, in other words I need to stop over thinking and just keep it simple for myself - it's 6 minutes of his life, if he doesn't pull me about I won't need to pull him either.

Exactly that - Keep it simple.
 

Roxylola

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 March 2016
Messages
5,248
Visit site
Made it to fence 4 before landing in a hedge. Rode on the bottom rein, but honestly could have gone in his universal as he was fab. Full of bounce and go but in a good way - practised some half steps in the working in ?
The fall was the silliest thing. We were with two horses off our yard, the lead who's been before, a hunter who hasn't but hunts, us and a friend of our lead we've not met.
So the hunt horse's saddle slipped turning just before a fence. We were behind and it was enough that we refused.
Fourth was a bit behind and jumped through. I turned to represent, thought we had it and he stopped so I pitched over his ears, landed in the hedge and was attempting to get back on while I negotiated to catch our team up as they jumped back in to the field. So both of our discounters missed about 4 jumps and rode like stink up the field to pick up with the other two ?
Had a fab day and would totally have another go
 
Top