Flexi reins, love them!!!

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Field04

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Have just got some flexi reins and all I can say is I LOVE THEM!!! I know we shouldn't rely on gagets to fix problems on horses, but I cannot believe the difference they have made for my horse. Whether it is in my head and I am riding differently I don't know, but either way they have helped. My horse had hated too much contact on the mouth and however still I am with my hands he would always snatch the reins and rush during exercises in dressage, and jumping.....well that was just impossible as he would take off after every jump and rush into every jump.

I have done one dressage lesson, and no snatching no rushing and no fighting against me. It was just a pleasure to ride him in the lesson.

Then I jumped him for the first time in four months, and I was dreading it. But we jumped in trot and he stayed in trot after the jump, what the ...... he has never done that. Then we cantered over the jumps and it was just great fun and easy!!!!

One thing I can say, with the year and a half of struggling with him, my jumping position has improved immensley and it felt more secure and stronger, so when he jumped well we went really well together.

Just wanted to share that really as sooooooo happy with them and him!!!!
 
Keeping hands still is not the key to a nice feeling contact for the horse. Soft contact starts at the shoulders, they should be totally relaxed, elbows should hang at your waist and move forwards and backwards with the horse. Aim to keep the bit still in the horse's mouth which means you will move your hands/arms in response to what your horse is doing. If you keep your hands still and rigid you end up with an inconsistent and uncomfortable contact with the horse. Flexi reins address this problem which is why the horse becomes more comfortable. However, they are not good for your own riding skills as they do not cure the original problem, they just smooth it over.
 
Wagtail said:
Keeping hands still is not the key to a nice feeling contact for the horse. Soft contact starts at the shoulders, they should be totally relaxed, elbows should hang at your waist and move forwards and backwards with the horse. Aim to keep the bit still in the horse's mouth which means you will move your hands/arms in response to what your horse is doing. If you keep your hands still and rigid you end up with an inconsistent and uncomfortable contact with the horse. Flexi reins address this problem which is why the horse becomes more comfortable. However, they are not good for your own riding skills as they do not cure the original problem, they just smooth it over.
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My biggest problem is in canter when my upper body becomes stiffer so I don't follow him very well all the time.:o Walk and trot I do follow the movement, but when he starts pullling against me and rushing it turns into what I cna only describe as a tug of war, if that makes sense. I don't have this problem with the school horses, but mine is still youngish (7), and very very sensitive on the mouth. So although they don't correct bad riding, I do think they will help him relax more and then in time be more trusting with my hands and hopefully in turn I will relax more with him and it will all come togehter. So I understand your point, and totally agree with it. But I do think in the short term they will help, I hope that comes across int he way I want it to:rolleyes:
 
Field04 said:
My biggest problem is in canter when my upper body becomes stiffer so I don't follow him very well all the time.:o Walk and trot I do follow the movement, but when he starts pullling against me and rushing it turns into what I cna only describe as a tug of war, if that makes sense. I don't have this problem with the school horses, but mine is still youngish (7), and very very sensitive on the mouth. So although they don't correct bad riding, I do think they will help him relax more and then in time be more trusting with my hands and hopefully in turn I will relax more with him and it will all come togehter. So I understand your point, and totally agree with it. But I do think in the short term they will help, I hope that comes across int he way I want it to:rolleyes:
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It sounds like it is a good solution for you in the short term, yes. Hopefully you will eventually be able to disgard them. The canter problem is a very common one when people tense up. Think of following the movement of his neck near his withers just below where your hands are. Your hands will stay in the same place relating to his neck so will move forward and back as his neck moves. You could tie a ribbon or band in his mane and follow its movement as you canter. It often helps to have a visual marker until it becomes natural for you.
 
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Wagtail said:
It sounds like it is a good solution for you in the short term, yes. Hopefully you will eventually be able to disgard them. The canter problem is a very common one when people tense up. Think of following the movement of his neck near his withers just below where your hands are. Your hands will stay in the same place relating to his neck so will move forward and back as his neck moves. You could tie a ribbon or band in his mane and follow its movement as you canter. It often helps to have a visual marker until it becomes natural for you.
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good idea with the ribbon, will try that. Thanks
 
Wagtail said:
Keeping hands still is not the key to a nice feeling contact for the horse. Soft contact starts at the shoulders, they should be totally relaxed, elbows should hang at your waist and move forwards and backwards with the horse. Aim to keep the bit still in the horse's mouth which means you will move your hands/arms in response to what your horse is doing. If you keep your hands still and rigid you end up with an inconsistent and uncomfortable contact with the horse. Flexi reins address this problem which is why the horse becomes more comfortable. However, they are not good for your own riding skills as they do not cure the original problem, they just smooth it over.
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Agree with this ^^^^ They just protect the horse from rein inconsistancy from the rider.
 
Wagtail said:
Keeping hands still is not the key to a nice feeling contact for the horse. Soft contact starts at the shoulders, they should be totally relaxed, elbows should hang at your waist and move forwards and backwards with the horse. Aim to keep the bit still in the horse's mouth which means you will move your hands/arms in response to what your horse is doing. If you keep your hands still and rigid you end up with an inconsistent and uncomfortable contact with the horse. Flexi reins address this problem which is why the horse becomes more comfortable. However, they are not good for your own riding skills as they do not cure the original problem, they just smooth it over.
Click to expand...

I do agree with this.

I was always taught that the upper arm should be like elastic giving and taking as the horse moves its head.

The fact that your horse goes so much better with these reins tells me that you are not doing this.
Carl Hester has found this which is why he and someone else 'invented' these reins.

For me it boils down to the rider not having an independent seat and good balance and feel.
 
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