Hacking in Draw reins Do i or Dont i ??

[Oldenburg]

I am having a problem at the moment i have no facilities at home so (Other than a bog of a feild) i hire a school twice a week so most of the time i have to do road work!!
He is safe and a senible chap not silly in the slightest i am havin a worry about it!! I am used to useing draw reins!! He really needs them at the moment..

Do you think it would be ok?? or deffo a No no

 

[stroppy]

I don't see a problem with this at all.

 

[Sanolly]

Me either, when I was at a yard that was on top of a very steep hill I used to hack in draw reins.

 

[Booboos]

I am not entirely sure why you feel you need them if he is safe, sensible and not silly in the slightest.

If you have to have them for safety's sake then tie a knot in them and leave them on his neck to use in an emergency but avoid putting weight on them all the time.

 

[zoon]

My horse used to be very nappy when he was younger and when hacking alone would rear and spin. I used to hack in draw reins as they'd stop him going up, so it was a safety thing. As he stopped being so nappy, the draw reins got looser until they were just knotted on his neck and then not there at all. I am still a nervous hacker, but now have a hunting breastplate - I find the straps from breastplate to d ring are easier to grab than a martingale or neck strap in an emergency. I see it as my safety net, even though horse is now safe and sane now he has matured (he is a veteran now, finally chilled out!)

If it makes you feel safe having the draw reins, put them on but knot them on his neck so you're not constantly cranking his head in as that is not good for him!

 

[Wagtail]

No offence to the OP, but why does any horse ever need draw reins? I have broken and trained countless horses over 30 years and never needed to use drawreins. They are counter productive and just encourage the horse to build up stronger muscles to counter the pressure they create. This makes some horses harder against the hand when you come to take them off, others are light until they realise the reins have gone andworse still, drawreins damage the neck mucles of mny horses if used for too long.

 

[ISHmad]

I am not entirely sure why you feel you need them if he is safe, sensible and not silly in the slightest.

That is what I was wondering as well.

Draw reins are a no no for me. Wagtail summed up the reasons why far more eloquently than I ever could.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I'm with wagtail on this. Why draw reins? They pull the horse into a false outline and can cause muscular and skeletal probelms if used excessively and/or long term. Schooling and then riding correctly to create the energy for the horse to carry himself in a soft, rounded outline is the way to permanently and naturally achieve the shortcuts that draw reins purport to offer.

 

[tullystud]

I am an avid anti draw rein users. But there always exceptions. Safety first on the road and if you feel you need them use them but be ready to take them off as soon as they are not required. They can make a horse stronger when they are taken off, they can make a horse over bent but used with careful hands they serve a purpose. A few years ago I would never have agreed but one particularly difficult horse made me realise that there can be some exceptions. If you hack on the roads you need to be confident. Even the calmest of horses can behave differently in the winter particularly if you add a rider slightly nervous of whether they have comtrol. Safety first but keep them for hacking so you don't become dependent on them.

 

[stencilface]

If its for a control issue wear them. If its to assist his 'schooling' please don't

 

[Azmar]

I'm with antis too, horses need freedom in head and neck to balance, especially on unlevel ground so I would be uncomfortable riding with them. However I see plenty round here doing just that! Each to their own.

 

[hessy12]

That is what I was wondering as well.

Draw reins are a no no for me. Wagtail summed up the reasons why far more eloquently than I ever could.

I agree with these two. There is no need for draw reins if your horse is as you describe!

 

[Oldenburg]

I am not a massive fan of draw rein myself!!

But he has all ways been ridden in a snaffle and at the moments he has lost his outline and shape and genral disrgarurd for his bit!! And i am not goin to change his bit!
And Wagtail i have been riding for sometime now 20 years plus so not new to this we all do things diffrent i produce my young horse with no extras at all and he did pretty well

I dont want to force anythink on him this is not my aim at all!! Its like anything if they are in the wrong hands thats when things become dangerous!!!

And i express i am NOT goin to put my horse in danger at all! And i am not a moron!!

Yes he is senible etc but he is not working properly at all the word goose come to mind!! And my hacking is all roads no bridle paths at al As we dont have anyl!!

Thanks Gemma

 

[canteron]

Hey Oldenburg, I know nothing about this either!!!

Have noticed over the years, that there are tons of threads on here from Super Confident talented types who would never in 1000 years use anything but their raw talent and then they grow old/fall off/have a baby and hey their confidence goes pop.

The joy of growing older is that you lose some of that raw confidence but maybe gain a bit of sensitivity .... and I guess the answer is that yes use them sensitively and it will all be fine!!!

 

[vicky_sut]

I think draw reins can help if the person knows what they are doing but personally if the roads are quiet and its safe to do it I prefer to do some leg yeilding across the road or a bit of shoulder in to get the horse bending and liserning.
Maybe a change in snaffle to a loose ring or french link or something thats just a little different might help.

 

[xxMozlarxx]

Hey Oldenburg, I know nothing about this either!!!

Have noticed over the years, that there are tons of threads on here from Super Confident talented types who would never in 1000 years use anything but their raw talent and then they grow old/fall off/have a baby and hey their confidence goes pop.

The joy of growing older is that you lose some of that raw confidence but maybe gain a bit of sensitivity .... and I guess the answer is that yes use them sensitively and it will all be fine!!!

This is a great answer! My view would be (for what its worth which isnt much!) that you could save the draw reins for when you have access to the school and keep hacking as a relaxing experience for his brain with a bit of leg yield and outline work thrown in here and there along the lanes or whatever. In this way you wouldnt be relying on them and would only be using them as a bit of a reminder.

 

[glenruby]

Canterons response is excellent. Id be more of the opinion of use them out hacking - use them sensitively of course and spend the time you have in the arena concentrating on schooling in a correct manner without draw reins. If its a concentration or stregnth issue out hacking then using them as required (ie a llittle firm pressure when he starts nose poking and softening the contact when he is on the vertical) can be useful.

 

[jhoward]

I am not a massive fan of draw rein myself!!

But he has all ways been ridden in a snaffle and at the moments he has lost his outline and shape and genral disrgarurd for his bit!! And i am not goin to change his bit!
And Wagtail i have been riding for sometime now 20 years plus so not new to this we all do things diffrent i produce my young horse with no extras at all and he did pretty well

I dont want to force anythink on him this is not my aim at all!! Its like anything if they are in the wrong hands thats when things become dangerous!!!

And i express i am NOT goin to put my horse in danger at all! And i am not a moron!!

Yes he is senible etc but he is not working properly at all the word goose come to mind!! And my hacking is all roads no bridle paths at al As we dont have anyl!!

Thanks Gemma

I am not against Draw reins when used for the CORRECT reasons, if your horse would previousley work in an outline and accept his bit then I think id be going over my tack/his physical well being before cranking his head in and FORCING an outline..
I also think that no matter how experianced we are sometimes we need to look to ourselfs before laying the blame with the horse.

 

[kirstinw55]

I am not a massive fan of draw rein myself!!

But he has all ways been ridden in a snaffle and at the moments he has lost his outline and shape and genral disrgarurd for his bit!! And i am not goin to change his bit!
And Wagtail i have been riding for sometime now 20 years plus so not new to this we all do things diffrent i produce my young horse with no extras at all and he did pretty well

I dont want to force anythink on him this is not my aim at all!! Its like anything if they are in the wrong hands thats when things become dangerous!!!

And i express i am NOT goin to put my horse in danger at all! And i am not a moron!!



I have to put my input in on this as you seem to be in a simlilar situation to me! My mare sounds exactly the same as your horse and i use them for the same reasons! However i would definitly not advise you to hack in draw reins, when out hacking i had my mare in draw reins and she got excitable at horses we didnt know galloping up behind her, i wasnt quick enough to react to the situation and before i knew it she'd reared up and went back on me, neither of us were hurt and she still occasionaly gets schooled in draw reins but i would never hack in them- not looking for anyones crit as ive learned from my mistake and would never use them to hack in again but felt i should tell you even if it was to avoid a similar situation happening to you! all the best!x

 

[Bert&Maud]

"but he is not working properly at all" quote.
..... and he will still not be working properly if you put him in draw reins!

 

[smac]

We hack in draw reins. I have an advanced eventer who does all hacking/hill work in draw reins, and first time on gallops of new season, otherwise we are last seen.

We have a cracking horse who is always ridden in draw reins, for fear of death, he hunts all day long (without them) and is a star he has a good top line and is perfectly behaved out hunting, You can not ride him at home with out them. and no there is no physical problem with him, it is his safety blanket. He has jumped a car from bolting without them out hacking, but a 2yr old could hunt him.

And my novice eventer, who last week placed 3rd in his first Medium test is hacked in them and sometimes does somecanter work in them. He is rude he pokes his nose, he leans he throws his toys out of pram. in draw reins he doesnt even bother to try

Used correctly they are a huge assest, but not too tight, and not for every ride. In YOUR situation I would say yes. Hack him, in walk in them, but dont rely on them. We always put a neck strap on with draw reins. so that the two straps between the legs are held up and prevent any risk of horses leg getting caught.

ETS I would also be tempted to ensure you horse is in a loose ring bit and idealy with a french link so a little more play before putting in draw reins

 

[Jayde87]

To be honest, I'm not a fan of draw reins, especially out hacking. Hacking IMHO is supposed to be fun and relaxing for both the horse and rider so I generally don't tend to school whilst hacking, although I know others that do. Just not quite sure on why you would need draw reins unless the horse is particularly unsafe?

 

[babymare]

sorry im not a lover of draw reins or any other quick fix artifical aid - I was trained in the good old fahioned schooling method - may take longer but by heck happier,supplier horse but - and I always feel I have to say this so dont get head bitten off nowadays on here- it is only my opioion

 

[xxMozlarxx]

Canterons response is excellent. Id be more of the opinion of use them out hacking - use them sensitively of course and spend the time you have in the arena concentrating on schooling in a correct manner without draw reins. If its a concentration or stregnth issue out hacking then using them as required (ie a llittle firm pressure when he starts nose poking and softening the contact when he is on the vertical) can be useful.

Draw reins are a schooling device!! There is no need for a horse to be working in an outline whilst out hacking , it is meant to be a time for relaxing away from the stresses of schooling/training, gadgets are designed to be used within the school environment. That said I am not a great fan and would not use them on my youngster but my old thick set native occasionally needs a reminder

 

[Wagtail]

I am not a massive fan of draw rein myself!!

But he has all ways been ridden in a snaffle and at the moments he has lost his outline and shape and genral disrgarurd for his bit!! And i am not goin to change his bit!

If he has lost his outline he needs reschooling, not forcing into a false outline wth a tool that will only end up hardening his mouth and build up more strength to work against an outline. By using drawreins you will create a horse that is never safe to hack without them.

Why are you so against changing his bit? Using draw reins is effectively doing just that! The snaffles action lifts the front end. Draw reins pull it down. You may as well be riding him in a double bridle. It would be less severe than a snaffle combined with draw reins.

 

[maggy-may]

I dont see it as being a quick fix, when your out hacking you have to think of the safety of others as well as your self and your horse. I always hack my boy out in them he is 16.2hh and very sharp, he rears and bucks and doesnt cope very well with crowds of people and noise. So i have them on as my back up for when he does kickoff as he has reared over backwards with me before, so having them on i know i can control him and prevent this from happening again. I will only have a contact with them for when this does happen the rest of the time they are slack. I do understand why people dont like to use them as in the wrong hands they can create major problems but used correctly they can be very use full

 

[Oldenburg]

Thank you for your advice!!

Please dont take this offensively please!! Some people

He is my horse I think i know what right and wrong for him!!some people can come across really rude on here i was only asking a question if you do or if you do not use draw rein while hacking!! My horse has a fantastic outline when has been ridden and fit he has been out of work for 3 months !! And his brain has gone to mush in the mean time! I dont want to have a "fasle out line" or force him to do anything where is the fun in that!! I would not dare say to someone on here you horse needs this your horse needs that i just would not i dont know your horse!!

He does not need reschooling at all he is still in holiday mode!!

Just to let you all know i decided againt it and rode him normaly and he went fantastic!! But still needs some work but hey dont well all!!

Just to add hope everyone has a good season with there horse!!

 

[abbilibby]

Id love to know where the 'hackings time to relax/have fun' theory came from.
Work is work some people dont have schools so they have to school somewhere and if there working correctly they will be relaxed? The field is time for them to relax/have fun chill out!

 

[wellsat]

Id love to know where the 'hackings time to relax/have fun' theory came from.
Work is work some people dont have schools so they have to school somewhere and if there working correctly they will be relaxed? The field is time for them to relax/have fun chill out!

*Like*

I always school to some extent when I'm out hacking. Why would I spend hour after hour teaching them to carry themselves nicely in trot in a soft and responsive outline but then let them do whatever they like as soon as we see grass. Doesn't that give them mixed messages?

Re the OP, personally I wouldn't put draw reins on as I would worry that a horse is more likely to stumble out hacking and I want to give them more freedom in their head. Personally I use a stronger bit for hacking instead, not because my horse isn't well mannered but because I want that bit extra if something unexpected happens. A very large branch fell from a tree as we passed it today, causing both of the horses to spin and try and run for home, a stronger bit meant that I didn't go anywhere and quickly regained control, I'd have been ****** with a plain snaffle in.

 

[SVMel]

As you say you know your horse.

I also have to add that I am surprised how many people think they are used to pull or crank a horses head in. I have used them on different horses over a period of years (had to, bosses rules) and have NEVER used them to PULL a horses head in. Maybe it just depends on who taught you to use them.

My horses get 'worked' or 'schooled' every time I am sitting on them, regardless of where we are. As soon as my leg goes on and I take up a contact they use their backs and drop into a nice soft round outline! So hacking for pleasure yes, whilst still happily working, schooling, whatever!!
Hacking is not necessarily there simply for the horse to go sightseeing and have 'time off' and if I didn't have them going correctly we would all soon be on the deck, as they are so nosey they'd be falling over their feet cos they look everywhere bar where they're supposed to! I also find it keeps them focused, so less likely to muck about.

OP - I hope your horse continues to go well, regardless of what you decide to do!