Jumping in draw reins?

horsegirl

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I was watching people warm up at the Berkshire show on Sat and one man had some sort of breast plate/girth plus a martingale and draw reins on his horse as he was warming up. I was surprised to see someone jumping in draw reins, any thoughts?
 
did the draw reins go through the breastplate so they are out of the way of his horse's legs?

I believe showjumpers do this quite regularly and as long as the rider puts their hands forwards over the jump properly it's not so very very bad. but I wouldn't want to do it if I was likely to catch the horse's mouth tho!
 
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It was probably a market harborough.

Why they feel the need to do this beets me.......

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No it was definitely draw reins, they went from the girth, through the bit and he was holding them with his normal reins.
 
My instructor says she often uses them to jump when schooling horses, especially those who hollow. She also said many of the top riders will teach horses to jump in them.

Someone I know also used to train top SJ horses in america, he said all their horses where schooled over jumps in draw reins.

Personally I would not jump in them as I do not feel they would benefit the horse in my hands. I think you really need to be experienced and know exactly what you are doing to jump in draw reins.
 
Draw reins for mounted prize givings are quite sensible if the horse has a tendency to mess about. Best off a lil extra discipline for one horse and a full line up upset!
 
At the sales one man felt the need to jump all his horses in draw reins. I couldnt stretch and nearly fell over because he strided it wrong, it couldn't sort itself out and tapped a pole, stumbled and had nowhere to go. He took the draw reins after that. I had also had a loud conversation with my friend about it but I doubt that had anything to do with it.
 
they are sadly very common in SJ warmups. Although I believe draw reins have their place, on a horse over a jump is not one of them and I witnissed a nasty accident where a horse tucked up and caught his foot in the drawreins over the jump crashing on landing. Thankfully both horse and rider were fine but it very easily could have been otherwise.

I also don't see how they stop a horse misbehaving, as I have known them to create rearers rather than stop them!!!
 
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