Please can someone explain draw reins?

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giggles mum

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Controversial subject I know. A friend has just bought an ex-racer, and has been advised by her YO to ride him in draw reins to "bring his head down". YO knows full well my friend doesn't know how tu use them, and has said she will show how to put them on...but as far as I can tell won't offer any guidance in actually riding in them.

This set alarm bells ringing to me, not least because I have heard BAD things about this YO before. I said this to my friend, but I can't really explain to her WHY I don't like the sound of it, because I don't actually know how draw reins work myself.
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Can someone enlighten me?
 
Verrrrry bad idea. In my experience, tbs and draw reins dont mix well. If YO knew anything she'd realise there is a lot more to a horse going correctly than pulling it's head down.
 
I agree. Seen them used and abused far too often. There are many many other ways to get a horse to bring its head down. Draw reins often produce an unflattering and unnatural neck bend and quite honestly they are lethal in inexperienced hands.
 
If put in the wrong hands will present alot of problems,I think she should find a good instructor and work on it from there,seen to much damage caused by them and often seen them used as a quick fix solution..... but, good results in the right hands!
 
from my limited experience with TB's, she'll end up with a very tense horse who won't move forward and relax in the school - I had to go back to basics as Ty had been pulled into a false outline (ie head pulled down into a pretty outline).

can't beat good old fashioned schooling and lots of double line lunging!
 
My 'Instructor' advised me to try them when we all went for a hack a while back Bear is young and hadn't had any schooling at the time. i didnt feel they were helping at all, all they did was make me and Bear feel uncomfortable, theres other ways to get in to an outline, or keep a horse from throwing his head up,

what does the horse do to make the YO suggest draw reins? maybe if he chucks his head up try a 'Market Harborour'? sorry for bad spelling!!
 
These are probably the most abused 'aid' in the equine world. There are more people using them wrongly than correctly from what I've seen. If a horse is schooled correctly he will drop his head & work correctly without having to pull his head down. The majority of people try to use draw reins as a quick fix & quick fixes rarely last.
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In short very few know how to use them right, so unless you have the ability thern steer clear of them.
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I use draw reins on my ex-racer (see sig below). He is/was pokey-nosed despite regular schooling. He was like two horses - bum engaged and yet pokey nosed. They have proven invaluable for him as they have helped me guide his head into the correct place. As you can see in one picture he is restisting slightly and they are coming into play, in the other picture he is soft and they hang loose. I was taught how to use them in my lessons and I would strongly recommend that your friend waits until her lesson before using them. It is very important that the rider pushes the horse into the contact with strong legs rather than pulling back with the reins.

They must not be used to set the horse in to an outline but are simply an encouragement to the horse to flex and soften. They should be introduced gradually so that the horse is not restricted. Even slight softening will be a first step. But it is all about Legs Legs Legs - the reins can help stop it all going out the front.

Hot tip for the day is to mark the draw reins so you know how long to hold them - I found at the beginning that I would unwittingly tighten them as I shortened the normal reins which can be very severe on your horse.

It is also important to regularly ride without them so that you don't get dependent on them.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Yuck Yuck Yuck.
I do not like Draw reins! They pull the horses head in, teach it to fall on the hand, and not use its back end.
If you need "gadgets" there are far better ones out there!
x

[/ QUOTE ]

I think draw reins have their limited use but only use them with my instructors guidance. GlamourDol what other gadgets would you recommend just out of interest?
 
I have never started a horse off straight into draw reigns, we will slowly build up by lunging in side reigns, then we will put on running reigns (effectively draw reigns which instead of attaching between the legs on the girth they are attached to the top of your girth straps) these then don't allow you to inadvertantly pull the horses head unnaturally below the bit and to over bend. Then we go onto an elastic bungy. It is very rare that we will put on conventional draw reigns. Like the others have mentioned above, she is best waiting until she starts with her lessons, she may be pleasantly surprised and not need to use them at all.
 
I have recently bought a mare for dressage and the main problem she has is going overbent. She looks like she has been ridden in draw reins for far too long and incorrectly. Consequently I now have to constantly correct her!!!! very annoying- unnecessary problem!
 
I would say they have their uses occasionaly. I would also say that a loose market harborough would be better, or lungeing in a pessoa, or leg, seat and lessons (the latter being the best option IMO)
 
Nothing wrong with using draw reins IN THE RIGHT HANDS and ON A HORSE THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THEM!! (Heavily caveating here!). I use draw reins only when schooling Henry - in my case, he a heavyweight, 17HH half shire cob, with a VERY independent and quick thinking brain. In the school he will plough forwards, his weight throws him onto the forehand and given that he weighs over 1600lbs, little old me can half halt all I want (hell, I could lie backwards on his butt for all the difference I make!), but it doesn't help him set himself back on his butt and work through and over his back. In my case, I use the draw reins to help ME balance HIM. I do not use them to crank his head down, but if he decides to get flat and forward, the draw reins kick in, and he is then effectively pulling against himself, rather than me. This enables me to use a strong leg and push him up and into the bridle, rather tha using all my energy asking him to come up and back towards me (which effectively makes him tense and hollow) The draw reins eleviate the pressure IN MY CASE.

In your friends case, I would be hesitant to use them unless her instructer can guide her every step of the way. An OTTB will not be as as strong as my lad, but will not have the correct muscles to work through and in a nice carriage. They might allow him to get the idea of the right way to work, in the short term, at which point your friend could then take them away and work without them.
 
Its like bits really, What is considered a "gentle bit" is only gentle when there isnt someone hauling on it, equally a pelham can be better than heaving on a gentle bit if used correctly.

I think if you have never seen something before, you shouldnt be using it without instruction, this applies to almost all gadgets.
 
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