Reins preference?

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Musing as I was tack cleaning this morning about reins. (Like, how many pairs can one amass lol? )

My everyday go to are continental reins for hacking and sj.
I'll drag hunt and xc in laced reins. Going out for flatwork it's the continentals or perhaps the plaited reins (if need to be smart).
Odd occasional forays with 2 rein bits, I use plaited on the bradoon and plain on the curb.
I don't have any rubber reins, full or rubber lined, nor bio grip ones.

What's your go to or preferred reins and why?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I like continental as well-the cotton ones though, not the grippy ones. I do have some Libby's half grip though which I like because they are black and yellow

 

[catkin]

I have damaged fingers and cannot grip very well so reins are probably very personal to me. I find I need them wide, supple and non-slip - also long in length as I often ride with them bridged.

I've found it depends a bit on the brand - my winter reins are rubber with a nylon core, and my hot-weather reins are cotton plaited but to find these two I've tried quite a lot of different ones that didn't cut it for one reason or another so even another make of rubber nylon-cored jobbies may not be as good as the ones I have.

My 'posh' reins were made by a local saddler to match my bridle - they are a set of 3/4 inch wide laced bradoon reins and 5/8 inch wide plain curb reins for when two reins are needed.

 

[ester]

I have some stubben nylon inner rubber ones that I really like (not biogrip don't get on with those like something a bit stiffer) so I bought a few sets when they were on offer .

with the double I have a thin laced top and plain thin bottom.

 

[The-Bookworm]

I use laced for everything if using the bridle. Rope if using the halter.
That's it.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I only ever use continental reins. Rubber reins which come with new bridles are immediately removed and stuck in the garage.

 

[Tiddlypom]

After following recommendations on here, I am a complete convert to the Henry James bio grip continental reins.
They give a really good feel, aren't too bulky and the stoppers solve my slipping reins problem.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

what I really want is the old Cottage craft plaited cotton reins-but in yellow.

 

[catkin]

what I really want is the old Cottage craft plaited cotton reins-but in yellow.

that's what my summer reins are - but they are bottle-green!
try in second-hand tack stores, that's where I found mine.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

what I really want is the old Cottage craft plaited cotton reins-but in yellow.

Have you looked at the western reins? Might find similar?

 

[Auslander]

I have padded leather reins with leather stops. Love them!

 

[Meredith]

I had no idea there were so many sorts of reins.
I have only worn gloves with rubber reins since I had eczema. Leather with leather stops or plaited shredded my hands.
I wonder if I would like any of those mentioned?

 

[Shooting Star]

Continental are my go to reins but also like laced.

I have a nice pair which are half rubber lined laced reins - was a bit of a surprise when they turned up in the post as I thought I’d ordered just laced and didn’t even know you could get them lined but I liked them so kept them too 🙂

 

[Cortez]

Plain leather reins with stops, also some web continental reins (with stops). I've never used rubber reins - far too bulky.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I had no idea there were so many sorts of reins.
I have only worn gloves with rubber reins since I had eczema. Leather with leather stops or plaited shredded my hands.
I wonder if I would like any of those mentioned?

I wont ride without gloves, at any time of the year x

 

[JFTDWS]

I hate rubber reins. I use all sorts for other things... I hack Fergus in bright red, woven, mounted games reins. I hack Skye in round, cotton split reins (very long, very thick!), or sometimes in her polocrosse reins which are thick, flat, cotton, white and very short.

To school, I like plaited reins (but Dae has broken every nice, expensive pair I've ever bought), or albion nubuck ones (which are a bugger to get but feel lovely). For a double, I use nubucks on the snaffle and plain on the curb. I use continentals for other stuff when I can't use smart reins (dae!) and can't use bright colours (competing!).

And I almost never ride in gloves - only if it's freezing in winter, or if I'm dressaging / showing.

 

[ihatework]

Only the floppy bio grip type. Anything else feels wrong now!

 

[ihatework]

.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I'm finding gloves V no gloves more interesting than the rein type as I always try to ride with gloves. Has no-one else had raw/cut knuckles from riding without gloves? I don't know how I do it, but without fail, no gloves = skin free knuckles.

My rein preference is plaited leather.

 

[JFTDWS]

I'm finding gloves V no gloves more interesting than the rein type as I always try to ride with gloves. Has no-one else had raw/cut knuckles from riding without gloves? I don't know how I do it, but without fail, no gloves = skin free knuckles.

My rein preference is plaited leather.

What are you doing with your knuckles

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I seriously don't know. Chestnut mare does have a long mane, but it's not made of razor wire LOL!

 

[JFTDWS]

Do they grow iron wool?! I've had hogged, short manes, full (ludicrous, hairy cob) manes, and I've never taken the skin off my knuckles without gloves. I mean, I take lumps out of my hands when I rasp feet without gloves, but that's another matter!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

My instructor never mentioned me doing anything weird with my hands either, so yes the horse must be growing a particularly tough and sharp edged type of keratin for her mane.

 

[JFTDWS]

Or you use razor blades as plaiting bands or something?!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

So that's where my old hacksaw blade went!

 

[holeymoley]

For every day and dressage - half rubber so they look like leather but have the rubber inside

For working hunter- continental

For showing - normally in a double so plain leather for the curb and plaited for the bridoon

 

[oldie48]

I also love the bio grip ones and always wear gloves, favourite ATM are the noble outfitters perfect fit, the very lightweight ones. I have some damage to the tendons in some of my fingers so my grip isn't great. I also used continental web reins and very thin leather reins on the DB but the curb rein was always getting far too long!

 

[GoldenWillow]

I use web continental reins for pretty much everything. I found rubber reins too bulky although it's a long time since I rode in them and I think somes types are slimmer now. I also had a habit of my right rein being shorter so it's a check on that. On the few occasions I've been showing I've used laced reins.

 

[paddy555]

cotton plaited ones with a buckle in the middle. I can find ones without a buckle but never ones with a buckle. The only place I found some were from Australia, got them and the leather quality was very poor.

 

[JennBags]

I use half-rubber lined reins, I have quite small hands and can't have anything too bulky. I've tried a few others, got some plain bio-grips but I'm not that keen on them.

I always wear gloves when riding.