riding in double reins

Jill Crewe

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swopping my hard rubber mullen mouth pelham and roundings for a copper mix double jointed lozenge pelham and double reins.

have not ridden in double reins before so would appreciate any advice or tips regarding any aspect of using double reins. my snaffle reins are rubber grip but haven't sorted out any reins for the curb yet. I usually ride in a running martingale.
 
good for you riding in double reins! Last season I took my keen mare hunting so I put her in a rubber pelham with 2 reins. I got my instructor to give me a lesson with the 2 reins first. She showed me how to hold them and also got me to spend the whole hour dropping my reins and picking them up again.

Now I am struggling to remember how to hold them though if I picked them up I would know!

Basically the way she showed me is that the snaffle rein goes between your little and 3rd finger and the curb rein between the 3rd and second finger, then both come out between your thumb and forefinger.

Key is to practice fiddling with them... it is a lot easier than you think it will be. have fun!

Oh and for reins, have 2 quite different ones so you always know which is which. The curb rein is normally plain leather and thinner. If you havent fitted a curb chain before do get someone to show you as it is far from obvious.
 
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thanks tobiano, will hunt out some thin plain reins. I guess it's the same as everything, just takes getting used to. I've researched about the martingale and opinions split between not needed/snaffle rein/curb rein so might try without first and go from there as there is no obvious rule.

would be interested to hear from people who have gone from rounding to double and how they found it and the difference they noticed :)

I am quite looking foward to trying it!
 
Make sure you have a lip strap for your curb- lots of people forget! I make sure that my snaffle rein always crosses over the top of the curb rein/that the curb rein always lays below the snaffle against the neck (struggling to explain this!) The curb rein is usually thinner. I tried roundings on my boy which he hated as it meant the curb came into action frequently. With two reins you can lie the curb rein slack enough that it only works when you hold your hand with the appropriate tilt- it does however mean you have to be quieter with your hands.
 
thanks shadowboy, and I get what you mean about the arrangement on the neck :)

thanks for the comment about the tilt...so there should be no need to be re-arranging the length of the reins if the curb rein is left looser. I was wondering about that
 
sorry posted to soon...was going to mention the lip strap. would you use one all the time and not just jumping?

would like to add that I do have people on yard that will show me properly..just wanted to find out as much as poss beforehand :)
 
I always wear a lip strap- two reasons stops the curb coming off and getting lost if the hooks are too open and it stops the curb chain moving about and irritating the horse :) I rarely re- arrange the reins although for some reason I'm worse with my left hand and the curb can get too slack of I don't concentrate ;)
 
I used to use a Pelham with roundings then had a go with two reins for hacking. I did find that I had much better control over speed, stopping from a fast canter was much easier as my mare was very responsive to just a slight contact on the curb rein. Most of the time I was just riding with the snaffle rein anyway. It took a bit of getting used to and I haven't yet used them when jumping but it wasn't as hard as I thought.
 
Try riding in a snaffle with two sets of reins to get a proper feel first if possible. Even by putting bit in front of chair at home and practicing holding them.
 
I hold my doubles in a different way again - snaffle rein as normal, curb rein under my pinky so no crossing over. It doesn't really matter what way round you hold them, just whatever is easiest for you.

I have never used a martingale on a double but I would say put it on the snaffle reins. If you put it on the curb rein and the horse puts its head up you are inadvertantly putting mass pressure on the curb rein.
 
Thanks for all the tips :) Will look into getting a lip strap and definitely practicing at home...maybe try and bit the dog up;)

Will the extra control on the curb help if/when horse turns into a giraffe out hacking - running martingale really seems to have no effect on this and neither does my current roundings set up
 
you were right it was too much of a handful! I have minute hands and skinny fingers and it was really uncomfortable. somebody has lent me some half rubbers so going to try them tomorrow...with GLOVES!
 
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