Riding in side reins - do you/should you/never?

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pnap

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Just someone has suggested I try riding in them to make the horse more accepting of a constant contact - which at the moment he blocks quite masterfully. Back, teeth, saddle etc are all fine and he's ridden in a loose ring peanut snaffle so is not overbitted.
 
I would never ride in side reins - it just isn't safe, as if anything happens, you can't release them quickly enough.
Horses also need to move their necks forwards and back during the walk, canter and gallop, so you would be restricting their natural muscle dynamics, and causing tension.

If you have ruled out physical problems with the horse, then your contact IS unacceptable to him - are you riding him forwards into the hand? Are your hands good enough?
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I would always say never ride in side-reins.

I think it is dangerous you can’t release them quick enough if something happened.
 
Each to their own, personally I think it is a very bad idea and not safe. You will be very hard pushed to find professionals recommending riding with side reins. No time for a debate about it sadly, or the ins and outs, but to the OP, there are far better things to use, and I will happily say that riding in side reins will absolutely NOT teach your horse to be happier in a constant contact as you cannot reward him when he does good, so he will more than likely just dip behind them or pull against them.
 
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I will happily say that riding in side reins will absolutely NOT teach your horse to be happier in a constant contact as you cannot reward him when he does good, so he will more than likely just dip behind them or pull against them.

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Yes, exactly what I thought. Well said.
 
No, no and no... if the horse trips then he won't be able to right himself easily, especially with you on top. Try a market harborough / draw reins / bungee if necessary but never side reins.

I like MHs because they work at the same time as the normal rein contact and so teach a horse that contact from your rein means bring their head in and a bit down, rather than just pulling the head in all the time. I tend to school in them for a while (say 20 mins) then take them off for another 20 mins without.
 
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I would never ride in side reins - it just isn't safe, as if anything happens, you can't release them quickly enough.
Horses also need to move their necks forwards and back during the walk, canter and gallop, so you would be restricting their natural muscle dynamics, and causing tension.

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Well said. I completely agree.
 
I have ridden in side reins, under the guidance of a well known dressage trainer not too far from me....
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ETA - he did tell me it was dangerous though & to never ever do it on my own - for reasons stated above
 
QR
I'd just like to add, that anyone who thinks that working a horse correctly involves training your horse to 'bring his head in', is rather missing the point.
I'd suggest you forget entirely what the head and neck are doing, and ask yourself what the hind legs are up to.
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Anky and loads of others ride in rolkur- Would you?
I could list some SJers who use rapping/spikes in the boots, would you?
Before I got my old pony, a top Pro had her jumping over electrified poles- Would you?
I know 2 or 3 yards that keep the ponies in sidereins in the stable- Would you do this?
Some drivers use electric prongs/metal brushes to get more respect- Would you do this?

The whole they are famous/do well thing really is a not a reason for doing somthing.
 
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QR
I'd just like to add, that anyone who thinks that working a horse correctly involves training your horse to 'bring his head in', is rather missing the point.
I'd suggest you forget entirely what the head and neck are doing, and ask yourself what the hind legs are up to.
S
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This made me chuckle. I was trying to say something along these lines myself...But you seem to have a way with words...
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I can tell you now that Ian Woodhead rides in his, as long as they are not so restricting that they can not move then I don't see how its different to reins? So does Sue Carson and I could name more...

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It is different to reins because they are fixed at both ends - one end to the saddle, the other to the bit.
Reins are fixed to the bit, but happily then run to the rider's gentle and giving hands (
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)which are able to move gently forward and back to maintain a steady, elastic contact whether the horse is walking, trotting, cantering etc.
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Never. as Shilasdair says, you cannot release if you need to. restriction which the rider has no control of is a HUGE no-no.
A close friend knew a girl well as a child, who rode her pony with side-reins on, the pony reared over backwards and killed her.
i cannot see the point of it anyway, how on earth is it teaching the horse (or rider) how to establish a nice contact to work towards.
S is absolutely right. the head and neck are last parts of the jigsaw puzzle to fall into place, and on most horses, if you get all the other bits in right, those will be automatic. going correctly has very little to do with an arched neck and vertical face...
 

Ditto most of what has been said above, definate no no to side reins.

If you want to try an aid to help you then I would recommend a market harborough or the lungeebungee.
 
only ever in a lunge lesson to help riders position and only attached after warming up and moving forwards.

Too many risks regardless if some people do it.
 
Funnily enough it was a professionals advice - he says the horse is blocking contact and I am not strong enough to maintain the forward momentum and constant contact at the same time. Nowt to do with my riding was his statement - in fact he reckons I am too kind with my hands - just merely comes down to the horse is stronger than me, that isn't going to change, so to get him to work correctly we need to do something with the head that will help him to build the correct muscle thus making it easier for him to carry himself, not lean on my hands, yet still move forward into the contact.
 
In Montreal when I used to take riding lessons when I was a teenager, I used ride a Clydesdale cross sometimes called Rosie. She ALWAYS had sidereins on for lessons, always, always, always except if someone was jumping her.

I always wondered about the siderein thing as poor Rosie always had them on. I was probably very lucky nothing ever happened!
 
I am confused.
Your 'professional' said you are too weak to ride him properly? It shouldn't really be a trial of strength, IMO, rather more technique.
Force is never the answer, with horses; if you are planning to physically force him into an outline, then good luck to you, and to your aching calves and shakey arms.
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S
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Funnily enough it was a professionals advice - he says the horse is blocking contact and I am not strong enough to maintain the forward momentum and constant contact at the same time. Nowt to do with my riding was his statement - in fact he reckons I am too kind with my hands - just merely comes down to the horse is stronger than me, that isn't going to change, so to get him to work correctly we need to do something with the head that will help him to build the correct muscle thus making it easier for him to carry himself, not lean on my hands, yet still move forward into the contact.

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i'm sorry, but the horse needs to be taught how to go forwards downwards to the hand, not have an artificial aid holding his head in the right place.. how is that going to help either of you?

an enlightened instructor will show you how to work with the horse and make it easy for him, imho.

if you are absolutely totally stuck... have an 'oh ****' strap across the front of saddle, put your inside hand on that and keep the inside rein contact that way, if you really cannot keep an even contact because the horse is being ignorant and using his strength against you. this is a LOT safer than side reins.
 
No no no no no no! NEVER ride in sidereins. I was taught never to even LEAD with them done up. When I did my ABRS exams I was told that there were two ways to automatically fail the lunging... 1) lunge line touches the floor; 2) lead the horse out with the sidereins still done up.
 
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