Riding in Side Reins

[~ Clear Light ~]

I was wondering what people's thoughts were about this in general. Do you consider it a big no no for safety reasons? Acceptable for novice riders whose hands are unsteady? Even perhaps a novice rider who's ended up with an inexperienced horse and who cannot find a true contact ie cannot ride leg into hand? Or would you only use them for lunging, and why?

PS I don't mean side reins to haul in the head, but just something more steady to help the horse as opposed to wobbly hands. People don't tend to ride in side reins much over here and I was just pondering

 

[humblepie]

Many many years ago (as in around the 1980s) when I did my BHSAI we were told not to have people riding with side reins on the lunge as it was dangerous if they fell and got caught in the side rein. Only did my BHSAI for life experience for want of a better phrase not to teach for a living, so whilst did so some show jumping teaching over the years have never actually taught anyone on the lunge.

Every lunge lesson I have ever had the horse has had side reins on.

 

[Tempi]

I give lunge lessons with loose side reins on - they are attached after the person has mounted.

I personally wouldn't ride in them as they fix the head, and if they are loose then there's no point having them there at all!

 

[Tempi]

ETA - I give lunge lessons in them (loose) because I normally get people to ride without stirrups or reins as I do lunge lessons to improve rider position in clients own horses.

 

[Mellis]

Horses on the lunge need to be moving correctly to give the rider the correct feel and the mobile back to enable position correction. So yes I lunge with side reins, I never mount or dismount the rider with side reins attached. I would not advocate loose riding in side reins, I have seen horses fall as are unable to balance with a fixed head carriage. Also a horse lowering head excessively can get a front leg over the rein.

 

[crabbymare]

Fine for lunge lessons but not for free riding. as far as I am concerned a novice should have a neckstrap or grabstrap and if their hands are bad to the point where the horse may get caught in the mouth then why punish it by having the sidereins there for it to catch itself on if it does move its head away or up. if the sidereins are not going to catch its mouth then they are long and not going to have an effect so are not needed anyway.

 

[TarrSteps]

A time honoured tradition in many European schools. Two old Germans I rode with as a child had lesson horses that often went in side reins. But they were trained for the job and worked in a familiar, well maintained, safe area, under supervision.

An excellent way of teaching good feel off the bat IF done correctly. I would worry here and now that the horse was sufficiently suitable and prepared though.

Longeing, yes, I would use side reins happily, depending on what I wanted to accomplish.

 

[~ Clear Light ~]

Thanks everyone, mostly in agreement that yes for lunging and no for riding off the lunge. Its funny people over here would choose draw reins for riding in, which actually require a lot more skill and tact than correctly fastened side reins.

TarrSteps you said exactly what I was thinking about. I just wonder how much quicker people would progress from the start if they were taught what "correct" actually felt like, as long as the horse was working properly. I know they're busy working on the absolute basics, but how much can be accomplished with hollow, crooked horses. As long as the horse in question does receive proper schooling by an experienced rider and like you say, is trained to work in side reins.

I don't think properly fastened side reins fix the head in a bad way, the head should still be in front of the vertical (depending on level of training) so the horse can still show a tendency to stretch forwards downwards a little to maintain balance. The problem is people tend to commonly attach side reins way too short so the horse has to uncomfortably hold himself in that position. I do appreciate the safety element, shame they don't do them with some sort of safety release device!

 

[dominobrown]

I agree its alright on the lunge if done correctly, but draw reins for riding off the lunge would be better alternative, if of course for some reason you need to. With draw reins you can release all pressure if neccessary while you can't with side reins, and this makes some horses feel trapped. I once hacked out with someone who wanted company with her young horse. She has side reins on, and was clinging out to its mouth as she was obviously very nervous. It was a terrifying hack TBH. The horse wasn't naughty as such, but just wanted to look at things, and was naturally quite forward. By tying its head in it made it launch into the air when it couldn't go forward. My suggestion to take the side reins off and let it go forward just led narky comment, that her instructor told her to. I don't like that particular instructor, especially after seeing a video newly backed youngster working in draw reins which was lame behind. Also have it on good authority the instructor has being saying things about me too, about not pushing youngster enough, but I have gone off on a tangent!!

 

[MissSBird]

I knew a pony that was a mother/daughter ride, with a big thick neck. When the daughter (just coming off leadrein) was riding the mother used loose side reins to stop the pony from pulling her head down thus the reins through the child's fingers. Having them loose still meant the child could use her reins effectively! So in this case, they worked very well.

 

[TarrSteps]

Re draw reins, they really will not teach the rider correct feel. They have their place and I'm not precious about using them (although I find I've used them less and less over time) but that, they will not do.

 

[Littlelegs]

Someone riding on the lunge, then yes, especially as I usually do it for the same reasons as tempi. Just ridden though, no, mainly because of the safety aspect.

 

[TarrSteps]

Sorry, to add. . .

Using side reins for riding is to facilitate a more correct way of going on a SCHOOLED horse than the rider can consistently produce and, to a lesser extent, protect the horse from the rider somewhat.

A trainer using draw reins is seeking a completely different result and, as such, they aren't suitable for riders who do not yet know - by feel - what they want to achieve.

 

[foxy1]

I know someone who hacks out in side reins, absolutely crazily dangerous and stupid IMO.
Personally I wouldn't ride in them ever, I don't like that you can't quickly release them if you need to.

 

[~ Clear Light ~]

Hacking in side reins Eeek!!

MissSBird sounds like a useful application of them in that scenario.

TarrSteps your distinction of use between draw and side reins is really good. I'm too scared to say anymore on draw reins for fear of opening up a can of worms haha .

 

[dafthoss]

I know a few kids that have them fitted as grass reins, not tight enough to hold the pony in, infact the pony has lots of freedom, it just stops the little monsters stopping for a snack mid ride and the kid flying over its head. Not seen any adults riding in them though, they seem to prefer bungies and the like. Wouldnt personally want to ride in them unless having a lunge lesson.

 

[TarrSteps]

Now, bungies frighten me as much if not more! I can't believe people ride in them. The amount of force exerted on the poll and the mouth if a horse trips or similar could be immense and provoke an extreme reaction. Plus they don't really teach the horse anything about contact. Again, they have their use but I'm always a bit stunned when I see people riding in them. Is the reasoning because the horse is not restricted side to side, it must be safer? Or is it that the horse can get its head down? Because, of course, it's not down you want the horse to be able to move its head if things are going pear shaped, it's up . . ,

 

[Springy]

No

They are an aid to lunging in the RIGHT hands IMO

 

[Jesstickle]

I knew a pony that was a mother/daughter ride, with a big thick neck. When the daughter (just coming off leadrein) was riding the mother used loose side reins to stop the pony from pulling her head down thus the reins through the child's fingers. Having them loose still meant the child could use her reins effectively! So in this case, they worked very well.

I had loose side reins on one of my ponies when I was a kid for this exact reason. If I didn't he just shoved his head on the floor to eat all the time

He could still put his head up or down, just not down as far as the floor the little beggar!

 

[loobylu]

BHS- someone raised their teachings. May have changed but current teaching is to always lunge a rider with sidereins but that they must be undone for mounting/dismounting.

I have ridden in one side- rein for short periods on a couple of horses who were determindly fixed on one side. Basically to see if preventing them from going crooked and throwing their shoulder out would fix the issue- it did. Not a long term solution but I physically couldn't stop them doing it without. Both older horses that had not been correctly educated.

Was given a German horse magazine- can't read it- there were lots of picturs of riding school ponies all going in some form of accessory rein. They looked absolutely super and the jockeys were tidy- it did make me wonder about why it wasn't more common over here.

 

[TarrSteps]

It's not common here because it's not part of the system. As discusses, in the German school it's a well thought out approach and horses are prepared accordingly. I think there is a lot to recommend it but not as a random practice.

Also a bit of a reminder though that just because one group says something is 'wrong' that doesn't necessarily make that a universal view.

 

[loobylu]

It's not common here because it's not part of the system. As discusses, in the German school it's a well thought out approach and horses are prepared accordingly. I think there is a lot to recommend it but not as a random practice.

Also a bit of a reminder though that just because one group says something is 'wrong' that doesn't necessarily make that a universal view.

I struggle with the common idea over here amoung lots of novice riders/ low-level riding schools that it's a good thing to let a horse build up all the wrong muscles and that riding them into a contact is cruel and 'ruining their mouth'. BUT, as a young and relatively inexperienced instructor there are very few people I'd suggest riding in running reins/ side reins, tighter than those used as grass-reins. to purely through fear of it going wrong. I'd do it myself without too much worry for an established issue as I trust my own feel/judment/reactions.
I wouldn't have much concern if a much more experienced coach/proprieter/horseman used them as a matter of course and actually think it might be a very good thing. It needs to come from the top I think- I wonder what the likes of Pammy Hutton (experience in RS and competition) would think?

 

[dafthoss]

Now, bungies frighten me as much if not more! I can't believe people ride in them. The amount of force exerted on the poll and the mouth if a horse trips or similar could be immense and provoke an extreme reaction. Plus they don't really teach the horse anything about contact. Again, they have their use but I'm always a bit stunned when I see people riding in them. Is the reasoning because the horse is not restricted side to side, it must be safer? Or is it that the horse can get its head down? Because, of course, it's not down you want the horse to be able to move its head if things are going pear shaped, it's up . . ,

I know two people who use them, 1 a local instructor that when any one rides her horse it has one on and its the gadget of choice when teaching. The other, well erm, I think it would be putting it politley to say she wouldnt have thought that far ahead, it was to make the horse go in an 'outline' and mine should have had one too as when I was hacking along on the buckle his outline was 'not very good'......

 

[dingle12]

I see someone riding a youngster on the roads near me in tight side reins and everytime I see her I want to say something however it's non of my business and sadly I'm sure one day she may learn her lesson. Feel sorry for the horse it's spooky at times too very much a baby.