Trouble holding reins - harbridge?

Paint Me Proud

Paint Me Proud

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I have, ever since i've ridden, had trouble holding onto the reins. They always slip through my hands whilst I'm riding and it is causing me problems trying to get my young horse to take a consistent contact.

I use gloves and continental reins but even with the stops the reins just steadily slip on through. I have small fingers and when holding the reins can't get my fingers to touch my palm and no matter how much i try to hold with my thumb it just doesnt work. My instructors is always shouting 'fingers closed around the reins' but they are closed, or atleast as closed as I can get them!

As such I was wondering if a harbridge may help to give a more consistent restriction to the rein so my youngster understands the boundary he has to work in rather than silly mum giving the contact away all the time.

I am generaly against gadgets but i'm at a loss and thought perhaps a harbridge would support me in our training.

Any suggestions welcome
 
Have you tried thinner reins? Plain leather bridoon reins will only be 1/2" and slimmer than rubber reins which are bulky
 
I don't see the advantage there. I'd experiment with different reins first - thinner, different feels - I can't keep hold of rubber ones for love nor money, but love plaited reins. Or put tape where you want your hands to stay so you can see instantly if you're throwing them away and shorten them again ;)


eta - my 1/2" inside grips are way thinner than continental reins ;) I have both, and I guarentee it!
 
JFTD said:
I don't see the advantage there. I'd experiment with different reins first - thinner, different feels - I can't keep hold of rubber ones for love nor money, but love plaited reins. Or put tape where you want your hands to stay so you can see instantly if you're throwing them away and shorten them again ;)
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thats what continental reins have, leather stops up the reins at intervals so i know how short they are, but evern with those I cant hold onto them.
 
What sized reins do you use? I have small hands too, and I always ride with 1cm or 1,25cm reins. I just can't wrap my fingers around the "normal" 5/8ths continental or rubber reins.
 
Paint Me Proud said:
thats what continental reins have, leather stops up the reins at intervals so i know how short they are, but evern with those I cant hold onto them.
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Yes but they're not obvious - you can't see them slipping through your hands because they all look alike (I can't anyway!). I also find continental reins a pig for slipping. I only use them to jump (so I can slip them) and hack! I actually slip less on plain leather reins, which I use for schooling since I broke my plaited ones.
 
JFTD said:
Yes but they're not obvious - you can't see them slipping through your hands because they all look alike (I can't anyway!). I also find continental reins a pig for slipping. I only use them to jump (so I can slip them) and hack! I actually slip less on plain leather reins, which I use for schooling since I broke my plaited ones.
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I am normally concentrating so hard on riding that i dont look at my hands just feel the stops slipping through and and my reins getting longer.

Could do wil a loop in my reins, lol
 
Paint Me Proud said:
i use continental webbing reins, the thinnest reins you can get
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I beg to differ on that - might be thinner in thickness, but not width.

Thinking outside the box, it might be worth trying cotton polo reins. They are thicker, alot thicker, but they are soft, pliable and means that even if your fingers are not touching the palms, they are still 'gripping' so offering the contact.

Also, I am sure there are some reins now that are looped (I think) there is a para-dressage rider that uses them, although I think she had to campaign to use them affiliated though, will try to find a link.
 
How about the Carol Mailer bridging rein?

http://www.mailerbridgingrein.co.uk

I also suffer from slipping-rein-itis. I cope best with jelly rubber reins. I admit to fixing a piece of white insulating tape on each rein to help me keep them at a consistent length :o .

ETA I have a Harbridge knocking about somewhere. The horse I bought it for took great exception to it running up between his legs, so I never actually rode him in it.
 
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sorry for the lack of replies, i'm actually on holiday in rome at the moment and just popped out to walk to the colosseum.

Thanks for the advice, i will take a look at the links :D
 
Also, try riding in marigolds. I know this sounds stupid but I've been known to use the black ones when it's peeing down and they really increase the traction.
 
I think, but im not sure, that you can get reins with loops in as suggested by someone earlier. If not could you get a leather person to make you some?
 
Go to a good saddler and have some narrow reins made.

The reason most people lose their reins is that they don't keep their thumb firmly on the rein. Try and get a video of your riding and see if your thumbs are actually sticking up instead of pressing on the rein.
 
JFTD said:
Hard life, eh?!
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lol, yes it's a real chore! :P

Really grateful of all the replies, I hadnt considered attaching something to the reins to keep them level and unable to slip through. I would prefer that much more than using a gadget on the horse as I believe gadget can get results but in the wrong way, i want him ro work fro behind not strapped down at the front but I was at a loss.

The bridging rein looks like a possible solution. Will look into it more when I get back off my holiday and update you all.

Ciao from Rome (getting on cruise ship today)
 
I hate continental reins, they always slip with me and that one stop feels very much like another. I used to have a similar issue because it makes you feel falsely soft - I needed to bend my elbows and close my hands instead.
My instructor said she used to get her smallies to hold 50 ps with them - I suggested a couple of fivers might do it ;)

I use plain rubber reins though have liked my biogrips in the past (much softer as nylon inside and fine without gloves that can help). I think you need to find some better reins (continental always seem to go shiney and slippy) and add some insulation tape and practice :)
 
I have loop reins (RDA rider) and had them made by a saddler in Ireland,(Mulryan saddlery) and find them really helpful for me however unless you have a PARA classification specifically affecting hand co-ordination you wouldn't be able to use them in competition (as I understand it anyway) so you might find it MORE difficult if you are used to then at home but then have to go back to regular reins in the show ring. I know some of my RDA friends had to fight to get them on their classification card as their grading didn't specify co-ordination issues.
I don't know what the ruling is with rein-bows in competition or the de-boiz either, but I am sure someone on here will know. Good Luck!
 
[QUOTI also do this and although i don't have small hands I do have damage to my fingers which make it harder for me to keep my fingers closed, the white tape works as a visual reminder not to let the reins slip any further and the jelly reins are much easier for me to hold, i use jeffries bio reins.
E=Tiddlypom;12560166]How about the Carol Mailer bridging rein?

http://www.mailerbridgingrein.co.uk

I also suffer from slipping-rein-itis. I cope best with jelly rubber reins. I admit to fixing a piece of white insulating tape on each rein to help me keep them at a consistent length :o .
 
Tnavas said:
The reason most people lose their reins is that they don't keep their thumb firmly on the rein.
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You're absolutely right. However, I find it difficult to keep the rest of my hands and wrists relaxed if my thumbs are pressing down on the reins. Believe me, I have tried, and many an instructor would have been delighted not to have to remind me to 'shorten your reins' at regular intervals.

I'm able bodied, and have decent sized hands with long fingers, but this is something that I have never reliably been able to crack.
 
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