Which reins?

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Shilasdair

Patting her thylacine
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I've managed to find a bridle to fit my Shire x Tb, a Jeffries IR in extra full, which I bought without reins.
And now, I can't decide what type of reins to buy...I thought more chunky ones as she's probably going to take quite a lot of contact, but then I've broken so many fingers in the past that thinner ones might be easier for me to hold.
Advice please!
S
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I like plaited reins, I even use them for the snaffle of my double bridle, but it really is personal choice,
 
How about some bio/eventa reins so they''ll be thick enough to hold but are flexible enough to wrap your fingers around? Some people find the jelliness of them a little disconcerting, but i'm a fan.
 
I bought an extra full bridle for my big boy which came with reins and they are so thick I struggle to hold them so from personal experience I would go of thinner ones so they are more comfortable for you.
 
Plaited reins look lush but I find get quite slippy when wet as do plain leather ones. All mine a rubber covered, 3/4 inch wide (i think) and look good. If your horse has a big neck you could probably go wider though. I would go to the shop and hold a few in your hands, see which feels best.
 
I like to ride in a medium width rubber rein.

But would a dressage type rein suit you better - so rubber on one side only, medium width? May not interfer too much with your claws.......
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I have rubber reins which have nylon inside (stubben ones) I find them easy to hold and pretty soft and flexible too. I have the opposite problem in that I have no feeling in my left hand so I need something that I know I have hold of lol!

If you need narrow though it might be an idea to go for some narrowish continental reins with stoppers? I do find them harsh though even with gloves!
 
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Jefferies biogrip, superb reins!

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same for me too, I don't like chunky reins so these are just fab. Mine aren't Jeffries (got some cheaper 'own brand') but just as good.
 
Ok, thanks for the suggestions.
I have realised now, that when you look at reins online, you can't make out what they are - they all look the same!
So can you actually tell me what Jeffries Biogrip are (they just look like normal rubber reins in the pics)?
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They look like regular rubber reins from a daistance but they actually don't have any leather running through the middle, so they are sort of floppy!
If you are going to Badminton Townfield saddlers should be there, they do their own brand version that are cheaper and just as good.
 
I also find biogrips are kinder to gloves than normal rubber reins - they seem to be made of softer rubber with smoother bobbles. Normal rubber reins make holes in my usual (fabric) gloves quite quickly.
 
On a slightly different note - you might find any full leather reins too short! They only go up to a certain length (120cm usually) as there's a limit to cow length. I had this problem with Kalli, who's a stupidly-long almost-17hh.
 
Having seen a pair of the bio grip reins (I think they were the Katie Negus ones) snap out hunting I would never use them. They feel like liquid in the hand and you are for ever shortering your reins but feeling like they are still too long.
 
I have a pair of narrow continental reins which I like very much (only problem is I can't find them!
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) I have stupidly small hands (size small gloves, on a 5'6" tall woman!) and find I can manage these OK, with slightly arthiritic hands.
 
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