Which side for rein buckle?

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Cutgrass

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I've been riding since I was tiny and always had my excess rein and buckle on the right hand side of my horse's neck. Now I'm older I wonder if there's a 'correct' side?

I met a lady about sharing her horse and she kept snatching my reins and pulling them over to the left. It was an odd meeting in lots of ways so I didn't ask her and didn't end up sharing her horse but the reins issue has stuck with me!
 
I always have them on the left as I have a stick in my right hand and it just seems less clutter on that side but no idea if there’s a right or wrong.

I suppose if I’m riding and leading, I’d try and keep them on the other side to the lead rein?
 
In a school I have them on the inside as once when I was a child at a riding school and they were on the outside they got caught on the fence and it was horrible for poor Rusty.
 
i always had excess rein on the right as i carry stick in left(if i take one). i used to work at a rs and had to take lead reins so it was easier as lead rein was on the left of my horse.
 
I tend to have it to the left but as I normally ride in a double bridle I sometimes put the curb rein one side and the snaffle on the other :p otherwise I sometimes find the combined weight makes me inclined to tip my left hand over. I dont think it really matters tbh ?
 
put the loop wherever it doesnt get caught in the mane ;)

now the thing I always do get confused about is which rein has the buckle end and which the tongue end - I know its supposed to be one way round because of cavalry horses being tied up in lines but can't remember which way round it is
 
I've no idea - I bet I'll start noticing which way it goes each time I ride now, never thought about it before. Hacking I think I probably go left as stick is in my right hand. Off to look at pics of me riding to find out!

I don't think I'd like the snatching thing either - hope your search for a share is/was more successful! :)

ETA - on brief review of recent riding pics, turns out I seem to mostly go right, but not exclusively.
 
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milliepops said:
I tend to have it to the left but as I normally ride in a double bridle I sometimes put the curb rein one side and the snaffle on the other :p otherwise I sometimes find the combined weight makes me inclined to tip my left hand over. I dont think it really matters tbh ?
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I'm sure you're right ? I don't even know why the snatching was the thing that stood out to me. There were much weirder things going on, hence finding another share!
 
SaddlePsych'D said:
I've no idea - I bet I'll start noticing which way it goes each time I ride now, never thought about it before. Hacking I think I probably go left as stick is in my right hand. Off to look at pics of me riding to find out!

I don't think I'd like the snatching thing either - hope your search for a share is/was more successful! :)
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Thank you, it was and it's saving my sanity through all these local lockdown restrictions. The yard is my happy place!
 
Mine are on the left. I know this because I had my stirrups crossed over the front of the saddle recently and one of the stirrups was squashing the end loop of the reins.
 
Rowreach said:
I've just spent some time sitting on the floor by my bookcase, consulting All the Manuals, and not one of them says anything about any side being "correct", and in fact the illustrations in all the books show both being used. So who knows :D
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I wonder if the side the reins lay on is related to the rider being left or right handed.
 
Always left - funnily enough I tried them on the right the other day and it felt all sorts of wrong.

I think its from when I first get on, gather reins, and then the excess hangs down the side I'm getting on. Weird how something so small can feel so wrong when we've done it that way our whole lives!
 
Cutgrass said:
I've been riding since I was tiny and always had my excess rein and buckle on the right hand side of my horse's neck. Now I'm older I wonder if there's a 'correct' side?

I met a lady about sharing her horse and she kept snatching my reins and pulling them over to the left. It was an odd meeting in lots of ways so I didn't ask her and didn't end up sharing her horse but the reins issue has stuck with me!
Click to expand...

I always have the excess reins and buckle on the right.

(That lady sounds like a bit of a control freak to me.) :oops:
 
No hang on, hang on. I just did a little sit with my hands in riding posito9n here at the computer and my reins would fall to my left. But as to what's 'correct' ... that would be whatever you are used to. I kick myself now that I didn't sometimes mount and dismount from the right, so that I wouldn't end up so one-sided.
 
Rowreach said:
It is correct (and safer) to flip the loop of excess rein over to the right hand side when you are getting on though.
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Assuming you remember to hold your reins when you get on and dont just lob yourself on from whatever side is convenient ?

I drop my loop to the left as in theory the mane should be on the right.

I'm another that doesnt know which rein is left and right though - as in which side is the buckle end
 
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