Daisy reins or anti-grazing reins

[Small_Change]

I am lucky enough to have an almost-three-year-old daughter who loves horses, and two wonderful horses that are very good to her as well. She has ridden them on a lead line quite a bit, and is ready to try going off-lead on her own. Because they’re both pretty big, I’d like to use a daisy rein on them to prevent them from dropping their heads and accidentally pulling her off, even though both are very well mannered. What style of daisy rein would be better in this sort of situation? I’ve seen three different styles, and am not sure what would be best.

Overcheck style
Side rein style
Third type

And just because they’re so cute together, the kidlet and one of her “extra large” ponies

[hunterjumper98]

I have only ever seen the overcheck style myself as they seem to work the best. One of the pony kids at my barn regularly use that style on her pig of a pony, and it seems to work really well without getting in the way of the reins.

[SuzieQNutter]

I have only ever used baling twine. Tied from the bit to the d ring of the saddle. Just the length so the horse can not reach the grass. It stops them stopping to eat but doesn’t affect the pony any other way if it needs to put it’s head up to fall or something. It works like a charm.

[Small_Change]

@SuzieQNutter

I have only ever used baling twine. Tied from the bit to the d ring of the saddle. Just the length so the horse can not reach the grass. It stops them stopping to eat but doesn’t affect the pony any other way if it needs to put it’s head up to fall or something. It works like a charm.

Thanks for this, but I’d prefer something that looks a little nicer!

[luvmyhackney]

The third type which is just a side check. Its hard to get the overcheck adjusted without it flopping all over the place and leaving it long enough for the horse to stretch down.

Go for the side check and the first few times you use it do attach with a little bit of bailing twine for safety until horse is used to it.

[showy]

I highly recommend the side rein style! Always worked great in my experience

[Small_Change]

@luvmyhackney

The third type which is just a side check. Its hard to get the overcheck adjusted without it flopping all over the place and leaving it long enough for the horse to stretch down.

Go for the side check and the first few times you use it do attach with a little bit of bailing twine for safety until horse is used to it.

I worry about that with the overcheck style. Both the horses are used to being able to lower and stretch their necks, and I want to preserve that while keeping the tiny person safe.

[joiedevie99]

I’ve always used the third style. I haven’t had luck with the side rein style actually working, and the overcheck style gets in the way of the kids grabbing mane to learn jumping position.

[betsyk]

Third type. If you bridle over a halter, you can use the halter rings on the sides instead of adding another. I like these because it’s harder for the horse to get his foot tangled, and they seem to feel less confined. You can cobble something together with a pair of side reins, clipped to the bit, run through halter rings and clipped to the grab strap or dees on the saddle.

[Small_Change]

Thanks everyone! The advice is much appreciated.

[fordtraktor]

Third type. I am cheap and get some black climbing rope…run from bit through the browband and back to the saddle. Easy, inexpensive, completely adjustable and works.

[PonyLove222]

Third style (technically called a side check) is absolutely the way to go. Over check can be quite severe - I used to drive trotting horses quite a bit and the process of teaching a horse to correctly wear an overcheck can be long and it’s easy to scare them with it. Side reins aren’t really safe to ride with imo. A loose side check will keep him from dumping his head over but otherwise won’t affect him.

[SuzieQNutter]

If you plait unfrayed baling twine and connect it to clips on both ends it can look nice and colourful.

You can look up different types of plaits if you want to get really fancy.

[ladyj79]

Just a small caution: I have seen a…very round Welsh pony in an overcheck pull the saddle and child right down on his neck, because starving. Sometimes you need to pair with a cruper.

[Highflyer]

I would get a pair of dee savers rather than using the saddle dees-- I’ve seen a pony pull them right out.

[Small_Change]

@ladyj79

Just a small caution: I have seen a…very round Welsh pony in an overcheck pull the saddle and child right down on his neck, because starving. Sometimes you need to pair with a cruper.

I don’t think either of the horses she’ll be on will be able to do this - they’re horse-shaped enough that things should stay in place! If she ever goes on a sausage-shaped pony, I will remember this though.

[GrayMare]

I have used the first and third types with great results. As soon as the pony figures out that grazing isn’t an option they usually stop trying. I like the third type the best. Agree about having a low threshold for using a crupper, though it sounds like the OP doesn’t necessarily need one.

[lifeishorsesarelove]

going to chime in here and recommend the 3rd, side check style as well. The side rein style ones are just solid side reins - even less forgiving than the elastic ones we use to lunge and frankly I don’t think they’re very safe at all. The overcheck style is pretty unforgiving - it has a pretty “hard stop” to it and I can easily see it upsetting a horse that’s not used to it. It takes a while to teach a driving horse to wear one and even among the driving community there are certainly a number of people who prefer to keep everything in a side check.

The side check has some give to it - it tightens up much more gradually than the other two.

[Small_Change]

Thanks everyone! I have my saddlers making me up a set of side check reins to fit the horses so we’ll be all set for riding once the weather gets nicer.