Does anyone else hate web reins? Why?

[Gil_s_Girl]

I’m a born and bred h/j rider that’s ridden a lot of dressage lately and started a lot of dressage bound youngsters - they all go in web reins, and I’ve just figured out that’s why I feel like my hands feel so strange - I know that your tools shouldn’t really matter that much, but does anyone else feel like there’s absolutely no connection to the horse w. web, and that you completely lose your “feel” for the mouth? Any tricks for getting over it?! Besides switching back to leather or rubber:) I’d like to ride well enough that it doesn’t matter what reins I have!

Am I crazy, or do they feel awful to others too!? And if you prefer them, why?

[JenEM]

I hate them, too. They are, in my experience, stiff and have a very poor feel to them.

My dressage bridle came with them, and I rode with them once before swapping them out to a nice soft pair of rubber reins.

[kookicat]

They never give a good feel, IMO. I really don’t like them.

[EmJ628]

I hate them too, mainly because I had the misfortune of riding a really strong one with web reins (and no gloves of course) and it tore the bejeezus out of my hands! I think web reins either are too thick and stiff or too thin and razor like for my taste. But I also hate just about everything but leather. Rubber reins can be too stretchy and I get scared they are going to snap!

[ParadoxFarm]

I don’t like them either. I prefer rubber. Also with the web reins that have those leather pieces every so many inches (not sure what they are called) they always tend to be in the wrong spot…and I tend to want to hold on to them. So I always feel like my reins are too short or too long.

[KateKat]

I almost felt like webreins had too much give to them. So I either had too soft of a contact, or too much. There was no happy medium for me. Also, they’re super light compared to leather reins. I think because I can be handsy anyway, having something with a little more weight reminds me to be quieter.

[mostlynothing]

I hate them too because they are dead…they don’t talk. I also find they cause you to make too much of a tight ham fist to keep hold of them. This tightens the entire arm and prob contributes to the lack of feel. They are too thing and cause my hand to have charlie horses from time to time. To be honest I don’t know why they ever got made. Hard to hold, hard to clean and not a non slip as the inventer thought. A useless piece of tack.

[cadance]

Yeah, not a fan at all. I tried the webbed ones that came with my Kieffer bridle, but with my wrist problems I found it extremely hard to keep a good feel with them, as well as them being bulky and uncomfortable to hold. I could hardly sleep that night from the pain in my wrists from having used them. Its all about rubber reins.

[Outyougo]

Web Reins

Because I have seen them break!! Plaited or rubber nicer

[Peggy]

Regular web ones - dislike. The web ones that have the rubber running thru them - like. For whatever reason, the second type doesn’t get as stiff. Mine are also pretty narrow.

[hequestrian]

I hate web reins. The feel, the give… all of it.

I really like the soft grip rubber reins by nunn finer but otherwise I am leather reins all the way. Its amazing how different the quality of rein can change the feel so dramatically. IMO anyways.

[Hinderella]

I"m interested to read these posts. My trainer recently suggested that I try web reins. I presently ride with a very thin set of leather reins that are smooth, and she thinks I don’t maintain a steady grip on them. But I’ve always liked leather reins, so now I’m not sure what to do. Maybe I’ll see if I can borrow a pair to try.

[cadance]

[QUOTE=Hinderella;6050165]
I"m interested to read these posts. My trainer recently suggested that I try web reins. I presently ride with a very thin set of leather reins that are smooth, and she thinks I don’t maintain a steady grip on them. But I’ve always liked leather reins, so now I’m not sure what to do. Maybe I’ll see if I can borrow a pair to try.[/QUOTE]
Web reins=devil. The ‘pimple’ rubber reins are perfect for maintaining a steady grip, especially if you ride with nitrile gloves! They’re not the prettiest, but great for schooling. Much easier to keep a steady/soft hand.
http://www.horseloverz.com/Nunn-Finer-Soft-Grip-Rubber-Reins-pr-480208.html

gloves- http://www.gardeners.com/Nitrile-Gardening-Gloves/35-675,default,pd.html#

[Unprovoked92]

I love my leather reins with hand stops.

[Chall]

Wow, I had to google web reins. I have only ever ridden in smooth leather or braided leather reins. I like either, rubber pimples are okay, but I do like leather best.

[TheOneandOnly]

[QUOTE=mostlynothing;6049965]
I hate them too because they are dead…they don’t talk. [/QUOTE]

Pahaha, interestingly put. I guess I dont like the weight they have, or lack there of. There seems to be a lot less feeling from bit to hand because they are less substantial. And if ever riding on a loose rein they tend to fly in the breeze:no:

more importantly they are a major PITA to CLEAN!!

…but maybe Ive ridden in a strange set of webbed reins, im not very familiar.

[catosis]

I hate web reins. The only thing I hate more are plaited reins. If web reins slip and have no give, the plaited ones are significantly worse, and slip though my hands to boot.

[BeeHoney]

Well, I’m not a fan of web reins, but I love plaited reins. I find it terribly difficult to find a quality pair nowadays, tho.

[onelanerode]

I like some web reins, but only higher-quality ones that have been cleaned regularly and cared for—I can’t stand cruddy, crusty, stiff, nasty web reins. Ugh. I also prefer the narrower 5/8" ones, but I have pretty small hands.

They are a PITA to clean, but if you wipe them off well with a damp cloth after each ride, they stay pretty clean and tend to get more supple the more they are used. If you let sweat and dirt get ground/soaked into them and dry on them, they get stiff and crusty.

I have a pair of either Ovation or HDR web reins that have done pretty well. They aren’t the nicest reins ever, sure, but they are fine for schooling. I can’t say whether web reins give a worse feel than leather, but then most of the leather dressage reins I’ve used have been pretty stiff (school horse tack), so that’s probably not a fair comparison.

[Hunter_Mom]

Um, because they’re just gross. Hate the way they feel in my hands. Too flimsy or too stiff. Don’t feel like I can get a grip on them. The stops tear the heck out of my hands. They’re a nightmare to clean. I also hate rubber for all the above, plus they melt and are too big for my hands. Oh, and a nice pair of plain braided reins just simply looks better.