Draw reins comeback?

[2bayboys]

Call me out of touch. I thought draw reins as a training tool had gone out of favor. At least in public. It seemed to be one of those things that people used quietly at home but not so much at horse shows, at least not for the last 10-15 years. (Back in the 80s we all used them all the time, but then we supposedly evolved )

Anyway, I glanced thru the pics posted by The Plaid Horse at Devon, and every single picture of a horse being schooled is wearing draw reins. Including the pony with the kid jock.

Is the hidden vice back by popular demand? Or I’ve just been out of the loop too long, which is fine by me.

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[StormyDay]

I’ve always seen people use them at any h/j venue.
It’s a training tool. Just like any tool it can be used well, or it can be misused. I wouldn’t call it a vice.

[BrendaJane]

yeah, it’s a vice.
for most horses, just riding would do the trick

Most riders use them wrong.
Although I do recall the 80s, looking with star struck eyes at the riders with DRAWREINS!!!
I am sure in some cases they are indicated - at home.

[mroades]

They definitely never went away…

[vxf111]

I’ve always seen them in schooling at shows. I don’t think their use was ever really disfavored.

[2bayboys]

I was being tongue in cheek. Perhaps with the advent of training articles and public Facebook pages, I’ve noticed that nobody actively advocates for their use and on some pages they are disparaged. Yet there they are, everywhere.

I have no strong feelings one way or the other, as long as they’re not used by riders who don’t know what they’re doing. Or made to crank the chin to the chest, which I despise.

My post was meant to be lighthearted, not picking a fight by any means

[findeight]

Never noticed they left schooling rings. When you basically live on the road, that schooling ring, especially on non show days or in the early AM is “at home”.

Anyway, it is just a tool that can be used or abused. Theres many threads and a few train wrecks discussing them. Doubt anybody can add anything new to that discussion.

For the record, not that big a fan. But I used them occasionally on some of the horses I owned as part of a total program, not a quick fix. For that kind if tune up, I just paid for a pro ride in regular tack or had them catch ride in a schooling class over the course.

[DawgLady]

Drawreins never went anywhere IMO.

But I DID recently see a chambon, which I hadn’t seen in ages (not in the h/j world at least).

[Tha_Ridge]

@DawgLady

But I DID recently see a chambon, which I hadn’t seen in ages (not in the h/j world at least).

Come to my farm! I’m actually a big fan of the chambon and the DeGogue—I feel like with those two, the horse can release itself from the pressure, which isn’t always the case with draw reins in uneducated hands.

[endlessclimb]

My chambon is one of my favorite tools! I love that they don’t have any pressure on the mouth, but are still encouraged to go low. I use it with trot poles on the lunge to still encourage them to lift the shoulder from the wither.

[Rel6]

I’m a h/j rider who did a dressage clinic on a young greenie a few weeks ago where the clinician put draw reins on my horse (but that is a whole other story). I see them on a few to warm up at every show too. So definitely not falling out of favor.

[EVneo]

I’m just curious - did the dressage clinician loop them back up to the d rings on the saddle? I’ve seen a number of trainers situate them that way, essentially making them under saddle side reins.

[Rel6]

Nope, he put them through the bit and down to the ring on the girth between the horse’s legs.