Are reins supposed to be a different color from the rest of the harness?
Reins are always brown regardless of harness color, historically to prevent black staining from dye on your gloves. The only caveat to this is on marathon, reins are any color that pleases you.
I’m sure in pleasure driving there is some other variation to this, like on a certain type of vehicle the reins should be split color, black from bit to croup, then brown to the hands, because that sounds exactly like the sort of things that happens in pleasure classes (and years ago when I ordered a set of reins from Smuckers that’s how there were).
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thank you. I didn’t know if there were some specific reason for the brown so I shall go ahead and get the color I like since there’s zero chance of me showing
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Actually the split color reins are an Amish thing, saving on the good (tan bridle leather) stuff by using the black leather from the bit to the rein splice changing black into brown or tan leather. Black color leather can be various quality, the dye covers a LOT. Cheap dyed leather can really stretch when wet or stressed. Tan or Russet leather shows ALL the imperfections or flaws in the hide, so they cut leather to be as perfect as possible, which can waste more, cost more on the finished products. Such 2 color reins cost less to make and sell. Customers who don’t show, like less expensive options. They can work equally well for fun driving, but are not considered “correct” for showing in Carriage Driving type classes or Sporting Meets. with their Rules from the past.
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You know every time you talk about pleasure driving rules my brane hurtz bad 
Go fast. Turn faster. 
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The Omnibus alone is intimidating!
200+ pages 
But I do like the hats 
Aprons less so - too hot & skirtlike for me.
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Hmmm now I have to decide on purple or black or… a set of each lol
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These actually are my favorite “style.” I love the black with the spliced end. Even though brown is correct, it always looks funky to me. Especially with my black mini.
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Aprons are claustrophobic. It’s like being swaddled
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Just keep gently cleaning, conditioning and using the brown reins, they will eventually will get very dark, dark brown. However Judges can tell they were originally brown, as they contrast with the black harness.
Advantages of the tan/brown reins is that they don’t stretch badly like black reins. They do not discolor your lap robe or clothing in rain. When reins eventually age out, show wear under the terret rings, you can make them into straps for holding seat cushions, baskets or spares kits on your vehicles, lead shanks, pony or horse riding reins. Dog collars and leashes! The part from behind the rein splice to hands seldom has any wear, can be converted to numerous uses. We save money reusing the leather, instead of buying new leather straps for our miscellaneous odd tack needs. We call that frugal, not being cheap. Ha ha!
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I vote for both! If you have to pay shipping…might as well just pay it once 
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I like your thinking lol
No shipping- I’m lucky enough to live within an hour of a bunch of harness, carriage and tack shops. Although my wallet doesn’t necessarily like that so much
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I can justify just about anything horse related hahaha. That’s awesome you have that all so close by!
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There is a synthetic, nubby strap material, pimpled looking, that is really grippy in all weathers or wet conditions, even using heavy gloves for winter. I have only seen it in a wider width, 1" maybe? A trainer we know loves those reins, never had them slip in her hands in any weather. A big bonus driving some silly green horses! She does always wear gloves when driving, the rough surface could tear up your hands.
You could have the nubby strap as the hand part behind the splice of your purple reins. We don’t use it because the width is too much for our fingers to grip easily with the knuckles. Our reins are all 5/8" to suit our hand and finger sizes. Reins MUST be comfortable in use for long times. Trainer friend gets her reins from Indiana Amish makers around Shipshewana. Been a while since we looked at the nubby reins. The nubby parts may now be available in narrow widths by this time, if you ask about it. There is also reflective biothane, good for if you get caught out in the dusk. We are seeing more of it on Amish harnesses, when they need to drive at night. That biothane also comes in colors as well as black and brown. They do light up when the headlights hit them!
In our experience the biothane, even matte finished, can get slippery in mist, fog or rain. The big name synthetic harness makers have webbing reins, often with strips of rubber woven in for grip. Driver friends who compete CDE say the rubber can make them TOO grippy, not letting you slide a loop on turns. If reins get used a lot, the sticky rubber wears somewhat for easier slipping. We have Tedman/Tedex webbing reins, no rubber in them, that have a unique nylon weave that is grip but also able to let you slip loops as needed. They are available in your desired length from a shop in Canada. I believe Zilco bought out Tedman/Tedex Harness some years ago, but has kept the Tedman/Tedex products available. They just won’t make the reins for Multiples, only Single horses. I begged but he said Headquarters refused. Our Tedman/Tedex reins have held up well over LOTS of years, with the occasional cleaning in the washing machine.
https://www.summitview.on.ca/tedman-tedex-harness
Husband likes his Tedman/Tedex reins except on windy days. They are lightweight and catch the wind. This has horses inching sideways with the wind pulling reins! Very irritating as you try to drive straight down the road!! And while horses love the light weight, changing to leather reins for fixing the wind drift driving, has them all hanging heads “to visibly tell him leather reins are too heavy!” Heads are chest high or lower, “end of the trail” appearance looks quite sad until they forget, raising heads further down the road to view the scenery! Ha ha They can be so funny at times. Makes you think of how tiny changes can affect them, what they notice in adjusting or changes we make in harness.
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Wow!
Thanks for that link & the rabbithole it sent me down 
The prices for harness & carriages are really reasonable.
I am now coveting a Mini Redhawk Marathon & the treed saddle.
A girl can dream… 
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2DogsFarm Just when you thought you were safe, a link pulls you down under!! Cue the Jaws music! Ha ha
