How do you hold double reins??

[bluecharm7]

The horse I am trying goes in a pelham. I haven’t needed to use a pelham in a loooooong time.

I was trying him out at a show this weekend and I had three different people tell me I was holding the reins wrong and “told” me the correct way.

Needless to say I ended up changing the reins several times and now my brain is all confused about how I really should be holding them. My trainer told me one way, the owner another and another trainer another way.

I had no trouble with the horse or keeping my hands soft while riding, so that wasn’t a problem.

How I thought was the correct was was to keep the snaffle rein on the bottom between my pinky and ring finger and to keep the curb rein on the top between my ring and middle finger.

Is there a right and wrong way? Or as long as it works for you its okay?

[marianne]

There are several different ways to hold the double reins. I personally prefer to ride with snaffle in usual place with the curb one finger up just like you. But then there is the curb on outside of the pinky and snaffle in the usual place or you could be really fancy and rein ala Spanish Riding School, with snaffle rein in both hands and the curb in just one or riding with all four in one hand and wave to the judge as you go by.

In other words, there really is no right or wrong, but what is effective. As I ride dressage, I work off the snaffle more and less curb. If you are comfortable with the snaffle between the ring & pinky, and curb between ring and middle, go for it. I don’t really think you would be penalized for it.

[Dewey]

Yes, there is a right way.

The snaffle rein goes on the outside and the curb on the inside.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF7tFdN5LyM

[AliCat]

I also held them the way you did. Snaffle between pinky and ring fingers, curb between middle and ring.

[Linny]

Gunner went in a Pelham and I was always taught that the curb rein should be inside the snaffle. Since I hate the feel of a rein between my ring and middle fingers, I held the snaffle outside my pinky and the curb between the pinky and ring fingers.

[PoohLP]

Curb on the inside. It can either be between your Pinky and index or index and middle. The reason is because when you hold it that way, you do most of the work on the snaffle rein. If you put curb on outside, yiu will be riding the curb, which is incorrect.

[PonyPenny]

Dressage riders riding in double bridles often do not cross, but hold the snaffle as you regularly would between the ring finder and the pinky and then have the curb below. Such as the way Charlotte Dujardin holds them…

Most hunter/equitation people cross them with the curb rein on the inside between the ring finger and pinky and the snaffle rein on the outside below the curb in your hand.

I sometimes shorten the curb rein too much in a pelham, so I like to ride the way Charlotte holds them.

[yellowbritches]

Whatever is comfortable and effective. I always have one rein or the other coming out below my little finger because the other way is too bulky for my taste. 99% of the time, I hold them like the above picture of Charlotte Dujardin, with the curb/gag rein on the bottom.

I’ve been told by those who would know in a variety of disciplines that it doesn’t matter. It is whatever is most effective and comfortable for you.

[KingoftheRoad]

Interesting thread - I’m currently riding in a Happy Mouth gag bit that has double reins - for me, I find I ride much more off my first two fingers than my third, so I have the snaffle rein between the first two, and the curb/gag rein between my third and pinky finger. Since I have a bad habit of opening my fingers at times, I’d rather be opening on the gag rein than the snaffle.

So I guess that’s somewhat similar to how dressage riders go, but one finger in? Is it different with a gag versus a Pelham?