Can someone please describe the correct use of inside and outside reins to me? My instructor explains it to me but I feel like I am dense. I am a re-rider just recently starting back, and I don’t remember having to think about rein use so much. Please forgive my ignorance and thank you in advance to those of you generous enough to take the time to respond.
Nothing to forgive, it takes riders a long time to properly use all of their aids correctly and independently! In terms of what they are used for, it will ultimately depend on the your skill level and the level of training of the horse and, indeed, what you are trying to accomplish.
But in general, we ride from the inside leg to the outside hand, so the outside hand creates the contact that absorbs the energy from the horses impulsion. The outside rein controls speed and balances the horse. The inside rein likewise controls bend but it is also the mechanism for introducing flexion. However, its important to note that all efforts for movement-straightness, speed, gait- start with your leg and your seat- from turning to collection to straightness. The reins are tools, but it is not the be all and end all and, in fact, is not the basis for steering.
I suspect your trainer is trying to help you control your horses shoulder when giving you rein direction to help create a straight horse OR possibly that you are allowing one hand to creep ahead of the other.
I wouldn’t be afraid to ask your trainer to explain it, and if they aren’t saying something that makes sense- tell them! Most trainers just tell us the same thing over and over again in different ways until something clicks 
Good luck!
The inside and outside rein have meaning when you ride circles or in an arena. They don’t have the same meaning trail riding or going in a straight line.
In an arena, you don’t need the inside rein to turn since the horse naturally turns. You do need steady contact with the outside rein to keep the horse on the rail and to give stability to your hands. You don’t need to pull the horse around the corners with the inside rein. You can use the inside rein to influence the balance bend and head carriage of the horse.
On a circle as soon as you and horse are fairly proficient, you do not usually need much direction from the inside rein. You do not pull a horse around the circle with the inside rein. You turn off the weight of your body, your outside thigh, and some indirect outside neck rein. (Unless the horse is absolutely running away with you!) And as above when going large, you get to use the inside rein for balance, bend, head carriage, etc.
Your outside rein should remain steady and calm. Your inside rein can ask for bend, flexion, poll, etc. You should never jab jab jab or seesaw with either rein, but especially not the outside rein.
this is the same in jumpers or dressage. In jumpers you don’t want to pull the horse around a corner with the inside rein at the gallop because it will put him off balance.
The inside rein asks for bend and flexion. The outside rein controls it. The outside rein also controls speed and direction.
This does not happen overnight and only works on a horse who knows.
As said above you have to use your seat and legs first. Always do, think and write seat then legs then hands. It is important but will seem instantaneous.
With a horse that does not know the legs mean forward and the reins mean turn or stop, you don’t use legs and reins at the same time, as you will end up with a confused horse and it is a confused horse that shakes it’s head, opens it’s mouth, bucks, bolts -and kicking into a holding hand is how you teach a horse to rear which can be fatal to the rider.
With a horse who knows there is no kicking, we use squeezes and a horse can feel a fly on his side so eventually that is the hardest aide you want, but as I said this does not happen overnight.
So on a horse that knows you hold the outside rein and that is the secret to dressage. Now you have to be able to hold it on a moving horse. You have to open and close your elbows so as your hand stays still as you raise up and down. Keep that elbow by your side.
The inside rein asks for flexion and then gives. You will block forward if you hold that inside rein. I am talking trot in walk and canter you need to follow the horses movement.
There is no pulling back in dressage, you hold or give forward with the inside rein. That does not mean you let then pull you forward or lean.
This is something you are doing with your instructor. You can’t learn it by reading or watching.
Thank you! I think I have a better understanding now.
I strongly recommend the book Centered Riding by Sally Swift. Her book is just amazing at using great metaphors and visualizations to help you understand how your aids influence the horse. Her description of the rein aids as a wind tunnel, which I know I will butcher if I paraphrase, has stuck with me for decades.
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That sounds really good. Thank you!
One of the easiest ways I had this explained to me was being told to “use two reins” through my turns. Essentially, this stops you from pulling with the inside rein. This is a less complicated way to essentially start to become cognizant of the outside rein and how to maintain a connection with it. Perhaps thinking of it this way will help you start to connect the dots as well. I also found bend and counterbend on a circle as good exercises for someone trying to understand this concept. Once you get the idea of the feeling, it is easier to turn it down a few degrees and start to connect the horse from the inside leg to the outside rein.
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The easiest way to do this is to hold your whip across with your thumbs. Now keep the whip horizontal and straight.
