Whatever, she looks like she’s having fun, so let’s drop it. If she wasn’t someone “famous” no one would care. I only wish I had the option to do like she does, good on her.
FYI, here’s a photo of a rider using driving reins in a 2015 Anne Kursinski clinic written up in Practical Horseman.
http://practicalhorsemanmag.com/content/content/28588/prhp-11-anne-kursinski.jpg?w=600
"I’ve been around a long time and I have also not heard about a driving rein, so let’s not get too judgy, OK?
can anyone here tell me the different ways to hold a double bridle? Hmmm… no? can you still be a good rider? of course."
Yes, likely some (many) of us can.
Additionally, this is a false analogy. Here would be a better one:
I throw up a photo of a celebrity riding UL dressage while holding the reins in a not-quite-usual fashion then imply that she’s doing something wrong. In reality, it was my own limited awareness that caused caused me to make a hasty assumption; I lacked the equestrian worldliness to know any differently (and also lacked the humility to reserve judgment).
Driving reins are a great way to teach someone how to do an auto release, like the person in that AK clinic photo is doing. My trainer has made me use them for that purpose- and let me tell you: if your core isn’t strong enough and your horse jumps big you will be eating mane when he goes up and you aren’t able to lean on his neck for balance! [ask me how I know this]
[QUOTE=foursocks;8536635]
Driving reins are a great way to teach someone how to do an auto release, like the person in that AK clinic photo is doing. My trainer has made me use them for that purpose- and let me tell you: if your core isn’t strong enough and your horse jumps big you will be eating mane when he goes up and you aren’t able to lean on his neck for balance! [ask me how I know this][/QUOTE]
It’s also a good exercise if you are in the habit of collapsing your wrists while holding the reins the “regular” way. Not that I would be guilty of that…ahem
Black coat and navy bonnet? Oh the horror… :rolleyes:
I love that MKO rides. I had no idea until about 6 months ago and was quite surprised.
I guess she kills the whole, must be a big strong man to control big strong horse without putting a bicycle in its mouth theory (cough ML cough)
[QUOTE=wcporter;8536698]
Black coat and navy bonnet? Oh the horror… :rolleyes:
I love that MKO rides. I had no idea until about 6 months ago and was quite surprised.
I guess she kills the whole, must be a big strong man to control big strong horse without putting a bicycle in its mouth theory (cough ML cough)[/QUOTE]
LOL!
apologies to those following the thread hoping this new post contained perhaps more juicy MKO gossip - sorry to disappoint. I wish her and other horse loving and riding without abusing their mounts, celebrities, nothing but the best. 
For those that haven’t ever tried the driving rein, it’s pretty fun and a very useful tool to have.
I look forward to the lessons where my coach tells me that it is the game plan for that day.
It really encourages a solid leg, a straight back, and forgiving hands. I have to open my hands when going over fences (think a foot out on either side of the neck), so that unless I do something majorly wrong, I HAVE to use my body properly without bracing on the neck.
Because my hands are out, it also encourages (more) riding off of the leg and being straight to fences from the leg.
While I tend to be more on the Hunter side, my coach is also pretty accepting of me having more of an hybrid auto-crest release. The driving rein helps me move more from a crest to an auto.
Sure wish I looked as good as she does, sigh and that leg, it gives me hope my short, non existing stumps can attain a lovely leg som day! I am totally guilty of puppy paws so must remember to use a driving rein to try to break the habit…thank you MK for reminding me of it 
I saw that she won the adult amateur jumper classic at the Southamption show last year. She must be a pretty nice rider. The competition at that show is stiff.
If you live/lived in California, you see celebrities all the time in the show ring. Yes, when JohnTravolta and Mohammed Ali show up to watch M.A.'s wife show in the a/o hunters, people did point and talk, but it never went beyond the show ring. Or Jill Ireland (actress and Charles Bronson’s wife) and Linda Blair (The Exorcist) and Melissa Rivers – (Joan’s daughter), and Kelly Carlin (George’s daughter) and Joan Lunden (of Good Morning America) and Clea Newman (Paul’s daughter)
All were very nice riders, well trained and well mounted. But when they put on their boots and helmet, each was just another exhibitor.
These are ‘celebrities’ from the 1980’s when I was showing in Ca. Perhaps younger people are not familiar with some of the names, but they were all big names back then.
I am sure there are many more examples since the 1980’s
I have not yet seen a thread on Kaley Couco (Penny on The Big Bang Theory) on COTH. Perhaps someone should start one? She also rides A/A jumpers and is a devoted horse fan.
Why all these pages on MKO?
[QUOTE=Lord Helpus;8537790]
I have not yet seen a thread on Kaley Couco (Penny on The Big Bang Theory) on COTH. Perhaps someone should start one? She also rides A/A jumpers and is a devoted horse fan.
Why all these pages on MKO?[/QUOTE]
Now that you bring that up, that is kind of an interesting discrepancy. A few months ago there was a thread about her in the Off Course forum. She had bought a new horse when she got divorced and everyone seemed to think it was great that she’s so into horses and what a great rider she is. Why does she get so much support but everyone is down on/over analyzing MKO?
[QUOTE=ChasPonyCat;8537815]
Now that you bring that up, that is kind of an interesting discrepancy. A few months ago there was a thread about her in the Off Course forum. She had bought a new horse when she got divorced and everyone seemed to think it was great that she’s so into horses and what a great rider she is. Why does she get so much support but everyone is down on/over analyzing MKO?[/QUOTE]
I think in this case it was the slightly unconventional appearance. Also, Kaley shows under a different name, so many people may not even realize they’ve seen her go.
Kaley has two new mares that are super and she rides them as well as anyone I’ve ever seen. Good for her. Her instagram is full of videos of her schooling and practicing.
After reading this thread & learning more about a driving rein, I tried it out last night when Mare was being super-sensitive. It was a good thing & I will definitely play with that more to add it to my tool box.
FWIW, if her jewelry has anything to do with how she rides, I need to go to the jewelry store & stock up.
I think people just jumped her because they didn’t know what a driving rein is. Also, Kaley is extremely public about her riding and MKO is not so it makes her more of a novelty…if that makes sense.
[QUOTE=ChasPonyCat;8537815]
Now that you bring that up, that is kind of an interesting discrepancy. A few months ago there was a thread about her in the Off Course forum. She had bought a new horse when she got divorced and everyone seemed to think it was great that she’s so into horses and what a great rider she is. Why does she get so much support but everyone is down on/over analyzing MKO?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=BAC;8536580]
I have to admit I was very surprised that you said you have been riding for 20+ years and yet you didn’t know what a driving rein was.
Mouse&Bay, you are so right, many on this forum need to read some books and become truly educated riders.
I think the OP was serious about matching jacket to ear bonnet. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
I rarely post on COTH these days, but had to comment on this and Mouse & Bay’s comments.
Everyone comes from different experiences and backgrounds. I have been riding for 22 years, shown and worked at WEF, been to a number of the other large AA rated shows and many small local shows with various trainers and I, too, have never seen a driver rein. I didn’t know it was used in the h/j world until this thread. Maybe that’s because I have only shown in the hunters but just because someone doesn’t know what a driver rein is, doesn’t mean they are uneducated.
I find it ironic that people go to school to become barn managers and then can’t find jobs because “you can’t learn experience from a textbook” and now people are being belittled for not picking up a book.
I agree with everyone else wrt MKO. She looks like a lovely, soft, talented amateur rider with a great feel and position.
Just saw on pbiec.coth.com that MKO won one of her $1,500 Adult Am. Modified Jumper classes last week. So awesome!
She must be reading this, because I tried to click on the IG photos and they’re no longer up:(
She looks like a perfectly competent amateur judging by that video, though!
Hey, at least she’s not claiming she will be riding in the 2016 Olympics a la Bella Hadid!
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[QUOTE=pinkpony321;8548605]
She must be reading this, because I tried to click on the IG photos and they’re no longer up:(
She looks like a perfectly competent amateur judging by that video, though![/QUOTE]
I don’t think (although I could be wrong) that they were her instagram photos. I know some others users had posted them and then took them down because of how vile some people’s responses were.
[QUOTE=Capall;8548606]
Hey, at least she’s not claiming she will be riding in the 2016 Olympics a la Bella Hadid![/QUOTE]
I saw something about that a week or two ago. Who or what is Bella Hadid?
