Reins with grip but WITHOUT stiffness and bulk

[Dr_Doolittle]

Forgive me for another “rein thread”…

I have the Nunn Finer soft grip reins - and love them! - though they are getting a little worn from use. The one problem is the grip; once wet, they are no longer grippy and just slide through your hands.

I’ve thought about the Thinline reins, though they are a bit spendy, but I just wanted to get some opinions here from those who have tried both.

I have arthritis in my hands so thick, bulky and stiff reins are out.

I have some thinner web reins with leather stops that I use if I have to ride in the rain, but they are TOO thin and make it a bit harder to maintain a consistent contact, just MHO.

Thoughts? TIA

[HiJumpGrrl]

My thinline reins are a little fat, and I have big hands!

[Dr_Doolittle]

Hmm, okay - good to know.

[devvie_continued]

Haven’t tried them but they look and feel great
https://stubbennorthamerica.com/product/1025-12-nt-reins/

[jumpsnake]

I recently bought the thin line and LOVE them! Waited a long time due to price! Do you know anyone with them so you could try them out?

[GutsNGlory]

I love my Thinline reins and use them both for jumping (stadium and xc) and dressage. I need something easy to grip due to arthritis/joint issues and they fit the bill. Paired with my Bionic Aqua Grip gloves, I have no issues with grip with sweat or in rain either. They do look bulkier, but I find they form to my hand well. And they do get a bit stiff in cold temperatures (i.e. winter) but warm up once in use. If you go this route, do be diligent in taking care of them. Wipe down with a clean, damp rag after each use and do not use any kind of cleaners.

[Risuena]

I was looking for the same thing and found two reins I really like. I recently got the Thinline and like them (despite my short, stubby fingers!). They are somewhat thick but they are “squishy” enough that they work for me. Interestingly when I looked at some Thineline reins in a tack shop a couple of years ago I found them really stiff and didn’t like the feel of them but the ones I have are much softer. Not sure if there was a change in manufacturing or if they’d been sitting in the store for eons?

My all-time favorite are the Five Star Tack “Super Grip” reins. When I got them a couple of years ago, the description said that they were softer than their regular rubber reins (haven’t used those so I don’t know how they compare). I do like the Thinline reins, but prefer these. https://www.fourstarbrand.com/product/chessington-super-grip-reins/

ETA disclaimer: I can’t remember the last time these got really wet so I can’t say how well they hold their grip when wet. I’ve had no problems with sweat or light rain but they haven’t gotten soaked.

[kcmel]

@Dr. Doolittle

I have some thinner web reins with leather stops that I use if I have to ride in the rain, but they are TOO thin and make it a bit harder to maintain a consistent contact, just MHO.

Thoughts? TIA

You should be able to find the anti-slip web reins with stops that are thicker. I have some but not sure of the brand but they were cheap. Camelot or Shire or something along those lines.

ETA: Camelot 5/8s by 60". I got them at Smartpak. I think they come shorter if you don’t need them that long.

[Dr_Doolittle]

@Risuena

I was looking for the same thing and found two reins I really like. I recently got the Thinline and like them (despite my short, stubby fingers!). They are somewhat thick but they are “squishy” enough that they work for me. Interestingly when I looked at some Thineline reins in a tack shop a couple of years ago I found them really stiff and didn’t like the feel of them but the ones I have are much softer. Not sure if there was a change in manufacturing or if they’d been sitting in the store for eons?

My all-time favorite are the Five Star Tack “Super Grip” reins. When I got them a couple of years ago, the description said that they were softer than their regular rubber reins (haven’t used those so I don’t know how they compare). I do like the Thinline reins, but prefer these. https://www.fourstarbrand.com/product/chessington-super-grip-reins/

ETA disclaimer: I can’t remember the last time these got really wet so I can’t say how well they hold their grip when wet. I’ve had no problems with sweat or light rain but they haven’t gotten soaked.

The reins you linked to are the ones I have They’re okay if slightly damp, but once wet they lose all grip. Otherwise I love them!

Interesting about the Thinline reins and their variability. I don’t know anyone with Thinline reins I can borrow, offhand, but I can always go to the tack shop and feel them – which I have done in the past. Obviously that’s different from riding in them.

As for the web reins, I have used various types of web reins over the years – the ones I like have rubber threaded through them, so the rein itself is a bit thicker and grippier in the hand - in general, better for jumping and cross country than ring work/dressage.

(The stops are not the issue…)

Thanks for all the input!

[fordtraktor]

The thinline ones are my favorite. Do you wear gloves? I have those NF reins too and they are slick as snot when I ride barehanded but when I ride with gloves they are fine. I just use ordinary SSGs or Roekls, nothing amazingly grippy. makes a big difference. I don’t love riding in gloves and don’t with the Thinlines, but I just have to with the NF reins.

The thinlines can feel a little stiff if I am riding in very cold temps (like teens or 20s). otherwise they are soft.

I like plaited leather reins too, once they are broken in and rope-y. My dressage reins are plaited.

[Dr_Doolittle]

I always ride with gloves

I think it gives you a better grip and feel, but I also have very sweaty hands in general! So yeah, always gloves.

I love Roekles.

[halt]

I have a pair of Passier thin Eventa reins that came (as an upgrade) with my Passier Ingrid Klimke bridle. I remember being surprised how thin they were when I pulled the bridle out of the bag. They match the width (not the thickness, the width) of the bridle’s cheek pieces, but they are still pretty thin for rubber reins. I’ve only used them for showing but they don’t have that weird rigidity that rubber reins have before you break them in. May be worth getting your hands on a pair to feel them.

I think the IK bridle is 5/8th inch straps. I have the extra-wide noseband which is almost 2". The reins are also 5/8th, I believe - maybe even less. They really match the exact width of the cheek-pieces.

FWIW, I think there are two width options. My IK bridle was kind of a custom build as Passier let me mix/match the options I wanted. Normally leather reins come with the IK but I paid a little extra ($30? If that) for the better rubber reins. These reins are have a slimmer surface area than most standard reins. The feel is kind of like Thinline.

[Stormers85]

I got rid of my Thinline reins in favor of the Lund grip reins. I have relatively small hands and the TL ones weren’t grippy enough for me when wet. The Lund ones are amazing. I’ve been using them for about 7 months now and they’re super comfortable, easy to hold and the grip is great.

[Highflyer]

I like the Nunn Finer rubber web reins with the stops best.

[tbchick84]

I’ve been using Thinline for years. I do like them very much. They are not as thick as typical rubber reins, but not paper thin either. I do like the feel of them. You can communicate to your horse just with a squeeze of the thumb. They have a nice elastic feel. Unless I get them very wet or my hands are extremely sweaty, they don’t slip much. They do lose their feel after a year or two and become rather rigid, so take that for what it’s worth.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Thanks to everyone who weighed in, helpful stuff!

[FairWeather]

I LOVE the Schockemoehle reins–https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/schockemoehle-sports-grip-reins-11643

[asterix]

I used to be a huge fan of the thin line reins - as others have said, squishy and give a lovely feel of the mouth. I have small hands. But over time I foundnthey got very hard and slippery in winter, and didn’t hold up overall as well as I wished for the price.
Now I use a thin leather rein with a grippy synthetic backing for dressage - gives a nice solid feel in the hand - and these great very flexible rubber dot reins for jumping and hacking. I am not sure where I found them - somewhere in Florida as I recall - they are grippy but super light and flexible. I’ll see if I can figure out where I got them.

[asterix]

Ok, the first reins in this article are like my dressage reins, which I love, but I find them a bit stiff for jumping. I do not remember where I got them (although it wasn’t from UK) but this pic looks exactly right
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/featu…e-reins-492108
and…I think my jumping ones are the Jeffries biogrip. They are very light and flexible - no comparison to the rubber reins of yore. Very grippy.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Thanks, asterix!

The Jeffries biogrip look ideal, they are a bit spendy (but comparable in price to the Nunn Finer soft grip - which I actually got at a Dover Tent sale for $30!! - bought them when Ella was a yearling, so was thinking ahead ) Apparently Dover carries them - or at least lists them online - so IF they have them in the store I can stop by and “cop a feel”; they can be found for cheaper elsewhere.