Ive injured my left hand several times over the years. To the point that the ligaments around my thumb are useless. At the ripe old age of 28 my hand aches almost constantly and I won’t be able to have surgery to correct the ligaments until winter. That’s not to even say that the surgery will help the arthritis that is there or help my grip much. My left rein is always longer it seems. What are your favorite reins for arthritic hands?
just my 2 sense!!
I suggest cloth reins…or western woven rope reins…or rubber reins (try even the really wide racing reins!) or tie some evenly spaced knots in your reins (try cotton reins). You can evn take some to a saddler and have small loops sewn in …LOTS of options!
Change your grip too…OK to use a “pulling” kinda grip of all fingers.
I second everything that Waterglen mentioned.
I had a horse that would PULL!!! when I first got him. He made my hands, arms, elbows and shoulders sore.
I put knots in my reins and I was able to keep a grip on the reins without having to be tense through my whole arm.
I rode another horse once that was a snatcher. I wasn’t looking forward to 3 hours of hunting on him, but really wanted to go hunting. He had wide (1") flat reins and I thought he’d have the reins out of my hands in no time, but the wide rein was easy to hold.
I have ridden with the wide rubber racing reins, but the ones I used were very stiff and I didn’t like the feel (or lack thereof ) of the connection between my hand and the horse’s mouth.
I have ridden with cloth web and rope reins before. If you get ones that have the right weight to them the connection feels good.
Best of luck.
I had custom loop reins made
I have problems with my wrists that make it painful to grip the reins for an hour long ride, tried web reins and I couldn’t sleep that night my hands/wrists hurt so bad from having to squeeze so tight (my horse was very heavy in the front at that point), tried the bumpy rubber reins, but those were too thin and caused me to squeeze tightly as well. Found a pair of Nunn Finer reins (I think these are the ones…as they don’t have the pimply texture) at a used tack sale and they’re fatter all around which makes it easier to hold on without the need to squeeze, plus the smooth rubber is grippier than the bumpy kind. http://www.adamshorsesupplies.com/Nunn-Finer-Eventa-Reins-P1737.aspx
Same kind of concept as the fat can openers they make for people with arthritis…
