Romel Reins 'fashionable' and bit related question

[Aces_N_Eights]

@BlueDrifter Yes, there are cheaper versions of romals but either the rawhide is of poor quality or they are leather with rawhide buttons.( my husband used to make them out of leather sewing machine belting and braid rawhide or Roohide buttons for a bit of weight) For me, they don’t have the weight I like which basically defeats the purpose of using them.

The rope reins you have pictured are odd, I have never seen them with connectors like that! Romals usually come with those style. The only sets we leave those on are the long cowhorse reins.
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On the shorter reins meant yo be used with chains we make small leather connectors with a hole punched through to slide onto the chain hooks. Makes it easy to put on and take off reins so they can hang straight when they are not in use. And ideally if something should happen the leather connectors break rather than reins.
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I’m not sure what I can tell you to help you with split rein management. It takes a lot of practice! Depending on if you have a problem getting too long or too short where they are weighted can help.

I am not very articulate so having a hard time explaining water ties/loops. The loop itself is a piece of leather same size as the rein, it is the part attaching the rein to the bit. The little latigo tie holds it all together. Does that make sense?
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[Willesdon]

I know very little of western riding and I have only used romal reins with a curb bit on a well trained horse when trail riding in Spain but I’m finding this discussion fascinating. Thank you everyone.

[BlueDrifter]

@Aces N Eights, I understand the leather water loop/tie and saw those while looking for an image of the braided rope ones I posted… which by the way, are officially called “cowboy quick rein connectors,” lol.

My issue with split reins is adjusting their length – they get too long and I find it difficult to feed through the reins when bridged, so I end up holding each separately like english riding, but now with the risk of dropping one and it won’t necessarily end up across the horses neck…

However, I might end up there after today’s lesson: trainer said my bit is too mild and I am working to hard. She wants me to use a shanked bit, and I have never seen those used with a rope rein… although off I go to look!

[Bluey]

@BlueDrifter

@Aces N Eights, I understand the leather water loop/tie and saw those while looking for an image of the braided rope ones I posted… which by the way, are officially called “cowboy quick rein connectors,” lol.

My issue with split reins is adjusting their length – they get too long and I find it difficult to feed through the reins when bridged, so I end up holding each separately like english riding, but now with the risk of dropping one and it won’t necessarily end up across the horses neck…

However, I might end up there after today’s lesson: trainer said my bit is too mild and I am working to hard. She wants me to use a shanked bit, and I have never seen those used with a rope rein… although off I go to look!

One way to practice how to feed and shorten reins of any kind is, as our reining trainer used to say, take a bridle in with you when you go sit there and watch tv.
Then play with it, keep handling the reins, shorten, give rein, move your hand.
All that just as if you were on a horse, until it becomes second nature.

I will add, if you have someone there, have them walk in front of you holding the bridle and practice.
Also very enlightening to be the one holding the bridle, the bit in your hand, notice how the reins move the bit around, how it may feel to a horse.
We did that with all beginners and those that were not handling reins quite right.
That is also a hit with 4H kids.
Interesting to watch those kids then teach their parents, that some of them were good effective riders, but had uneducated hands, now also learning to be more aware/considerate with them.

All that educates your feel for the reins from all angles, makes for a better hand on any rider.