My point is even properly used, side reins are still a tie down same as a martingale. It’s a fact.
I posted an opinion that I don’t prefer to use them and the poster I replied to seems to be on a mission to change my mind.
My point was, any tool can be misused.
You can “tie a horse’s head down” with reins in your hands also if you so choose.
Is a fact. 
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Well pull a horse’s head down unless I’m tying my hands to the saddle and the reins to my hand.
Absolutely any tool can be mis used.
I have two friends, who both, lost horses in unrelated incidents; that were being lunged by a ‘professional trainer’ in side reins. Apparently, the horses flipped and died immediately in one case, the other needed immediate euthanasia. Horribly sad. Horses and trainers completely unrelated. Both horses were mares.
Sad. So no to side reins for that reason.
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That doesn’t make much sense?
Most everyone in the English world uses side reins at one time or another and do it properly and horses are not hurt, much less killed by using side reins?
I expect there was way more wrong with what those trainers were doing when horses died while being trained than wearing side reins.
In our continental Europe riding program instructor courses we learned about all kinds of gadgets and how to use them and when not to and which ones not use at all.
Standing martingales were not to ever be used, we were given many good reasons how bad they were and so very dangerous.
I came to the US and guess what, practically every horse was showing in hunters in a standing martingale and no one was being killed.
In the western world, ropers and barrel racers and speed events most use standing martingales, “tie-downs” and have their reasons for that.
All we were told how bad standing martingales can be is still true, but evidently, in the right place, used properly, they are what works best for those there.
I would say, let’s keep minds open and always be ready to learn.
Don’t just accept what we hear as gospel until we have really the full knowledge behind it.
When we hear others have different ideas, listen, maybe we are too sure of something we really don’t know that much about.
After we know more, we may decide we are right on track, or may realize there is more than we knew and maybe we should consider that also.
The old, “never say never”.
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I had this happen to a horse I sold. When I lunged in side reins she did rear once. I immediately loosened them and she went around happily. The incompetent “trainer” that the buyer used insisted she go in them tight. Horse reared, fell over and broke her neck in two places.
So this was your horse that you were selling? Why in earth did you allow a trainer that you didn’t know (who I presume was there with a client to try your horse) do something with your horse that you would not do yourself? That trainer is at fault, not the equipment.
So very sorry for your loss.
Yes side reins can be dangerous.
Makes me cringe to see them used while riding. Including on vaulting horses.
No the horse was already sold when this happened. Oh I agree, the trainer was totally at fault. I still use them but judiciously.
Very sorry about the horse, that is terrible.
We gave many longe lessons to beginners and advanced riders and we always had a longing cavesson and side reins for that and of course for vaulting, unless it was longing only for a few minutes before turning rider loose for the rest of the lesson, then we were using a bridle, or some times the longing cavesson over the bridle for that bit of time.
Side reins when longing were adjusted according to what each horse required, mostly fairly loose.
If you read, probably, my first post above, it is not side reins that kill and maim horses, it is side reins used incorrectly that kill and maim horses.
It doesn’t matter if that person is a backyard ammie or a money earning professional. If they don’t know how to use them the horse is in danger.
You need to be taught to use side reins and you need to be taught by someone who uses them correctly.
The horse must never step backwards, ever. That leads to rearing and possibly going over and death.
The reins should never be used to pull in the head, or as others are saying in this thread to tie the head down, that is working front to back and in dressage we want to work horses back to front.
Use absolute minimal walk. Walking in side reins can cause a lateral walk.
My horses can stretch down in their solid side reins, they can also go inverted if they want to, because all horses in our paddocks suddenly startle at something, and I lose their focus. This has happened once but shows it is possible, so they are certainly not tied down.
The reins should always be put on loose, even on an experienced campaigner to get forward. You never know if something has happened to their mouth, that you have not picked up grooming and you want the horse thinking forward before you tighten to what length you want. Both those lengths are the length the horse needs, not the length of the reins you have. If they are too short do not use them.
The difference between stretching down and then coming through and working with a higher head carriage is because of the lunger. The reins don’t need to change length for that to happen.
The reins are attached higher as the horse progresses.
With a lot of people they get into trouble with tbs because they do not work their horse. If the horse is not being worked it is being made fit and creating muscles.
The day will come that the horse is too much for the rider. What the rider also does not know is that walk, trot and canter and going over jumps is not work.
You can learn to lunge at a higher level than you ride and to work the horse, even if you are not yet capable of that in the saddle.
This keeps the rider safer.
So in answer to the opening question.
Lunging correctly in side reins yea.
Lunging incorrectly in side reins nay.
Or accidents. If a horse in side reins trips, it’s going to be ugly.
Really, give it a rest. People have stated repeatedly that they don’t prefer to use them.
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Use of properly adjusted side reins for the task at hand is important, as is the use of any we chose to use.
I found this picture, some 60 years ago, of teaching apprentice and assistant instructors how to teach a beginner’s vaulting class.
We also were evaluating a new horse, a part draft horse, that may be suitable for longe work and maybe eventually as a vaulting horse.
Mostly we had worked on the barrel first and now were going over some basics with the horse standing there and, best I remember, we did a bit of just trot and canter work running with the horse and eventually while cantering vaulting on and off on the off side.
The horse was a star at it, his disposition wonderful for any we did with him.
We were not sure he would be suitable physically, that would take more fitness to evaluate.
Notice the side reins there, to give the horse a little more to go by where to keep his head, a bit like a seat belt, just there, won’t come into action unless needed, if he were to want to sling his head more than those permitted.
I would not say side reins were in any way considered to be “tying his head down”?
Used shorter, for that horse, in that specific situation, would have been wrong.
If he trained well, muscled up properly and was expected to have a more collected canter to do real vaulting work later, they may have been adjusted shorter, as his way of moving may have been also given him a shorter, more compact outline, but still never so short he had “his head tied down”.
By the way, as much as we used side reins, in all ways and circumstances, over decades, never had any problems or accidents from their use.
While we hear about such, I expect those are very rare:
I had one trip in side reins. It happened at a steady trot, on a large circle, in good footing. It was an accident, a fluke, and wasn’t something that could have been predicted or prevented. Fortunately, the side reins were long like they should be and the mare was able to use her head and neck to regain her footing and balance. She ended up with a small cut on her lip, but was otherwise fine. I was more worried about it than she was! This might sound ridiculous, but I think it’s possible that the side reins helped guide the mare back into balance after she tripped. An entirely appropriate and understandable response to the situation would have been to stumble-panic-run but I consider that it’s possible that the side reins helped redirect her back into balance and good posture. So not that anyone here is advocating for inappropriate use of side reins, but situations like this stress the seriousness of using them correctly, if you’re going to use them at all.
And as a side note, I don’t use side reins on all horses and only occasionally recommend them. There’s a time, place, purpose, and reason, always. It doesn’t apply to every horse.
The only time we had side reins when mounted were on the longe line and vaulting.
Have seen them used the very rare time a kid’s horse trail riding was getting the bad habit of pulling reins to get a bite, kid not able to get horse to quit that.
We never had that problem, but saw other riding centers at times with such, we asked and that is what they said.
Everyone has their own ideas, using side reins like that outside does make sense, but also concern that they could contribute to any problem as much as help, if things went wrong.
It worked for them, obviously, so who is to say.
Some used plain side checks for that, as in a driving bridle, maybe a bit safer than side reins there?
I think it is good to have these discussions and then each one will have more ideas about what to do and how and when and when maybe not do or use something.
Better than being too set on our way is right, everyone that disagrees is wrong.
Of course horses can trip in correctly set side reins with no drama.
You give it a rest that anyone who lunges in side reins is only hurting and endangering horses.
Go and give your onions to the SRS.
No one is saying you have to lunge your horse. We are just saying that side reins can be beneficial to the OP who asked that question, and the problems with side reins, are when they are used incorrectly, mainly by people who have not been taught and put the reins on too tight.
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lenapesadielesson pony
No, side reins are indeed a device that ties the horse’s head down. Like it or not that is exactly what attaching reins from the head to the girth/surcingle is doing. Their whole purpose is to prevent the horse from going around inverted with its head up.
Incorrect. The whole purpose of side reins is to: (1) straighten the horse, and; (2) recycle the forward energy toward the haunches so that the horse is not driven on to the forehand.
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Different language for basically the same intent
I know I never said anyone who lunges in side reins is hurting or endangering horses. I said, like others, I don’t prefer to use them. You, and others, said you do prefer to use them. Both are ok. You have your reasons why you use them. I have reasons why I don’t.
Using any piece of equipment is a matter of preference. I preferred to back my colt in a halter. Others prefer to back colts with a bit. Both are ok
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if the horse is too weak to carry the rider and go long and low and you are worried about gadgets, i would work on it slowly under tack and be patient. even if it’s intermittent proper carriage, i don’t know any other way you develop it in a young horse. i too worry about gadgetry although i am not sure side reins fall in that category.
I bought a rising 4 year old a couple of years ago and everyone was over the moon with how talented he was. trainers had big plans for him. when i went to trot it was like pushing a rope. i just reset all expectations of anything from anyone. it took a good year to get him to trot in a straight line with a modicum of self carriage. spent the next year trying to add the canter to that. he’s a lovely athletic guy and all that long slow work is really paying off presently. he’s starting to jump around like a made horse.
so I’m not sure if this comment is useful, but i guess i’m trying to encourage you to do it by riding him and being patient with him and yourself. it’s a long slow road but when you put in the work it yields dividends. i’m sure you are correct that he cannot do it now. but we get stronger by doing and attempting. just take what you can get and try to build from there. good luck and keep us posted.
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