What kind of side reins do I want to buy? What are the advantages of each, and the disadvantages of each?
the only advice i have to offer is do not get the donuts. they are the worst, and if a horse doesn’t take a strong sturdy contact with the bit, they bounce around and bang his mouth, which makes him back off the bit more. why do they even make those things any more? maybe for big sturdy warmbloods, but they wouldn’t work at all with any “delicate” horse.
Having used the donuts for years. I would disagree. I find that the elastic may be too givvy, it is also not as sturdy as it could be. Good quality side reins come with good quality donuts with just the right amount of give. Plain side reins have no give at all. Don’t forget they are meant to mimic your fingers wrists and elbows.
A word about quality. Buy the best you can find, short of the SRS reins from Dover ;), they will last longer and hopefully you won’t have to deal with juggling the holes to keep your reins of even length.
Unless the rules have changed, only the donuts are legal at shows.
FWIW
Cheap elastic and cheap donuts don’t usually give much and they are heavy and stiff.
Plain leather … not a good choice.
Good elastic and leather for more sensitive horses and donuts for less sensitive and horses that are further along in their schooling (not afraid to take a contact).
All leather ones are a good choice if you have a horse who has learned to lean or pull on reins/side reins.
I find the ones with latex surgical tubing to have the most give and prefer those for introducing a horse to side reins.
Other than that I prefer ones with heavy elastic for general use.
I don’t like the donut ones, i think most donut ones are too heavy.
oldenmare there is no rule about what kind of side reins may be used in the warm up for dressage shows. Here is the rule directly from the USEF 2009 Rulebook
DR121 Saddlery and Equipment.
- …Single direct side reins are permitted only when lungeing (mounted or unmounted). Only one lunge line is permitted only while lungeing. Driving or long lining is prohibited. A side rein is defined as an auxiliary rein affixed to the bit and to the girth, saddle or surcingle on the side of the horse (not between the legs). A lunge line must attach only to the bridle, halter or cavesson and go directly to the hand of the longeur. …
Why do you want to use side reins?
Exactly what I was going to say.
[QUOTE=merrygoround;3762248]
Having used the donuts for years. I would disagree. I find that the elastic may be too givvy, it is also not as sturdy as it could be. Good quality side reins come with good quality donuts with just the right amount of give. Plain side reins have no give at all. Don’t forget they are meant to mimic your fingers wrists and elbows.
A word about quality. Buy the best you can find, short of the SRS reins from Dover ;), they will last longer and hopefully you won’t have to deal with juggling the holes to keep your reins of even length.[/QUOTE]
Exactly what I would say
I like the quality of Passier for the leather and the donut (flexible, not too stiff/cheap). If other brands are comparible in the donut, that’s fine. Some rubber donuts are just too stiff and heavy to the horse.
After having a horse who delighted in torturing those rubber rings, no more. There is enough flex and give in the equipment that I don’t think solid leather side reins are a problem. Elastic is nice too but solid leather lasts the longest and has fewer points at which to break.
[QUOTE=merrygoround;3762248]
Having used the donuts for years. I would disagree. I find that the elastic may be too givvy, it is also not as sturdy as it could be. Good quality side reins come with good quality donuts with just the right amount of give. Plain side reins have no give at all. Don’t forget they are meant to mimic your fingers wrists and elbows.
A word about quality. Buy the best you can find, short of the SRS reins from Dover ;), they will last longer and hopefully you won’t have to deal with juggling the holes to keep your reins of even length.[/QUOTE]
That makes three of us who are on the same page.
Don’t get the elastic ones. The horses just bounce against them; they are not steady enough for establishing a contact. Friend was lungeing a horse with them, and I thought he was unsteady in them – he looked like he was purposely bouncing against them. Then I got on him and he continued to bounce against the contact with the reins. I rode him for a few weeks and it took a long time to get him just to have a normal light contact and not feel the snatching/bouncing effect.
Ditto Merrygoround et al. I’ve used plain leather ones without problem in the past, but now prefer the higher quality ones with rubber donuts. I hate the stretchy elasticky-ones (and Hate Hate bungie-cord trailer ties, but that’s another issue altogether).
Agree with the majority. Hate super-stretchy elastics, horses just pull through them; they’re either adjusted properly and end up too loose, or shortened waaay tight to compensate for the elastic. Neither is a good situation.
The bouncy bouncing of the donuts (esp. when cantering) used to bother me, but horses don’t seem to care. I actually kind of like the weight; it’s flexible, always “talking” to the horse’s mouth, but not in the irritating snatchy way people sometimes get with our hands. 
It’s almost like a gentle half-halt in rhythm with the stride.
I spent about $40 for mine, I think they are made by Tory leather. Great quality, supple leather, good length (adjustable from large pony to warmblood). I had a pair of the “quick-snap” sidereins; they are easy to adjust, but I dislike the big loop created by the d-snap, and the cotton web is very lightweight. I prefer the more traditional style for it’s “feel.”
Shameless bump.
And a new question. Does anyone know about the quality of the Dover Donut side reins that cost about $64?
I have a very thick pair of elastic ones. It’s not too stretchy at this point, but maybe they will stretch out. I had a pair of the donut ones, but they had no give at all. Could be they were just a cheap pair though. I got them online. I’ll have to check some out in person the next time I’m out shopping.
Dont waste your money on the elastic ones, I bought expensive leather side reins with the elastic and my horse had the elastic completly stretched out in a few weeks. I found a pair of nylon sr in a consignment shop put them on with some bailing twine in case he got stuck and they have worked wonderful ever since. He is a big heavy horse and had no respect for contact. I have since bought the sr with the heavy donut and like them the best.
dps, any hints as to where you found the heavy donut side reins?
Oldbutnotdead
I found them at my local consignment shop I’m not even sure who they are made by but can tell its top quality leather and very solid heavy rubber for the donuts. I will look and see if there is a name stamped on them.
Renaa
Thanks for the update - I know it used to be the donut only (which is why I had to buy a pair way back when)… but since I no longer longe at shows, haven’t worried about it for a few years.
Oldenmare
