I am thinking of buying new reins. The ones I have now are thin rubber and are wonderful but I need something thicker.
What do you all use?
Plain flat leather
Braided leather
Rubber, what brands and thickness
Other?
My favorites are made by Nunn Finer. Soft Grip rubber reins, very “noodley” feeling, nice and grippy.
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ThrreFigs- I think those are actually biothane reins- look like rubber reins with the “pimples” but softer and a bit thinner? I had some made for me a few years ago (bad arthritis) but there are several makers now including Micklem. Love the feel and flexibility.
My favorite are the standard Stubben rubber reins, 5/8". Added bonus is that these are really easy to grab if I accidentally lose a rein!
Demidq, the Nunn Finer label says " Soft Grip Rubber Reins". Nothing about biothane. This is a pair that I just bought. Yes, they are pimpled and butter-soft, 3/4 inch wide. I use them on my snaffle bridles and for my bradoon on the double.
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Thinline reins, hands down.
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I have a pair of PS of Sweden reins that I quite like. Rolled leather and then the rest is rather slim with rubber gripping on the inside. I don’t like a thick rein since I have small hands. My bridle is also rolled leather so they match. So far I’ve been satisfied.
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:yes:
Plain leather well conditioned.
I have been super happy with the Calf skin reins I picked up a few years ago. They have the stops sewn into them they are so much easier to keep clean then the traditional stops on reins and just as easy for me to maintain the even rein length I need and they are buttery soft leather feels amazing and have worn like Iron. Red Barn was the maker of the first pair I purchased and SmartPak carries them.
Otto Schumacher makes the same style and they are out of this word gorgeous but even more expensive…
Mine are “other” - padded leather reins. I have the Hinterland soft notched ones.
I’ve used the Nunn Finer Soft Grips for years but am finding my hands are cramping up trying to keep a hold of them. I’m thinking maybe something thicker.
Does anyone find flat or padded leather to be as grippy as rubber or do you have less grip when the horse gets sweaty or in the rain?
I absolutely love Exselle biothane reins with stops. They are soft, comfortable, not too thick (unlike rubber), stand up to fly spray (unlike rubber), and wear well.
That said, if you’re riding in a downpour, you’re gonna want gloves. I found that out the hard way a couple of summers ago when I was injured and therefore only walking my horse and not wearing gloves. Downpour came, I decided to suck it up and trot back to the barn. Zero steering and it’s a damn fine thing I install verbal whoa because my back was useless and the reins worse :o
And that said, they are fine in the rain as long as you are wearing gloves.
Instructor wants me to use rubber reins… I have small hands and a bad habit of letting the reins slip through my fingers…
so so I have ‘other’… 5/8” leather with leather stops sewn in. When I feel the reins slide to or past a stop it reminds me to shorten the reins again.
I had the more “noodley” thin rubber reins, but have developed a preference for something a little thicker. Now I have Mark Todd rubber grip reins and they are perfect. Still nice and flexible, but very grippy and a little thicker, so I’m less likely to let my reins slip.
Those look really nice. I like the ones with the stops… do you have those ones?
I despise the thin rubber reins. They usually come in a width that’s too wide to lay nicely in my my itty bitty child hands but so flat/thin that they require a little more tension in the hand than I like.
I ride in a knockoff version of these nubuck wrapped reins. Grippy without being sticky and noodley or stiff and rubbery. I’ve been thinking of upgrading to the “real deal” and might go with simply nubuck lined on the inside as I don’t really need the full thickness … but then again the calfskin ones @ewells posted also look great and possibly easier to care for. There are a a lot of options these days!
I have never liked the thin, noodley reins. My favorites, depending on the horse, have either been the thin line reins, dobert or albion’s suede reins, and now I’m currently really enjoying calfskin reins that are lined with rubber and have leather grip blocks. I’ve been using these ones specifically and love the grip and feel: https://www.evoequine.co.uk/store/p158/Luxury_Soft_Grip_Block_Reins.html
Oooh those look lovely! I wonder where I can buy these in Canada?
I think rein preferences are very individual. I have small hands and a tendency to let the reins slip or get too long if I am not careful. However, traditional rein stops always felt awkward and uncomfortable to me. I finally found these thinner, leather reins that were a great compromise, and now they are the only ones I use. https://www.doversaddlery.com/durasoft-reins-grip/p/X1-03299/
