Thoughts on ThinLine Reins

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=DMK;7903691]
yb, don’t go back to old fashioned rubber reins, try the new biothane version. Sooooo much more comfortable! (and they don’t melt)

http://www.doversaddlery.com/jeffries®-bio-grip-reins/p/X1-03025/[/QUOTE]
oh my gosh… I do want these…

I’ve been itching for a pair of rubber reins (can you imagine, as an eventer, I’ve never HAD A PAIR!) but I’m always so afraid of the price tag after seeing the (and cleaning) melted or cracked rubber reins of friends who I know personally are not leather abusers…

[tbchick84]

I love my Thinline reins. I will say, the reins I have on my dressage bridle which I keep at home on a nice climate controlled room have held up much better than the ones on the bridle I keep at the barn where it is exposed to humidity and various other climate conditions. I still got a good 4 years out of them, but they did eventually crack all the way up. If you get them, keep them where the conditions are consistent.

[yellowbritches]

I don’t like the biothane reins, either. I find them very slick in wet conditions and they have a funny feel to me…almost a give that I find makes my contact feel wonky. I guess I’m an old fashion girl.

[pattnic]

I can let you know on the laced hunter ThinLines in probably a few weeks - I just ordered some on sale ($73) from ThinLine Global… but they were listed as being a closeout and I can’t find them on the website at all, so they really might be discontinued.

I agree that the newer biothane-type rubber reins are also awesome. I am considering getting some of those, as well, if only because they are easier to clean than the ThinLine reins.

[OnDeck]

[QUOTE=yellowbritches;7904724]
I don’t like the biothane reins, either. I find them very slick in wet conditions and they have a funny feel to me…almost a give that I find makes my contact feel wonky. I guess I’m an old fashion girl.[/QUOTE]

I thought the exact same thing when I had a horse come to me with these reins on his bridle. I was worried about the super flexible material ripping, and I thought the same thing about having a wonky contact. I switched them out for laced reins after just one ride, but a few months later my leather reins were starting to break from getting eaten. I switched back to to the biothane reins “just until I pick up another pair of laced reins” and before I knew it, I totally forgot about them. Absolutely no problems after I got used to them but definitely a very weird feeling to start with.

[IPEsq]

I’d never heard of biothane before…but then I’ve been using reins from the 80s! My one pair of regular Thinlines didn’t last long enough to start cracking. A horse bolted away from me when I had a hand on the arena in gate and ran around until he broke the reins in 4 places. I’m interested in hearing what you think of the braided ones pattnic.

[yellowbritches]

I’ve never worried about the biothane breaking and I’ve used them fairly extensively (on various bridles of training horses I used to ride). Just not my thing.

[pattnic]

So the laced hunter reins reins arrived the other day… And I’m pretty sure they’re going back. I had thought they were lined with ThinLine on the back side and had regular leather lacing, but that’s not the case. The lacing itself is ThinLine, and honestly, it’s not very well done and doesn’t looks very attractive even if all the lacing was perfect. The quality of the leather is also lower than I was expecting.

I still love my regular Thinline reins, but the laced ones are a no-go.

[IPEsq]

Thanks for the review! Seems to explain why they are on closeout already.

[DMK]

yes, I’m not sure biothane is at greater risk for tearing or breaking - remember, this is what most driving harnesses are made of these days, because it is so very strong (nothing must stand up to torque and pressure quite like a harness!)

I’d have to defer to others on the slickness - I am so fair weather a rider these days, it is pathetic, so I cannot speak to what happens when they get rain wet, although so far, sweat hasn’t caused an issue, but everyone’s mileage varies! Also after a hand surgery a couple years ago, the thinner and more flexible feel is definitely better for my right hand!

[Larbear]

I have a pair of Thinline reins and I love them. I do flat work and jumping (and x-country) in them and don’t find them slippery when they get wet. I use deerskin leather gloves with them and actually find them too be a bit more grippy when they get wet.