Use of side reins

[NurseHorsey]

I have always looked a bit askance at the use of side reins, likely because I saw a lot of people using them incorrectly and because my early training growing up was very anti-gadget.

However, I am in the process of re-training my OTTB. He’s not a greenie but he doesn’t have the proper muscle development for a good headset, hasn’t been taught to use his back properly, and was mostly a schooling show lesson mount for a year or so, so no one cared much about anything but his packer abilities.

I’ve been working on trying to get him to drop his head and neck and round through his abdomen to use his back and hind end but I feel like we’ve hit a plateau. I know that he understands what I would like him to do but he still will use the ‘easier’ way and use the muscles he has, instead of using the muscles that he should.

So, I’m debating using side reins as a tool during our lunging sessions to help him (properly adjusted, of course). Is this a good idea for a bit to help him along in this re-training? My inner GM is hollering ‘No gadgets!’ but I do know that side reins can have benefits when utilized smartly.

[meupatdoes]

I use side reins like Vienna reins on green or unfamiliar horses.

Basically I put the girth through the loops, then run the rein through the bit ring, and then the rein to the girth.

The horse is then expected longe SLOWLY with a regular, measured, cadenced rhythm. No running around or rushing. I keep a close eye on how relaxed his eye, ears, and the base of his neck looks. I look to see if his feet are patting the ground softly or if he is slamming them down on the ground.

I have ridden some very, very green and very, very reactive horses and this teaches them to settle down and LET YOU work with them, and that it can be ok and actually relaxing.

In my advancing age (and as people started handing me more and more reactive horses to ride), I do a quick check of this before getting on a new one. Some horses are like, “Oh hey, ok!” right away and after 45 seconds we’re good to go. Others I am like, wow, glaaaaad we checked in with this first… :eek:

[candysgirl]

I don’t feel like side reins, used properly, are a gadget in the negative shortcut sense.

They help the horse develop balance and correct muscling without having to deal with the weight of a rider. They get to sort themselves out first. I absolutely use them as a part of training. I use them on any horse that hasn’t been worked properly.

[lauriep]

Never use side reins when riding. That is what draw reins to the side are for. But always when longeing, either with a biting rig or saddle. Actually, the correct way to longe.

[NurseHorsey]

Hm, looks like I’ll have to look into investing in some. My price range at the moment is nada :no: but maybe I can convince the almost-DH to invest in some. Any suggestions on good/reliable types? I perused Dover a bit and liked the ones with the donut in them. My boy is big though - about 17hh or so, so he has a long neck, so I’m worried most will be too short for him. I don’t live close to many tack shops, so I rely on the usual culprits - Smartpak, Dover, ect.

[candysgirl]

I’ve had good luck with eBay in finding little things like side reins pretty inexpensively. I found a set for under $20 that were barely used.

[foursocks]

Side reins are the correct thing to use when longeing, as Laurie said, and an excellent training tool for introducing contact. A surcingle and side reins with the donut (so they have some give) are how I started my then-three year old, who was gigantic. I would not worry about the length. I bought my set used- I think if you look a little bit you should be able to get a good deal.

You attach them to the bit on one end, and the sides of the surcingle on the other. Start with them long enough to give your horse room to get used to them (but you do not want them to be really flappy- there needs to be some resistance), and then slowly adjust as his training progresses.

[lauriep]

Actually, you do have to worry about length, especially with these big horses. The loaner rig I used in George’s clinic last week had side reins that were way too short to even attach, on a well schooled horse. So we just imagined they were attached.

Adding the side reins to a green horse must be done gradually, starting very loose and tightening 1-2 holes at a time. I have seen horses flip when hitting too snug side reins for the first time. Of course, on an older, experienced horse, you can just start at “their” hole!

[NurseHorsey]

I found a few possibilities on Ebay this morning so I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for a good deal.

I rode him this afternoon and we’re making progress under saddle but he still is somewhat averse to contact. He sometimes will stretch down into the reins but often he simply hollows out and lifts his head instead of accepting the contact. I think some work with side reins will help with the message that the bit/contact is not a punishment. He looks so lovely and moves wonderfully in the moments that does stretch into my hands but then he turns back into an inverted ostrich-y TB when he shirks away from it. :no:

[JenEM]

[QUOTE=NurseHorsey;7368798]
I found a few possibilities on Ebay this morning so I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for a good deal.

I rode him this afternoon and we’re making progress under saddle but he still is somewhat averse to contact. He sometimes will stretch down into the reins but often he simply hollows out and lifts his head instead of accepting the contact. I think some work with side reins will help with the message that the bit/contact is not a punishment. He looks so lovely and moves wonderfully in the moments that does stretch into my hands but then he turns back into an inverted ostrich-y TB when he shirks away from it. :no:[/QUOTE]

My TB was a bit the same way, and still is to some extent. Even with a good pro (GP dressage rider) on her, she takes a minute to go “oh, ok, fine, contact,” and relax into it. I found sidereins and a bit of lunging a very effective way to take the human imperfection of the situation, and to let her use her very clever brain to figure it out for herself. I prefer the balacing/sliding type sidereins, because I like that there’s a bit of the release you want to give when the horse responds correctly with those, and they give a horse a bit more range of motion if they do have a bit of a snit about them.

I always start with them very loose and adjust a bit tighter as the horse loosens up a bit, but mine is very long and tends to be stiff through her back.

[meupatdoes]

[QUOTE=NurseHorsey;7367837]
Hm, looks like I’ll have to look into investing in some. My price range at the moment is nada :no: but maybe I can convince the almost-DH to invest in some. Any suggestions on good/reliable types? I perused Dover a bit and liked the ones with the donut in them. My boy is big though - about 17hh or so, so he has a long neck, so I’m worried most will be too short for him. I don’t live close to many tack shops, so I rely on the usual culprits - Smartpak, Dover, ect.[/QUOTE]

Buy smartpaks drawreins for $25, slip the loop ends around the girth, slide the buckle ends through the bit rings, and then just knot the buckle ends around the billets.

Voila.

[NJRider]

The think the action of the vienna reins will have a more desired effect as far as encouraging a true stretch instead of regular side reins, which horses can end up in a fake frame using the wrong muscles. I am happy with these I got for a good price http://greenrivertack.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=379

[NurseHorsey]

[QUOTE=meupatdoes;7368954]
Buy smartpaks drawreins for $25, slip the loop ends around the girth, slide the buckle ends through the bit rings, and then just knot the buckle ends around the billets.

Voila.[/QUOTE]

Hmm, possibly a very good solution. I do like lunging without having to completely tack the big guy up, so I’ve been looking into side reins and surcingles together. I’m good at enabling my own laziness haha.

@NJRider;7368966

The think the action of the vienna reins will have a more desired effect as far as encouraging a true stretch instead of regular side reins, which horses can end up in a fake frame using the wrong muscles. I am happy with these I got for a good price http://greenrivertack.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=379

I’m hoping the BO at my barn might have a pair for me to try out. I’ve never actually used Vienna reins, so I’m not as comfortable buying a pair outright.

[NancyM]

Well I’ll give you an alternative view.

A horse learns when he finds the release. He does not learn from the pressure, he learns when the pressure is released. Side reins have no release. When used on green horses, often the result is that the horse simply backs off the bit, drops behind the bit, and curls his neck, to find a release.

You are talking about “headset”. There is no such thing. “Headset” is not important. What is important is engagement of the hind end, and raising the back. When this is accomplished, the head is carried correctly, without doing anything to acquire this result.

With a very well schooled horse, side reins used during lunging may well have a use that is not damaging. But if the horse is well schooled, he should actually be able to hold his own carriage without side reins when on the lunge, IMO. That would be my goal.

If the horse is carrying himself inverted when riding (and lunging), and does not understand that there is another way to carry himself other than inverted due to previous training or lack thereof, I would prefer to try to teach him something while riding, with draw reins if necessary. Draw reins, used correctly, place the pressure of the bit onto the bars of the mouth, do not allow the pressure to come into the corners of the mouth. And you can release that pressure at will, so that the horse can stretch downwards, for the “long and low” carriage that will be the start of correcting this resistance. Once long and low, and relaxed in this frame, you can work on the hind end, getting it to engage. Draw reins, used correctly, are loose and not in action 95% to 98% of the time. The draw reins used correctly do not “pull” the horse’s head down, or “pull” the nose in, they simply place the pressure of the bit. And the horse learns something when you release that pressure. You can’t get that with side reins.

[jaysjmpr]

Side reins do have a usefull place in training and re-training. Had a TB/QH that was not broke untill he was 10 yrs old. He had very little top line muscle. And a poor canter. He worked for several months in side reins, at the canter. I have an extra long lunge line.

My issue with side reins is the placement. I use the “dees” on the saddle to attach the side reins to. They make dee savers that allow them to fit. This gives a more natural feel for the horse. And we use elastic inserts at the bit and on the side reins so they have more give.

When you attach the side reins low, even on the side the horse will first want to pull up and away from the downward pressure, he will then learn to just get in back of the pressure. By using a higher adjustment when the rider does take a feel it is more like what he is used to.

It made a huge difference with this horse, his canter is balanced, you can loop the reins at the canter and he stays soft and balanced.

[foursocks]

Side reins with a donut do have release, and side reins are what dressage trainers usually use to start horses. There is no false frame created if the horse is longed properly- by which I mean forward. Side rein action is much less variable than draw reins, and stability is what one wants for a green/young horse. It begins to teach them self-carriage.

To me, they are for early re/training, and that is about it. I don’t longe made horses unless I need to- cooped up inside due to weather, coming back from an injury, etc. I have a surcingle and side reins that have not seen the light of day since my then-three year old was backed and taught WTC.

[rosebudranch]

I use side reins on all my babies… mainly to teach them to accept the pressure on the bit and learn to take to the feel. I DO not like it when I see people cantering horses in circles with their heads cranked down. I tighten mine just enough so they take a feel of the bit and thats it… If I’m not feeling well or don’t have time for a full proper school, Ill put the surcingle on them and lunge them through atleast the trot just to like you said to give them exercise and get them slowly building those muscles… BUT I’ve also learned that too much of this and not enough riding and really teaching them to come under themselves can be bad… too much lunging with side reins can teach them to frame their heads… and let their hind end scraggle… which creates all new problems. If the horse needs it I’ll hack in draw reins… but I have learned that with light schooling on the line with side reins as two year olds once you start getting on them, they have a concept of how to take a feel of the bit and get soft that draw reins are not necessary

[Belmont]

You will notice night and day with just one round of side reins. I never thought I would use them on my current horse, and I finally broke down and did. I now use them sometimes twice a week before riding just to get him to relax and think about working. It also has helped his muscle development. It was suggested by fellow COTH’ers. I have used them before on OTTB’s but I just didn’t think I needed gadgets on this horse.

He has come 50% farther along in a shorter time with 15 minutes of side reining twice a week then he had before. He just is softer and more balanced, and he doesn’t pull like a freight-train (most of the time) anymore.

I don’t use them while riding. That is a huge no-no. Use them only a few minutes on each side the first time, gradually introducing them. I’ve witnessed so many people crank them up and horses having no idea what to do the first time.

[NurseHorsey]

I had thought about utilizing draw reins but I just am even more hesitant about those because of all the variation possible from even just slight hand movements. I also think that it might confuse him more to have to figure out the draw rein action along with me on his back.

Belmont, what you describe is exactly what I want him to experience. Lunging him is enjoyable but he is definitely easily distracted by sounds in the barn, the wind outside, the horses in the dry lots out back, my foot moving 2 inches to the right, a strand of my hair waving… you get the idea haha. So getting him to concentrate and use himself is difficult.

I’m not worried about cranking the reins too tight - I’m so cautious with any gadget use that I’d likely start with them super loose regardless.

[SaturdayNightLive]

[QUOTE=NancyM;7370016]
Well I’ll give you an alternative view.

A horse learns when he finds the release. He does not learn from the pressure, he learns when the pressure is released. Side reins have no release. When used on green horses, often the result is that the horse simply backs off the bit, drops behind the bit, and curls his neck, to find a release.

You are talking about “headset”. There is no such thing. “Headset” is not important. What is important is engagement of the hind end, and raising the back. When this is accomplished, the head is carried correctly, without doing anything to acquire this result.

With a very well schooled horse, side reins used during lunging may well have a use that is not damaging. But if the horse is well schooled, he should actually be able to hold his own carriage without side reins when on the lunge, IMO. That would be my goal.

If the horse is carrying himself inverted when riding (and lunging), and does not understand that there is another way to carry himself other than inverted due to previous training or lack thereof, I would prefer to try to teach him something while riding, with draw reins if necessary. Draw reins, used correctly, place the pressure of the bit onto the bars of the mouth, do not allow the pressure to come into the corners of the mouth. And you can release that pressure at will, so that the horse can stretch downwards, for the “long and low” carriage that will be the start of correcting this resistance. Once long and low, and relaxed in this frame, you can work on the hind end, getting it to engage. Draw reins, used correctly, are loose and not in action 95% to 98% of the time. The draw reins used correctly do not “pull” the horse’s head down, or “pull” the nose in, they simply place the pressure of the bit. And the horse learns something when you release that pressure. You can’t get that with side reins.[/QUOTE]

This is incorrect. Or overly simplified to the point that I am completely misunderstanding you.

I, for one, do not want my horse to seek a release from all contact. I want him to learn to accept, seek, and use the contact.

In the picture you’ve painted above of the horse carrying himself “in frame” with no contact, the horse is not properly trained to the contact. I’m at a loss for how you would ride such a beast, except on a completely loose rein.

And I certainly do not want to teach my horse anything before I teach him to engage his hind end, let alone anything to do with where to put his front end.

Side reins, used correctly, teach a horse to reach over his topline into the bridle. They teach acceptance of the contact. They have been used in this way going back into forever.