Western Dressage - 1 handed?

[Aces_N_Eights]

@jvanrens

Interesting. My ex rode cutting horses, but he didn’t have any reins like that on his bridles. Just regular long solid reins, though some were thicker at the ends, none of them were stitched at all.

ETA Like these reins, but they were darker from years of use.

Same. The weight of the reins creates a better feel and helps keeps them from flying around while working a cow. Not necessarily just for the look of of excessive drape. Much like why typically you don’t see rein chains used with romels in reined cow horse.
Anyone that’s had a rein flip up over the head knows how annoying and distracting it is lol.

[Bluey]

For performance, heavier leather reins tend to get heavy with oil and dirt from use, giving them the right feel new or lighter reins don’t have.